Snapchat is a popular social media app that lets you send photo and video messages that disappear after being viewed. However, there may be times when you want to save a Snapchat picture before it disappears. The good news is there are a few different ways to save Snapchat pictures to your device’s photo gallery so you can view them again later.
Quick Answer
Here are the quick steps to save a Snapchat picture on Android or iPhone:
On Android:
- Open the Snapchat app and view the Snap you want to save.
- Tap and hold on the Snap to bring up options.
- Tap the download icon in the upper-right corner.
- The picture will save to your camera roll/gallery.
On iPhone:
- Open the Snapchat app and view the Snap you want to save.
- Tap on the Snap to bring up options.
- Tap the download icon in the bottom-left corner.
- The picture will save to your camera roll/photos library.
Read on for more detailed instructions and other ways to save Snapchat pictures on both Android and iPhone.
Saving Snapchat Pictures on Android
Here are the steps to save a Snapchat picture on any Android phone or tablet:
- Open the Snapchat app. Launch the Snapchat app from your home screen or app drawer.
- View the Snap you want to save. Open a Snap from your feed or from a conversation. View it until you reach the time limit.
- Tap and hold the Snap. Press and hold your finger anywhere on the Snap. This will bring up a few options.
- Tap the download icon. In the upper-right corner, tap the downward arrow icon to download the Snap.
- Find the saved Snap. Open your Photos/Gallery app and look in your camera roll or Snapchat folder. The downloaded Snap will be saved there.
Once you tap the download icon, Snapchat will save a copy of that picture to your device’s storage. You can find it and view it at any time, even after it disappears from the Snapchat app.
Other Ways to Save Snaps on Android
Here are a couple other methods you can use to save Snapchat pictures on Android devices:
- Screenshot – Open the Snap, then press the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously to take a screenshot. The screenshot will save to your gallery.
- Airplane Mode – Put your phone in Airplane mode, open the Snap, take a screenshot, then turn Airplane mode off. This prevents Snapchat from being notified you took a screenshot.
- Third-party apps – There are some third-party apps like SnapSave and Casper that can covertly save Snapchat pictures.
Saving Snapchat Pictures on iPhone
Saving Snapchat pictures on an iPhone or iPad works very similarly to Android:
- Open the Snapchat app. Launch the Snapchat app from your home screen.
- View the Snap you want to save. Open and view the Snap you want until the timer runs out.
- Tap the Snap. Tap anywhere on the Snap to bring up options.
- Tap the download icon. In the bottom-left corner, tap the downward arrow icon.
- Find the saved Snap. Open your Photos app and look in your Snapchat album or camera roll. The picture will be saved there.
The steps are very similar to Android. Just tap the download icon after opening a Snap instead of long-pressing it. This will save the Snapchat picture to your camera roll or Snapchat album on your iPhone.
Other Ways to Save Snaps on iPhone
Here are some other options for saving Snapchat pictures on an iPhone:
- Screenshot – Open the Snap, then press the Power/Side and Volume Up buttons at the same time to take a screenshot. It will save to your photos.
- Airplane Mode – Enable Airplane mode before opening the Snap. Take a screenshot, disable Airplane mode. Snapchat won’t know you took a screenshot.
- Third-party apps – Apps like SnapSave, Sneakaboo, or Phantom can save Snapchat pictures without notifying the sender.
Using Third-Party Apps to Save Snapchats
In addition to the official methods above, there are a number of third-party apps you can use to save Snapchat pictures.
Here are some things to keep in mind with third-party Snapchat savers:
- They allow you to save Snaps secretly without the sender being notified.
- Downloading these apps from anywhere besides the official app store may be risky.
- Snapchat prohibits using third-party apps and may ban accounts caught using them.
- Some popular options include SnapSave, Sneakaboo, Snapbox, and Casper.
- You’ll need to download and install the app, allow permissions, and integrate your Snapchat account.
- Then you can covertly screenshot and save any Snaps you receive.
While third-party apps make saving Snapchats easy, keep in mind that Snapchat doesn’t allow them and there are risks involved with unofficial apps. Use at your own discretion.
Why Save Snapchat Pictures?
There are a variety of reasons you may want to save a picture from Snapchat. Here are some of the most common:
- To look at funny or memorable Snaps again later for a laugh.
- To preserve important memories and events.
- To save pictures you want to keep looking at, like selfies from friends.
- To save Snaps from groups or stories to look at later.
- To save embarrassing or incriminating Snaps as evidence.
- To archive pictures you want to keep long-term.
Snapchat is intended for ephemeral sharing. But there’s nothing wrong with wanting to save special Snaps that you want to be able to look back on later down the road.
Does the Sender Know You Saved a Snap?
An important concern when saving Snapchat pictures is whether the sender will know that you did it. Here’s how it works:
- Using the official download button in Snapchat will not notify the sender.
- Taking a screenshot will send a notification to the sender.
- Using Airplane Mode to take a screenshot prevents the notification.
- Third-party apps allow secret saving without notifying the sender.
So using the built-in download button or third-party apps are the only ways to save Snaps without the sender knowing. Taking a screenshot while in Airplane Mode also avoids detection.
Does Saving Snapchats Affect Your Memories?
Snapchat Memories are where Snapchat stores the Snaps and Stories you post so you can re-share them later. So does saving your Snaps affect what goes into your Memories?
The answer is no. Saving a Snapchat to your camera roll does not also save it to Memories. The two are completely separate.
If you want a Snap to appear in Memories for re-sharing later, you’ll need to intentionally save it there as well. Saving to your camera roll doesn’t affect Memories.
Can You Save Snapchat Messages?
In addition to saving Snapchat pictures, is it possible to save Snapchat text messages or chats?
Unfortunately there is no official way to save Snapchat messages built into the app. However, there are a couple workaround options:
- Screenshots – You can screenshot chat messages and save them that way.
- Third-party apps – Some apps can export Snapchat chats and messages to your camera roll.
- Android ADB extraction – On rooted Android phones you can extract the Snapchat database which contains messages.
So with some creativity, it is possible to save Snapchat chats and messages. But screenshots or third-party apps are the easiest options.
Can You Save Snapchat Videos?
Wondering if you can save Snapchat videos? The good news is yes, the same methods for saving photos also work for videos!
On both iPhone and Android you can hold down on a video Snap and tap the download icon to save it. Or you can use a third party app to covertly record and save Snapchat videos.
You can also screenshot while in Airplane mode to save a brief moment from a video. So the same techniques apply equally well to saving Snapchat videos to your camera roll.
Conclusion
Saving Snapchat pictures comes in handy for preserving memories, funny moments, evidence, or just because you want to. Using the built-in download button is the easiest and most discreet option. You can also covertly screenshot by using Airplane Mode or third-party apps.
Keep in mind screenshotting does notify the sender. But overall, saving Snapchat photos is simple on both iPhone and Android. Now you have the techniques to preserve any important or funny Snaps you want to be able to look back on long after they disappear from the app.