Losing Snapchat memories can be upsetting, especially if those snaps contained precious moments or important conversations. The good news is that with a few steps, you may be able to recover your lost Snapchat memories.
Why Did My Snapchat Memories Disappear?
There are a few common reasons Snapchat memories can go missing:
- You cleared your conversations – Clearing one-on-one or group conversations will delete those snaps.
- Your account was temporarily locked – Snapchat memories are inaccessible while your account is locked.
- Your friend cleared the conversation – If your friend cleared their copy of the conversation, your snaps will disappear too.
- You deleted the Snapchat app – Any snaps only saved locally will be lost if you delete the app.
- Your phone broke or was replaced – Snaps only saved on that device will be gone if it stops working or you get a new phone.
- You updated Snapchat – Sometimes an update can cause glitches that make memories disappear.
- It’s been over 30 days – Snapchat deletes snaps after 30 days by default.
So in most cases, disappearing Snapchat memories can be traced back to an action you or your friends took, a device malfunction, or the automatic deletion time period expiring.
How to Recover Lost Snapchat Memories
If your lost Snapchat memories disappeared recently, here are some ways you may be able to get them back:
Check Your My Eyes Only
If you had saved some snaps to My Eyes Only before they disappeared, they may still be accessible there:
- Open the Snapchat app and tap on your profile icon.
- Tap on the My Eyes Only icon in your profile.
- Enter your passcode if prompted.
- Check if the lost snaps are still saved in My Eyes Only.
Ask Your Friends to Resend
If the disappearing snaps were from friends, reach out to them and ask if they can resend them to you. Friends may still have the snaps if they hadn’t cleared the conversation too.
Try Snapchat Recovery Apps
Third party Snapchat recovery apps claim they can restore lost Snapchat photos, videos, and chats. Some examples include:
- Snapback
- SnapRaid
- Snapchat Recovery Tool
However, be cautious with third party apps – make sure to research them thoroughly first. Some are legitimate, but others may compromise your privacy or security.
Look for Local Backups
Even if Snapchat deleted the snaps from their servers, copies may still exist locally on your devices in certain cases:
- Check your camera roll – If you had saved some snaps to your camera roll, they’ll still be there.
- Plug into a computer – Connect your Android phone to a computer and browse the internal storage and SD card for Snapchat media files using your file explorer.
- Use a file recovery app – Download a file recovery app for your device that can scan the internal and external storage for deleted media.
Contact Snapchat Support
While Snapchat doesn’t guarantee they can recover lost memories, you can try reaching out to their support team for help. Be sure to provide detailed information on when and how the memories disappeared.
How to Prevent Losing Snapchat Memories
To avoid losing special Snapchat memories again in the future, here are some precautionary measures you can take:
Save Important Snaps Outside the App
Rather than solely relying on Snapchat’s servers, make sure to also save any snaps you want to keep permanently outside the app:
- Screenshot or screen record snaps before sending them to save a copy.
- Frequently save special snaps to your camera roll or cloud storage.
Avoid Clearing Conversations
Don’t clear entire conversations unless absolutely necessary – this will delete any snaps from that chat.
Turn Off Auto-Delete
Disable auto-delete in your Snapchat settings so snaps are saved by default, rather than being automatically deleted after 24 hours:
- Go to Settings > Memories.
- Tap Auto-Delete My Memories.
- Select Manual Delete to turn off auto-delete.
Make Use of My Eyes Only
My Eyes Only lets you protect your most private snaps with a passcode. Any snaps added to My Eyes Only are stored securely rather than in your regular Snapchat memories.
Avoid App Updates
Unless absolutely required for security or major new features, try avoiding updating Snapchat since app updates can sometimes cause glitches that make memories disappear.
Back Up Your Device
Regularly create backups of your device and enable cloud syncing for services like iCloud or Google Photos. That way, even if your phone is damaged or wiped, you can restore your Snapchat media from a backup.
Use a Secure Phone Lock
Set a strong passcode, fingerprint lock, or face unlock on your phone. This will prevent others from accessing and potentially deleting your Snapchat memories if your device is lost or accessed without your permission.
Recover Deleted Snapchat Account
If your entire Snapchat account was deleted, unfortunately there is no official way to recover it. Here are some options to try:
Submit Account Recovery Request
Go to the Snapchat account recovery page and submit a request. You’ll need to provide your username and any details to verify you are the account owner. However, success is not guaranteed.
Contact Support
Reach out to the Snapchat support team, explain your account was wrongfully deleted, and request they reinstate it. Be sure to provide all relevant context and details.
Create a New Account
If account recovery isn’t successful, the only option left is to create a brand new Snapchat account and start rebuilding your connections and memories from scratch.
Types of Memories on Snapchat
Here are the different types of memories and content that can be saved, viewed and recovered within Snapchat when available:
Memory Type | Description |
---|---|
Photos | Snap photos taken via the app camera. |
Videos | Snap videos recorded via the app camera. |
Stories | Photos and videos shared to your Story. |
Chat Snaps | Photo and video snaps sent in Chat conversations. |
Chat History | The text content and chat logs of conversations. |
Snapstreaks | Number of days you’ve continuously Snapchatted someone. |
Friend Lists | Your custom best friends list and other friend lists if created. |
App Preferences | Your Snapchat settings, linked accounts, etc. |
Conclusion
Losing Snapchat memories can be frustrating, but don’t panic yet if it happens to you. With a combination of re-sending requests, local file recovery, third party apps, contacting support, and learning how to properly back up your Snaps in the future, you have a good chance of getting your lost Snapchat photos, videos and chats back.