Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media apps, with over 250 million daily active users. A big part of Snapchat’s appeal is that photos and videos (called snaps) disappear after being viewed. This makes Snapchat feel more private, intimate, and ephemeral.
However, sometimes you may delete a snap that you wanted to keep. Or, someone may have sent you an important snap that disappeared before you could save it. Is there any way to retrieve deleted snaps on iPhone?
Can you recover deleted snaps?
Unfortunately, Snapchat does not provide an official way to recover deleted snaps. When you send a snap, it is automatically deleted from Snapchat’s servers after the recipient views it. Even unopened snaps are deleted after 30 days.
So if you accidentally deleted a snap you wanted to keep, or if it disappeared from your inbox, it is likely gone for good. Snapchat’s ephemeral nature is part of what makes it fun to use, but it also means you can’t retrieve old snaps.
Why can’t you recover deleted snaps?
There are a few reasons why Snapchat does not allow you to recover deleted snaps:
Privacy
Snapchat was designed to be a private messaging app. Snaps disappear for a reason – so they won’t stick around permanently. Letting users recover old snaps could violate the privacy expectations of the sender.
Storage costs
Snapchat sends an incredible number of temporary photos and videos per day. Saving all of them would require massive amounts of server storage space, which would be hugely expensive for the company.
Encourages impermanence
Not being able to recover old snaps adds to the app’s ephemeral atmosphere. It encourages users to live in the moment and not stress about the content disappearing.
So for privacy, cost, and usage experience reasons, Snapchat does not allow retrieving deleted snaps. The temporary nature of snaps is part of what makes Snapchat enjoyable for many users.
Can you recover deleted Snapchat account?
If your entire Snapchat account was deleted, rather than just individual snaps, the situation is slightly different. Here are the key things to know about recovering a deleted Snapchat account:
– **Account deactivation** – If you temporarily deactivated your account in the app’s settings, you can reactivate it within 30 days by logging back in. This brings back your friends, snaps, chats, etc.
– **Permanent deletion** – If your account was permanently deleted, either by you or by Snapchat, it is gone forever. There is unfortunately no way to recover it.
– **Backups** – Snapchat does not allow users to back up their account data. So there are no backups to restore your account from if it is deleted.
– **Support** – You can try contacting Snapchat support if your account was wrongly deleted. But they likely cannot restore accounts that were intentionally deleted permanently.
So unfortunately, if your entire Snapchat account is deleted, whether by accident or on purpose, it is most likely gone for good. Snapchat’s ephemeral nature applies to accounts too.
Third party Snapchat recovery apps
Various third party apps and software claim they can help you recover deleted Snapchat photos, videos, chats, etc. Examples include:
– **UltData – Snapchat Recovery**
– **FonePaw Snapchat Recovery**
– **iMyFone SnapBack**
– **Dr. Fone – Snapchat Recovery**
However, there are a few reasons to be very cautious with these types of apps:
No official access to Snapchat data
Snapchat does not allow third party apps to access their backend data or databases. So it’s unlikely these “recovery” apps have any special capability to retrieve deleted snaps that Snapchat itself does not.
Privacy concerns
To function, these apps may request access to your Snapchat account and/or require you to upload your data to their servers. This raises privacy issues in terms of how they handle and use your personal data.
Scams
Some Snapchat recovery services appear to be scams designed to phish for user data. Their claims of being able to restore deleted data may be completely unfounded.
Legal concerns
By using Snapchat, you agreed to their Terms of Service which state you will not attempt to circumvent their data deletion processes. Using third party recovery software likely violates these terms.
For these reasons, it’s best to be very wary of third party apps that claim they can help you recover deleted Snapchat data. In most cases, this does not appear possible.
Can you recover deleted Snapchat photos?
Specifically looking at photos sent on Snapchat, there are a couple potential ways you may be able to recover deleted Snapchat pictures in some circumstances:
From the sender
If you deleted a snap photo that someone sent you, your best option is to ask them if they still have it saved in their Sent snaps and if they can resend it. Snapchat stores sent snaps for up to 30 days until they are auto-deleted.
From a screenshot
If you took a screenshot of the snap before opening it, that screenshot will still be in your iPhone’s Photos app even if the snap itself is now deleted. So check your camera roll.
From your phone’s temporary files
There’s a small chance the image may have been temporarily stored in your iPhone’s cache. You can try using a file recovery app to scan for deleted files. But this is unlikely to work.
From iCloud backups
If you had iCloud backups enabled, and you backed up your phone before the snap disappeared, it’s possible the image file may have been preserved in your backup. You can scan your iCloud backup via a computer to check.
Aside from these methods, there is unfortunately no way to recover deleted Snapchat photos sent to you. The image data does not remain on Snapchat’s servers after the snap is opened.
Can you recover deleted Snapchat videos?
