Sending snaps is a fun way to quickly share moments with friends on Snapchat. With Snapchat Memories, you can also easily send old snaps again at any time. But can someone tell if you send them a snap from Memories versus one you just took? Let’s take a closer look at how snaps from Memories work and what recipients can see.
What Are Snapchat Memories?
Snapchat Memories allows you to save your sent or unsent snaps, stories, and chats in one private location within the app. You can access Memories by tapping the circle icon with a star inside it at the top of the Camera screen.
In Memories, all your old snaps and stories are organized by date or search terms. You can easily browse through them, edit or draw on them, add them to a new story, or of course, send them again to friends.
Sending a Snap from Memories
When you send a snap from Memories, it works just like sending a new snap you just took. You select a friend or group to send it to, customize the snap length if desired, add captions or drawings, apply filters, etc.
The main difference is that instead of capturing a live photo or video, you are sending one already saved in Memories. It could be a snap from a month ago or even years ago!
What Recipients See from Memories Snaps
So can someone tell if a snap came from Memories versus directly from the Camera? There are a few small indicators:
- No timestamp or location – Snaps from Memories lack the timestamp and map location that new snaps have. So if your friend sees you sent a snap at 5 PM but without a timestamp, they may guess it’s from Memories.
- Fuzzy edges – When you view a Memory snap after taking it, Snapchat applies a blurry edge effect. This can sometimes carry over when sending the snap again, cluing recipients into its origin.
- No notification dot – Brand new snaps trigger a notification dot on the Snapchat app icon. Snaps from Memories don’t trigger this or make a notification sound.
However, these signals are quite subtle! Without actively looking for them, most people would have a hard time distinguishing a Memories snap from a new one.
Does Sending from Memories Impact Snap Quality?
Nope! The image or video quality of snaps is preserved even when sending from Memories. Snapchat encrypts snaps using a lossless compression algorithm, meaning no data is degraded or lost when saving and re-sending them.
The snaps retain their original resolution, frame rate, filters, doodles, text, and more. Snapchat’s compression is designed to compress snaps to a smaller file size without any noticeable reduction in visual quality.
So don’t worry about Memories snaps looking old, grainy, or obviously recycled. They will look just as crisp and clear as snaps you take in the moment!
Does Sending from Memories Notify the Other Person?
Nope! There is no sort of alert or notification to your friend that the snap came from Memories. The Snapchat app treats the old snap just like a brand new one.
Your friend has no way to explicitly know the snap they received was from Memories unless they notice the subtle signals mentioned earlier. Snapchat purposefully designed Memories this way for seamless sharing.
Does the Snap Expire Normally?
Yes, snaps sent from Memories act just like any other snap! The sender can customize the snap timer as desired from 1 to 10 seconds. Once opened by the recipient, the snap will expire after the chosen time.
If you reuse a snap with a caption, the recipient can replay it once before it expires forever. So Memories snaps still provide Snapchat’s signature ephemeral experience.
Can You Save a Snap Sent from Memories?
Recipients have the same capability to save or take screenshots of Memories snaps as regular snaps. If your friend wants to save your Memories snap, they could:
- Take a screenshot with their device
- Use a third party app to record their screen
- Use specialized specs to photograph their screen
Of course, you will not be notified if someone saves your snap without permission. The disposable and encrypted nature of snaps just makes it a bit harder, giving you plausible deniability.
Pros of Using Memories for Snaps
Reusing old snaps from Memories has some nice perks:
- Saves time – Don’t have to take a brand new snap if you have a relevant one already saved.
- Looks authentic – Slight aging of Memories snaps can make them seem more natural and genuine.
- Revives old memories – Fun to rediscover and reshare old vacations, holidays, memories with friends.
- Less pressure – For casual snaps, less worry about taking the perfect real-time photo.
Cons of Using Memories for Snaps
Reusing older snaps does come with a few drawbacks:
- Lacks context – If overly recycled, snaps may seem random without recent context.
- Less personal – Can feel more low effort than real-time, personal snaps.
- Creates distance – Over-reliance on old snaps may make you seem distant or disengaged from friends.
- Breaks authenticity – Some people value Snapchat for real, in-the-moment connections.
Best Practices for Using Memories
If thoughtfully incorporated, sending snaps from Memories can be a fun way to share meaningful past moments. Here are some best practices:
- Mix with real-time snaps to keep conversations fresh.
- Send Memories snaps only when genuinely relevant and meaningful.
- If asked, don’t pretend a Memories snap is new – be honest.
- Add context to Memories snaps in captions to explain why you’re sharing.
- Reshare Memories sparingly to avoid seeming robotic or aloof.
Can Someone Tell If You Screenshot Their Snap from Memories?
Nope, just like with any snap, saving or screenshotting happens privately without the sender being notified. Snapchat’s screenshot and screen recording notifications only apply when you capture something in live Snapchat viewing, not Memories.
So feel free to screenshot your favorite blasts from the past! Just be respectful and ask permission first if the snap contains sensitive content.
Conclusion
Overall, while it’s possible for recipients to guess a snap came from Memories due to missing timestamp or location data, the differences are quite subtle. Nothing explicitly gives it away.
As long as you use Memories thoughtfully and don’t overly rely on old snaps alone, sharing them can be a fun callback for you and your friends without breaking Snapchat’s signature ephemeral experience.
Happy snapping from new moments and old memories alike!