Snapchat Memories stores your photos and videos in a private section of the app

Snapchat Memories is a folder inside Snapchat where the app saves photos and videos you choose to keep. Unlike snaps sent to friends (which disappear by default), anything you save to Memories stays there until you delete it. The folder is private — only you can see what's inside unless you choose to share it.

Memories is not a separate app or website. It lives inside the Snapchat app itself, and you reach it the same way you reach your camera or chat list. The photos and videos stored there are saved on your phone's storage, not just on Snapchat's servers, so they take up space on your device.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Snapchat, swipe up from the camera screen, and tap the Memories icon to see all your saved photos and videos.
  • You can save a snap to Memories while sending it to friends, or save it later by long-pressing the snap in a chat.
  • Memories are stored on your phone, so deleting them from Memories removes them from your device storage.
  • You can organize Memories into custom folders and share them with friends through Snapchat or export them to your phone's photo library.

How to open Memories on your phone

Open the Snapchat app and look at the camera screen — the main view when you first launch the app. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen with one finger. A menu will appear with several icons. Tap the icon that looks like a clock or archive (it varies slightly by phone type, but it's usually in the bottom row). This opens Memories.

Once inside Memories, you'll see a grid of all the photos and videos you've saved. They're organized by date, with the newest at the top. Tap any photo or video to view it full-screen. From there, you can share it, delete it, or send it to a friend through Snapchat.

If you don't see the Memories icon, make sure you're on the camera screen and not in the chat or discover sections. Swipe left or right to navigate between sections, then return to the camera view and try swiping up again.

Saving snaps to Memories while chatting or sending

When you receive a snap from a friend, you can save it before it disappears. Open the snap and look at the bottom of the screen — you'll see several icons. Tap the icon that looks like a downward arrow or a save symbol. The snap is now in your Memories folder.

You can also save your own snaps to Memories before sending them. After you take a photo or video, before you tap the send button, look for a save or read icon (usually at the bottom left). Tap it, and the snap will be saved to Memories when you send it to your friends. This way, you keep a copy for yourself while also sending it to others.

If you forget to save a snap and it disappears, you cannot recover it from the chat. Once a snap is viewed and expires, it's gone from that conversation. However, if you saved it to Memories before it expired, you can still find it there.

Organizing Memories into folders

Snapchat lets you create custom folders inside Memories to organize your photos and videos by topic, date, or person. Open Memories, then tap the folder icon (usually in the top right corner). Select "Create New Folder" and give it a name — for example, "Vacation 2024" or "Family." Tap create, and the folder appears in your Memories list.

To move a photo or video into a folder, open Memories, long-press the item you want to move, and select "Move to Folder." Choose the folder from the list. You can move multiple items at once by tapping the edit button and selecting several photos or videos before moving them together.

Folders help you find specific memories faster, especially if you have hundreds of photos and videos saved. You can rename or delete folders at any time, and deleting a folder does not delete the photos inside it — they return to your main Memories view.

Exporting Memories to your phone's photo library

You can save photos and videos from Memories to your phone's built-in photo app (called Photos on iPhone, Google Photos or Gallery on Android). Open Memories, tap the photo or video you want to export, then look for a share or export icon. Tap it and select "Save to Camera Roll" (iPhone) or "Save to Photos" (Android).

Exporting is useful if you want to edit the photo in another app, share it outside of Snapchat, or back it up to cloud storage like iCloud or Google Drive. Once a photo is in your phone's photo library, it's no longer tied to Snapchat — you own it outright and can do whatever you want with it.

Be aware that exporting takes up additional storage on your phone. If a photo is in both Memories and your photo library, it counts toward your storage limit twice. You can delete it from Memories after exporting if you want to free up space.

Sharing Memories with friends

Open Memories and tap the photo or video you want to share. Tap the send icon (usually an arrow pointing right or a paper plane). A list of your Snapchat friends will appear. Select the friend or group you want to send it to, and tap send. The memory will appear in their chat as a regular snap.

You can also share a memory to your Snapchat Story, which makes it visible to all your friends for 24 hours (or until you delete it). From the memory's full-screen view, tap the story icon and confirm. The memory will post to your story with the current date and time.

Memories you share behave like regular snaps — your friends can view them, screenshot them, or let them expire. Sharing a memory does not delete it from your Memories folder; it stays there until you manually remove it.

Deleting Memories and freeing up storage

Open Memories and find the photo or video you want to delete. Long-press it and select "Delete" from the menu. The item is removed from Memories and from your phone's storage. If you deleted it by mistake, check your phone's trash or recently deleted folder — some phones keep deleted items there for 30 days before permanently removing them.

To delete multiple items at once, tap the edit button in Memories (usually in the top right), select the photos and videos you want to remove, and tap delete. This is faster than deleting one at a time if you're clearing out old memories.

Deleting from Memories does not affect snaps you've already sent to friends or posted to your story. Those remain in your friends' chats or on their phones. You're only removing your personal copy from your device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone see my Memories if they use my phone?

Yes, if someone has access to your unlocked phone and opens Snapchat, they can view your Memories. Snapchat does not have a separate password for Memories — it uses your phone's unlock method. If you're concerned about privacy, lock your phone or use Snapchat's login screen to require a password each time the app opens.

What happens to Memories if I delete the Snapchat app?

Memories are stored on your phone's storage, not just on Snapchat's servers. If you delete the Snapchat app, your Memories are deleted from your phone as well. If you want to keep them, export them to your phone's photo library before uninstalling Snapchat.

Can I recover a memory I accidentally deleted?

Once you delete a memory from Snapchat, it's removed from your phone's storage. Check your phone's trash or recently deleted folder — some phones keep deleted items for 30 days. If it's not there, it cannot be recovered. This is why exporting important memories to your photo library is a good backup.

Do Memories take up storage space on my phone?

Yes, Memories are stored on your phone's storage, not in the cloud. Each photo or video counts toward your phone's total storage. If your phone is running low on space, deleting old memories or exporting them to cloud storage like Google Drive can free up room.

Can I access Memories on a computer or website?

Snapchat Memories is only available through the mobile app. You cannot view or manage Memories on a computer or through Snapchat's website. You must use the Snapchat app on your phone to access them.