The options are the same when it comes to retrieving deleted Snapchat videos as opposed to photos. Potential methods include:
– Asking the sender to resend the snap if they still have it saved.
– Checking if you took a screenshot of the snap before opening it.
– Using data recovery software to scan for video files in temporary storage.
– Restoring an iCloud backup that may have preserved the video file.
But again, these options are unlikely to work in most cases. Snapchat is designed so that video snaps are automatically deleted as soon as they are viewed. So unlike photos/videos in your camera roll, Snapchat does not maintain old video files after they are opened.
Can you recover deleted Snapchat messages?
Snapchat also allows users to exchange text chats, in addition to sending photo and video snaps. Are deleted Snapchat chats recoverable?
Unfortunately, the answer is the same – there is no way to retrieve deleted Snapchat messages once they are gone. Reasons why include:
– Snapchat does not store records of old chats. They are deleted after both parties open them.
– Chats are encrypted end-to-end, so only the sender and recipient can read them.
– Backups do not preserve Snapchat chat history.
– Snapchat does not allow third party apps to access chat data.
So just like snaps, Snapchat chats are designed to be truly ephemeral. Once a chat is cleared or expired, the messages are gone for good. Copying or screenshotting chats before opening them is the only way to preserve them.
Can Snapchat tell if you screenshot?
One workaround for Snapchat’s impermanence is to screenshot snaps and chats before they disappear. But can Snapchat notify the sender that you took a screenshot?
The answer is yes – Snapchat’s software can detect when a recipient screenshots a snap. Here’s what happens when you screenshot on Snapchat:
– **The sender is notified** – They will receive an alert saying you took a screenshot of their snap.
– **It displays in your chat** – The screenshot appears in your conversation thread with the sender, so they can see you saved it.
– **You can’t screenshot Stories** – Screenshotting someone’s Story will instead just save the photo/video to your camera roll.
So Snapchat very purposefully makes it obvious to the sender when you take a screenshot. This is to uphold the expectation of privacy when sending snaps. Users might be more cautious about screenshotting inappropriate content if the sender is notified.
Snapchat screenshot notification – third party apps
Due to the screenshot notification feature, various third party apps claim they allow you to screenshot on Snapchat without the sender knowing. But do these actually work?
Examples of apps that claim to bypass Snapchat screenshot detection include:
– StealthSnap
– NoScreenshot for Snapchat
– Sneakaboo
– Snapchat Stealth
However, it’s unlikely these apps can prevent screenshot notifications, for several reasons:
No API access
Snapchat does not provide an API or any way for third party apps to integrate with Snapchat’s backend source code and infrastructure. So they have no way to suppress screenshot notifications.
Client-side detection
The screenshot detection happens locally on your device, not Snapchat’s servers. So unless these apps modify Snapchat’s own code, they cannot stop the client-side screenshot process.
TOS violations
Trying to circumvent Snapchat’s screenshot notifications likely violates their Terms of Service. Your account could be suspended if detected.
Manual sender notification
Even if screenshot detection was suppressed, the sender could still manually see you took a screenshot because it will show in your conversation.
For these reasons, third party apps that claim to allow stealthy Snapchat screenshots rarely work as advertised. The sender is still likely to be notified.
How to screenshot on Snapchat without them knowing on iPhone
The only reliable way to screenshot on Snapchat without the sender being notified is using an external device:
– **Use a camera** – Take a photo of your iPhone screen to save the snap. As long as you avoid screenshotting directly on your device, Snapchat cannot detect you saving the image.
– **Use screen recording** – Similarly, you can use a separate device to record your iPhone’s screen as you view the snap. Then you have a video containing the content.
– **Connect to a computer** – You can mirror your iPhone’s display to your computer monitor and screenshot using your computer, avoiding detection.
So the key is to screenshot using an external camera, device, or computer – not the iPhone itself. This prevents the Snapchat app from knowing you took a screenshot. While cumbersome, it’s the only surefire way to bypass screenshot notifications.
Conclusion
Here are some key takeaways to summarize how to recover deleted snaps and prevent screenshot notifications on Snapchat for iPhone:
– Deleted Snapchat snaps, chats, and accounts are likely gone permanently and can’t be recovered directly through Snapchat.
– You can try asking the sender to resend snaps, or checking backups and temporary files for snapped images. But these are unlikely to work.
– Third party data recovery apps claiming to restore deleted Snapchat data are dubious, often scams, and may violate Snapchat’s Terms of Service.
– Snapchat can detect when you screenshot a snap on your iPhone and notifies the sender.
– To screenshot without the sender knowing, you need to use an external camera or device to photograph/record your screen.
– While inconvenient, using an external device is the only reliable way to surreptitiously save Snapchat content before it disappears.
Ultimately, Snapchat’s ephemeral nature prevents retrieving deleted snaps or screenshotting secretly on iPhones. The app is designed so that all content eventually disappears forever. So enjoy your snaps in the moment before they’re gone!