You can delete a Snap in two ways: before you send it, or after it has been viewed
Snapchat gives you two windows to remove a Snap. If you have not sent it yet, you can delete it from your camera or drafts before anyone sees it. If you have already sent it and someone has opened it, you can delete it from the conversation, though the recipient will see a notification that you deleted a message — they will know something was there, even if they cannot read it anymore.
The method depends on whether the Snap is still in your hands or already in someone else's inbox. Neither option erases it completely from Snapchat's servers or from a recipient's memory, but both remove it from active view.
Key Takeaways
- Delete an unsent Snap by swiping left on it in the camera or tapping the X button before you hit send.
- Delete a Snap after sending by opening the conversation, pressing and holding the message, and selecting delete — the recipient will see a "This message was deleted" notification.
- A deleted Snap disappears from the chat but does not erase it from the recipient's phone if they already screenshotted it or saved it.
- Snapchat notifies the other person when you delete a message, so they will know you removed something.
- Deleting a Snap from your sent history does not delete it from the recipient's inbox.
How to delete a Snap before you send it
If you are still in the camera and have not tapped send, swipe left on the Snap to discard it. The Snap will disappear and you will return to the camera view. This is the fastest way to remove something you changed your mind about.
If you have already moved to the send screen and see the list of friends or groups you can send to, you can still go back. Tap the back arrow or swipe down to return to the camera, and the Snap will remain in your drafts. From there, swipe left on the draft to delete it permanently.
Once you tap the send button, the Snap is on its way and you move to the second method.
How to delete a Snap after you have sent it
Open the conversation where you sent the Snap. Press and hold the message you want to delete — a menu will appear with options including "Delete". Tap delete, and the Snap will be removed from the chat for both you and the recipient.
The recipient will see a notification that says "This message was deleted" in place of the Snap. They cannot tap it to see what was there, but they will know you removed something. This notification appears whether the Snap was opened or not.
You can delete a Snap from a one-on-one conversation or from a group chat using the same method. In a group, all members will see the deletion notification.
What happens after you delete a Snap
Deletion removes the Snap from the active conversation, but it does not undo anything the recipient may have already done with it. If someone screenshotted the Snap before you deleted it, the image still exists on their phone. If they saved it to their Memories (Snapchat's internal storage), it remains there.
Snapchat will notify the person who took the screenshot or saved the message, so they know you saw what they did. But the notification comes at the time they save or screenshot, not when you delete.
Deleting a Snap from your sent history in the Stories or Memories section does not delete it from anyone else's inbox or saved files. Those are separate actions.
The difference between deleting and clearing your conversation
Deleting a single Snap removes just that message. Clearing a conversation removes all messages between you and that person from your view, but it does not delete them from the other person's phone or from Snapchat's servers.
To clear a conversation, press and hold the person's name in your chat list and select "Clear Chat". You will no longer see the messages, but the recipient still can. This is useful if you want to clean up your own inbox without affecting what the other person sees.
Why someone might see a deletion notification and what it means
When you delete a Snap, Snapchat shows the recipient a message saying the Snap was deleted. This is by design — Snapchat does not hide the fact that you removed something. The recipient cannot see what the Snap contained, but they know you sent something and then took it back.
This can sometimes draw more attention than if you had left the message alone. If you are worried about what someone thinks, deleting often makes it more obvious that something was wrong. Consider whether deletion serves your actual goal or just creates a different problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a Snap if the person already opened it?
Yes. You can delete a Snap at any time after sending it, whether the recipient opened it or not. The Snap will disappear from the conversation and they will see a deletion notification. However, if they took a screenshot or saved it before you deleted, the image still exists on their device.
Will the person know I deleted a Snap?
Yes. They will see a notification that says "This message was deleted" in the conversation. They will not see the content of the Snap, but they will know you sent something and removed it.
Does deleting a Snap remove it from Snapchat's servers?
Deleting a Snap from a conversation removes it from view, but Snapchat may retain data about the message on its servers for a period of time. If you are concerned about privacy, assume that anything you send could be stored or recovered by Snapchat or by the recipient, even after deletion.
What if I delete a Snap from my Memories but the recipient still has it?
Deleting from your Memories only removes it from your own storage. The recipient's copy is unaffected. If they saved the Snap to their Memories or took a screenshot, they still have access to it on their phone.
Can I delete a Snap from a group chat?
Yes. Press and hold the Snap in the group conversation and select delete. All group members will see the deletion notification, but the Snap will be removed from the chat for everyone.