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How can I recover my Snapchat data?

How can I recover my Snapchat data?

Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 250 million daily active users. Many Snapchat users have years worth of memories in the form of photos, videos, and chats stored in their accounts. However, if you lose access to your account, it can be difficult to recover that data. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to recover your Snapchat data if your account is hacked, deleted, or temporarily locked.

Why You May Need to Recover Snapchat Data

There are several common reasons why you may need to recover Snapchat data:

  • You lost access to your account due to hacking or phishing
  • You forgot your password and cannot log in
  • Your account was temporarily locked
  • Your account was permanently deactivated or deleted
  • You want to access old Snapchat memories that are no longer available in the app
  • You need to recover Snapchat data for legal reasons

Losing access to your Snapchat account can be frustrating, especially if you had years of memories stored in your account. The good news is that in many cases, it is possible to recover deleted Snapchat data through various methods.

Can Snapchat Recover Deleted Data?

Snapchat’s terms of service state that they cannot recover deleted Snapchat data. When you send a snap, it is automatically deleted from their servers after the recipient views it. Your chat history is also deleted after a certain period of time. So unfortunately, Snapchat does not store your old snaps and chats on their servers forever.

However, that does not mean your old Snapchat data is gone forever. The snaps you send are deleted from Snapchat’s servers but they may still be recoverable from the recipient’s device or from your own device if you had backups enabled.

Method 1: Recover from Recipient’s Device

If you need to recover a snap that you sent someone else, the recipient may still have that snap stored on their device even if they viewed it already.

On Android devices, Snapchat stores received snaps in the “Snapchat” folder which can be found in the internal storage. On iOS devices, they are stored in the “Received” album within the Snapchat app.

So if you need to recover an old sent snap, you can ask the recipient to check their Snapchat folders on their device to see if they still have it available. They may be able to send it back to you or take a screenshot of it.

The same goes for chat history. Recipients may still have the chat history stored on their device that you can ask them to send back to you.

Pros

  • Easy to do if the recipient still has the snaps stored
  • Lets you recover deleted snaps and chats

Cons

  • Recipient may have deleted the snaps already
  • You have to rely on the recipient sending you the data

Method 2: Use Snapchat Data Download

Snapchat offers a data download feature that lets you download the data associated with your account. This includes your saved photos and videos, as well as your chat history.

Here are the steps to use Snapchat’s data download:

  1. Log into your Snapchat account on the mobile app or website.
  2. Go to your profile and click on the Settings gear icon.
  3. Scroll down and select “My Data” and then “Submit Request.”
  4. Enter your email and phone number to submit the data request.
  5. Snapchat will process your request and email you a link to download your data when it’s ready (can take up to 30 days).
  6. The zip file will contain your Snaps, Memories, Stories, chat logs and more.

This method is useful if you still have access to your account but just want to download an archive of your Snapchat data.

Pros:

  • Easy self-service data download
  • Access to chat history, photos, videos
  • Don’t need to rely on others to share data

Cons:

  • Takes up to 30 days to get download link
  • Need access to your account to use this method

Method 3: Use Google/iCloud Backup

If you had backups of your device enabled, you may be able to recover deleted Snapchat data from your Google or iCloud account.

For Android:

  1. Go to google.com/android/find on a desktop browser
  2. Sign into your Google account that was linked to your lost device
  3. If available, click on the backup of your old device
  4. Look for the Snapchat folder in the backup and see if your files are there
  5. Restore the Snapchat folder backup to your new device

For iOS:

  1. Go to icloud.com and sign in
  2. Navigate to Settings > Photos and find your device backup
  3. Look for the Snapchat album to see if your snaps are there
  4. Click on a snap to download it to your computer
  5. Transfer the snaps to your new phone

This method works if you had enabled backups. Just make sure not too much time has passed since your last backup.

Pros:

  • Easy to access backups remotely
  • May contain lost Snapchat data
  • Doesn’t require account access

Cons:

  • Need to have backups enabled
  • Backups may be old and incomplete

Method 4: Use Data Recovery Software

If the above methods don’t work, you may need data recovery software to scan your device for Snapchat data remnants. These programs can recover deleted files from your phone.

