Snapchat is a popular social media app that allows users to send photo and video messages that disappear after being viewed. One of Snapchat’s key features is called Memories, which lets you save your Snaps to your camera roll so you can access them later.
Many Snapchat users wonder if saving Snaps to Memories takes up storage space on their device. The short answer is yes, Snapchat Memories do take up storage, but exactly how much depends on several factors.
In this article, we’ll explain how Snapchat Memories work, how much space Snaps take up, what determines Snap storage size, and tips to manage your Snapchat storage usage.
How do Snapchat Memories work?
Snapchat Memories is a private gallery where Snapchat saves your Snaps after you choose to “Save to Memories.” There are a few ways to save Snaps to Memories:
– Tap the Save icon on a Snap you receive before it disappears.
– Tap the Save icon on a Snap you take before sending it.
– Press and hold on a Snap to bring up the options menu, then tap “Save to Memories.”
Once a Snap is saved in Memories, you can access it by going to the Memories tab in Snapchat. You can view, edit, and re-share any Snaps stored in Memories as many times as you want.
The key difference between regular Snaps and Memories is that Memories are saved permanently while regular Snaps get deleted after they’re viewed.
Snapchat stores all your Memories locally on your device — they’re not backed up to Snapchat’s servers. So anything saved in Memories takes up space on your phone or tablet.
How much storage do Snapchat Memories take up?
How much storage Snapchat Memories take up depends on:
– Number of Snaps saved – More Memories means more used storage.
– Length of Snaps – Video Snaps take up more space than photo Snaps. Longer videos take up more space than shorter ones.
– Resolution of Snaps – Higher resolution/quality Snaps take up more space.
As an example, Snapchat states that a typical 10 second, standard quality Snap takes up about 3-5 MB. So 50 of those Snaps would take up 150-250 MB. A shorter Snap would take up less space while longer Snaps, HD quality, or videos take up much more.
Most modern smartphones have at least 32GB or more storage, so saving a few hundred typical Snaps shouldn’t make a dent. But heavier Snapchat users with thousands of Memories may notice the app eating up more storage over time.
What determines the size of Snapchat Memories?
There are a few key factors that determine how much storage space each Snapchat Memory takes up:
– Length – Video Snaps take up significantly more space than photo Snaps since video contains multiple images per second of footage. A 10 second video Snap will be larger than a 2 second video, for example.
– Resolution – Snaps taken in high definition or at higher quality settings will have larger file sizes. HD video Snaps will take up the most storage space.
– Composition – Snaps with more visual complexity – more colors, details, movement – require more data so they take up more space. A simple selfie Snap usually requires less storage than a landscape photo or action shot, for example.
– Audio – Snaps recorded with audio or background sounds will be larger than silent Snaps. More audio data translates to larger file sizes.
So a 60 second HD Snap of a busy city scene with ambient sounds will eat up much more storage than a 5 second photo selfie Snap without audio.
Tips for managing Snapchat storage usage
If Snapchat Memories are taking up too much device storage, here are some tips to reduce and manage your Snapchat storage usage:
– Delete old Memories – Periodically review your Memories and delete any you no longer need to save space. Deleting Unwanted Snaps is the best way to free up storage.
– Save fewer Snaps – Be more selective about which Snaps you actually save to Memories. Avoid saving low quality or unimportant Snaps.
– Use Snapchat Settings – Adjust Memories settings to automatically delete Snaps after a set number of days to prevent indefinite storage.
– Export Memories – Save Snapchat Memories to an external device like a computer or cloud storage to back them up and delete them from your phone.
– Check resolution – Use lower resolution Snaps when possible for smaller file sizes. But keep in mind quality will be reduced.
– Clear app cache – Deleting Snapchat’s temporary app data can help free up a bit of space.
With some simple management, it’s easy to keep your Snapchat Memories from eating up too much device storage.
Conclusion
Snapchat Memories do take up device storage space since they save Snaps to your phone or tablet’s local camera roll. The amount of storage used depends on the quantity, length, quality, and content of the individual Snaps you save to Memories.
Video Snaps, lengthy Snaps, HD Snaps, and Snaps with more visuals or audio take up the most storage. Hundreds of typical Snaps will likely only use up a few hundred MBs. But heavy Snapchat users with thousands of Memories may see the app occupying GBs of storage.
To manage Snapchat’s storage usage, periodically delete old Memories you don’t need, be selective when saving Snaps, use lower resolution when possible, and export Memories to external devices. With proper maintenance, Snapchat Memories can be used without worrying about taking up too much valuable device storage.