Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among teenagers and young adults. A big part of Snapchat’s appeal is that photos and videos shared on the platform disappear after being viewed. However, many Snapchat users wonder if the videos they share on Snapchat are really deleted forever after being viewed. Here’s an in-depth look at how Snapchat actually handles and saves videos.
Do Snapchat videos disappear forever?
The short answer is no, Snapchat videos do not disappear forever by default. While Snapchat markets itself as an ephemeral messaging app where shared content “disappears” after being viewed, the actual technology behind Snapchat works differently.
When you share a photo or video on Snapchat, it stays on Snapchat’s servers even after being viewed. The Snapchat servers retain the media for a certain amount of time before deleting it. How long exactly? Read on to find out…
How long does Snapchat retain shared videos?
According to Snapchat’s privacy policy, the platform retains the videos shared on it for up to 30 days. Here’s what happens behind the scenes when you share a Snapchat video:
- The video is uploaded to Snapchat’s servers
- The video is displayed to the recipient(s) you shared it with
- The app notifies the recipient(s) that they’ve viewed the video
- The video remains on Snapchat’s servers for up to 30 days
- After 30 days elapse, Snapchat permanently deletes the video from its servers
So in reality, Snapchat videos don’t truly disappear right after being viewed. They stick around on Snapchat’s servers for up to a month before being deleted.
Why does Snapchat retain videos for 30 days?
Snapchat holds on to videos for 30 days for a few reasons:
- Streaming and re-downloading: Snapchat allows recipients to re-watch snaps and videos multiple times within the first 24 hours. Retaining media on its servers allows Snapchat to continue streaming content to recipients who want to re-view it.
- Unopened snaps: Sometimes recipients don’t open snaps right away. Keeping snaps on servers for 30 days allows late viewing.
- Legal obligations: Snapchat may be required to store content to comply with legal requests from law enforcement.
The 30-day retention period allows Snapchat to balance user expectations of ephemerality with technical and legal requirements.
When does Snapchat permanently delete videos?
Snapchat permanently deletes videos from its servers when:
- The 30-day retention period expires
- A user deletes a snap before the timer runs out
- A user clears their conversation history with someone
Once Snapchat deletes a video from its servers, there is no way to recover or restore it (unless someone screenshotted or screen-recorded the snap before it disappeared).
How does unopened snap expiration work?
When you send a snap, the timer countdown begins immediately. But the countdown pauses if a recipient does not open the snap right away. Here are the open and expiration rules for unopened snaps:
| Snap type | Open rules | Expiration if unopened |
|---|---|---|
| Photo snap | Recipient must tap to open | Up to 30 days |
| Video snap (up to 10 secs) | Must be tapped to open; audio plays on tap | Up to 30 days |
| Video snap (over 10 secs) | Audio plays on tap; must be held to view | Up to 30 days |
The bottom line: Snapchat retains unopened snaps for up to 30 days before deleting them.
Does screenshot detection work for videos?
Yes, Snapchat’s screenshot detection applies to both photos and videos. If someone takes a screenshot or screen recording of your Snapchat video, you’ll be notified just like you would for a photo snap.
However, there are ways around Snapchat screenshot detection that some recipients use to secretly save videos, such as:
- Using a second device to record the screen
- Rooting/jailbreaking their phone to disable screenshot detection
- Using video capture software to record their screen
There’s no foolproof way to prevent recipients from saving Snapchat videos if they’re determined to do so. The screenshot notification at least alerts you that a video was captured.
Does deleting a chat delete the videos?
Deleting an entire chat thread with a Snapchat friend does not instantly delete snaps and videos exchanged in that conversation. Here’s what happens when you delete a Snapchat chat:
- The conversation disappears from your app and your messages appear deleted
- Behind the scenes, your media from that chat remains on Snapchat’s servers
- The snaps and videos are permanently deleted after the 30-day retention period
So clearing a chat history provides some privacy by removing the conversation, but it does not instantly delete the associated visual content. The only way to immediately delete Snapchat videos is to manually delete individual snaps before they expire.
Does Snapchat notify the sender if a video is saved?
No, Snapchat does not alert you if a recipient saves one of your videos. The only notification you’ll get is if the recipient takes a screenshot while viewing your video snap. There is currently no notification if they screen-record or otherwise copy the video.
The best way to prevent recipients from permanently saving your Snapchat videos is to only share content you’d be comfortable with them having. Assume any video snap could potentially be recorded and backed up by recipients.
Can law enforcement recover expired Snapchat videos?
In some cases, yes. If law enforcement has a warrant to access Snapchat data as part of an investigation, they may be able to recover expired or deleted content by working with Snapchat to access server records.
Police can request snapshots of data from Snapchat’s servers including memorialized (expired) snaps. The specific data available depends on the timeframe and scope of the legal request.
However, if a Snapchat video has passed the 30-day expiry and been permanently deleted from their servers, neither Snapchat nor law enforcement would be able to retrieve it.
How does Snapchat use expired videos?
According to Snapchat, once a video’s expiry timer runs out or the 30-day retention period has passed, the video content is deleted. Expired videos are not repurposed or accessed by Snapchat.
That said, some of Snapchat’s machine learning features such as lenses, filters, and friend suggestions may be trained on ephemeral Snapchat media before it is deleted. But the company claims it does not use the actual content after expiry.
Can you recover or restore expired Snapchat videos?
Unfortunately, there is no way to recover an expired or deleted video from Snapchat’s servers after it has been permanently erased. The content is gone for good once the retention period is up.
A few methods that won’t work:
- Asking Snapchat to restore media – they cannot retrieve expired content
- Restoring from iCloud or Google Drive backups – Snapchat videos are not saved to backups
- Recovering from your device’s storage – encrypted Snapchat files cannot be viewed
The only guaranteed way to save important Snapchat videos is to download them before they expire using a third-party app or screenshot tool.
Conclusions
Snapchat videos do not truly disappear forever as soon as they are viewed. While they are marketed as ephemeral, videos are retained on Snapchat’s servers for up to 30 days before being deleted.
Snapchat holds on to videos for re-downloading, legal obligations, and other technical reasons. However, there is no way to recover an expired Snapchat video once the 30-day period is up.
While screenshot notifications provide some protection, recipients can still secretly save videos using workarounds. Ultimately, avoid sharing sensitive videos on Snapchat if you’re concerned about them being permanently saved or spreading.
The ephemeral and self-destructing nature of Snapchat makes it popular, especially among younger users. But in reality, Snapchat’s video saving and expiry practices are not as simple as videos merely vanishing after they are viewed.