Some options to try:

  • FoneDog Toolkit: Works on both iPhone and Android. Can extract residual Snapchat files.
  • iMyFone D-Back: Recovers lost iOS data including Snapchat photos and videos.
  • FonePaw Android Data Recovery: Retrieves deleted Snapchat files on Android phones.

The recovery process involves:

  1. Download and install the software on a computer
  2. Connect your device to the computer
  3. Let the software scan your device for residual files
  4. Preview and selectively recover Snapchat data
Pros Cons
Can find deleted Snapchat files Advanced process with learning curve
Works even without backups Paid software usually required
Recovers a variety of data types May recover incomplete or corrupt files

Method 5: Request Data from Snapchat

If you’ve lost access to your account completely, you can try requesting Snapchat to provide the data associated with your account.

You’ll need to contact Snapchat support and provide details to verify account ownership such as:

  • Full name
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Snapchat username
  • Date of birth
  • Proof of identity

If Snapchat can verify your identity, they may be able to provide you with data like your memories, chat logs, and Our Stories contributions.

Pros:

  • Direct way to request lost Snapchat data
  • Requires account verification for privacy

Cons:

  • Not guaranteed to recover data
  • Very lengthy process with no timeframe

Method 6: Use Third Party Apps (Snapchat++)

Third party apps like Snapchat++ or MSnap allow you to bypass some limitations of the official Snapchat app. For example, they let you save snaps without the sender knowing.

If you had such apps installed, they may have stored Snapchat data that you can still recover by re-installing them and checking their storage folders.

However, third party apps violate Snapchat’s terms and can compromise your privacy. Use them at your own risk.

Pros:

  • Allows covert saving of snaps
  • Apps may still have your old data

Cons:

  • Violates Snapchat’s terms, risks ban
  • Privacy and security issues
  • Unofficial apps may be unstable

Method 7: Check Web Browser Cache

When you use Snapchat on a browser, some data like photos may be stored in the browser’s cache.

You can try to recover old Snapchat photos by:

  1. Opening your browser history
  2. Putting snapchat.com in the search bar
  3. Opening cached Snapchat pages
  4. See if old snaps are displayed and save them

This method only works for Snapchat web usage and is hit or miss but worth a try.

Pros:

  • Easy to check browser data
  • May have cached Snapchat files

Cons:

  • Only works for web usage
  • Unlikely to recover significant data

Method 8: Contact the Snapchat Legal Team

If you need to recover Snapchat data for legal reasons such as a divorce case or police investigation, you can reach out to the Snapchat Legal Response Team.

You’ll need to provide official documentation like subpoenas, search warrants, or court orders.

The legal team will review the request and provide account records to the extent required by law.

Pros:

  • Official legal data request process
  • Can obtain court-ordered access

Cons:

  • Burdensome legal process
  • Requires specific legal grounds
  • No guarantee of getting data

Preventing Snapchat Data Loss

To avoid needing data recovery in the future, here are some tips to prevent losing Snapchat data:

  • Enable backups: On iOS, turn on iCloud backups. On Android, enable Google Drive backups.
  • Save memories: Download and save snaps and stories you want to keep.
  • Screenshot chats: Occasionally screenshot important conversations.
  • Strengthen account security: Use two-factor authentication and a strong password.
  • Log out on shared devices: Don’t stay signed in on someone else’s phone.

Conclusion

While Snapchat itself cannot restore deleted data, there are several methods you can use to recover lost Snapchat photos, videos, and chats:

  • Ask recipients if they still have your sent snaps
  • Use Snapchat’s data download if you have account access
  • Check Google Drive or iCloud backups if enabled
  • Use data recovery software to find device remnants
  • Request account data directly from Snapchat
  • Check third party apps or browser cache
  • File a legal data request if necessary

With persistence across these methods, you have a good chance of getting back lost Snapchats. Going forward, be sure to backup your data and enhance account security.