Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among younger users. A big part of Snapchat’s appeal is that photos, videos, and messages sent between users are meant to disappear after being viewed. This creates a sense of privacy and impermanence not found on other platforms.
However, there are ways to replay or retrieve Snapchat posts, going against the app’s ephemeral nature. One common question is how to replay a video sent over Snapchat after you’ve closed or exited the app. Here are the details on how to make that happen.
Saving a Snapchat Video Before Viewing
The easiest way to replay a Snapchat video is to save it before ever opening or viewing it. Here’s how:
- When you receive a new snap, press and hold on the snap to bring up options.
- Tap the downward arrow icon in the lower-right. This will save the snap to your Memories.
- Open Memories and you can view the snap as many times as you want.
Saving the video to Memories prevents it from being automatically deleted on first view. You can then go back and replay it later, even if you’ve closed the app in the meantime.
Replaying a Viewed Snap Within 24 Hours
If you already viewed a snap without saving it first, you still have one way to replay it before it deletes, but only within 24 hours:
- In the Snapchat app, tap on the Snapchat icon in the top-left corner.
- You should see any snaps you’ve received in the last 24 hours. Tap and hold on the snap you want to replay.
- A Replay option will appear. Tap it to view the snap again.
You only get one replay for each snap, so use it wisely. Replay also only works within 24 hours of first viewing the snap. After that, it will be deleted and irrecoverable (unless you saved it to Memories initially).
Recovering Deleted Snapchat Videos
If it’s been over 24 hours since you viewed a video snap, your last resort is to try and recover it using a data recovery app. There are a few options:
Dr. Fone – Data Recovery
Dr. Fone is an app available for both iOS and Android devices. It can scan your phone and find residual data from deleted Snapchat videos. Here is how:
- Download and install Dr. Fone on a computer.
- Connect your iPhone or Android phone to the computer via USB.
- Select the Recover option from Dr. Fone and scan your device.
- It will find recoverable Snapchat videos and let you save them to your computer.
Dr. Fone has one of the highest Snapchat video recovery rates, but it’s not free. You have to purchase the software.
DiskDigger
DiskDigger is a free option for Android users (an iPhone version is in development). The steps are similar:
- Install DiskDigger on your Android device from the Play Store.
- Run DiskDigger and select the type of scan you want it to run.
- It will display recoverable files, including lost Snapchat videos.
- You can then save the videos back to your phone’s storage.
DiskDigger is hit-or-miss on whether it can recover Snapchat videos, but still worth a try as a free option.
Snapchat Data Download
If you backed up your Snapchat Memories or did a data download from Snapchat before a video disappeared, you may still have it saved offline. To download your Snapchat data:
- Go to your Snapchat Profile page and tap Settings.
- Go to ‘My Data’ and tap ‘Download My Data’.
- Enter your password when prompted.
- Snapchat will compile your data into a .ZIP file for download.
- Locate videos you’re looking for in the Memories folder.
It’s a long shot, but if you had backed up your Snapchat data recently, you might find deleted videos there.
Avoid Losing Snapchat Videos
To avoid losing Snapchat videos you want to keep, it’s best to save them before viewing. You can also screenshot or screen record them as a last resort. Enabling Travel Mode will prevent snaps from deleting for a set time when you don’t have internet access.
Ultimately, embracing the ephemeral nature of Snapchat requires accepting that some moments will be fleeting. But with the right tools and preparation, you can replay Snapchat videos even after closing the app.
| Method | Time Limit | How To Replay |
|---|---|---|
| Save to Memories | None | Press and hold on unopened snap to save |
| One Replay | 24 hours | Tap snap to replay |
| Data Recovery App | None, if recovered | Use Dr. Fone or DiskDigger to restore |
| Snapchat Data Download | If backed up before deletion | Download data archive from Snapchat |
Conclusion
Replayability goes against the core idea of Snapchat, but there are still ways to save or replay snaps if needed. The best option is saving the snap to Memories before opening it. You also get one free replay within 24 hours. After that point, your only option is using a third-party data recovery app or Snapchat’s own data download feature.
Ultimately, enjoying Snapchat requires accepting impermanence, but you can replay videos selectively with the right tools.