Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among young people. A big part of Snapchat’s appeal is that photos and videos shared on the app disappear after being viewed. This gives users a sense of privacy and allows them to share more freely knowing their snaps won’t stick around forever.
But is this truly the case? What really happens behind the scenes when you send a snap and then delete it? Here, we’ll explore what happens to deleted Snapchat photos and videos to demystify the process.
How Snapchat’s Ephemerality Works
When you take a photo or video on Snapchat and send it to your friends, the app advertises that it will disappear after being viewed. Once opened, snaps can be set to expire after 1 to 10 seconds or remain viewable until manually closed.
This ephemeral experience is made possible through Snapchat’s backend infrastructure. Here’s a simplified look at what goes on behind the scenes:
- When you take a snap, the media is uploaded to Snapchat’s cloud servers.
- The snap is encrypted and stored on Snapchat’s servers until the recipient views it.
- After the snap is viewed, Snapchat’s servers delete the encrypted version from storage.
Snapchat states that once the encrypted version is deleted from their servers, there is no way to retrieve the snap. But is this truly the case?
Can Deleted Snaps Be Recovered?
While Snapchat deletes snaps from their servers after they are viewed, there are still some ways the photos or videos can be recovered or captured before they disappear. Here are a few scenarios where deleted snaps may persist after being opened:
Screenshots
The recipient can take a screenshot of a snap before it closes to save it without the sender’s knowledge. Snapchat will notify the sender if a screenshot is taken, but there is no way to prevent it from being captured.
Android App Caching
On Android devices, Snapchat photos and videos may be cached or saved in the phone’s local storage automatically. Although Snapchat is supposed to delete this cached data regularly, it can sometimes be recovered with data recovery software.
iOS App Caching
Similarly, temporary caches of snaps may be saved on iOS devices. Snapchat reportedly keeps cached snap media for up to 30 days before deleting it.
Backups
If backups of a user’s phone are created before the snap can be deleted from the cache, the snap may persist in the backup files.
External Storage
Users can also intentionally save snaps before they disappear by transferring them to external storage through their phone’s OS settings or an external app.
Compromised Accounts
In some rare cases, hackers have been able to access Snapchat’s servers and databases where they may be able to recover deleted snap media.
When Are Deleted Snaps Really Gone?
In most typical scenarios, snaps will be automatically deleted within 30 days per Snapchat’s policies. However, the above loopholes mean that just because it has disappeared from Snapchat and your phone doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gone for good.
Here are some best practices to keep your deleted snaps from being recovered:
- Don’t send snaps with risky content, as the recipient can still screenshot them.
- Frequently clear the app cache and local storage on your phone.
- Avoid backing up your phone between sending and deleting snaps.
- Use reputable security software to prevent hacking.
Following these tips will minimize the risk of your deleted snaps being retrieved. But ultimately, there is no foolproof way to guarantee ephemeral photos are permanently erased in all circumstances.
Recovering Your Own Deleted Snaps
If you accidentally deleted a snap you wanted to keep, is there any way to get it back? Unfortunately, recovering your own deleted snaps is extremely unlikely.
Since the snaps are automatically deleted from Snapchat’s servers after being viewed, there is no way to retrieve them from Snapchat itself. Your only chance lies with your phone’s local storage and caches.
On both iOS and Android devices, you may be able to use data recovery software to scan for and restore cached snap media that hasn’t yet been overwritten. This requires specialized software and technical expertise, and success is not guaranteed. It’s best to treat any snap you send as permanently deleted.
How Long Does Snapchat Keep Other Data?
Beyond snaps, Snapchat also collects and stores other types of user data. Here’s a quick look at how long other Snapchat data is stored before being deleted:
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Messages | 30 days |
| Memories | Until manually deleted |
| Story posts | 24 hours |
| Location data | 30 days |
As you can see, Snapchat stores user data for varying amounts of time based on the purpose. Messages and location data are stored for up to 30 days, while Memories and Story posts are retained until manually deleted or expire after 24 hours, respectively.
Deleting Your Snapchat Account
What happens if you decide to delete your entire Snapchat account? Here’s an overview of Snapchat’s account deletion process:
- Go into your account settings and select “Delete Account.”
- Enter your password to confirm your identity.
- Snapchat immediately disables your account.
- For 30 days, your account remains in a deactivated state in case you want to reactivate it.
- After 30 days, Snapchat deletes your account and data from their systems.
So if you permanently delete your Snapchat account, your personal data is removed from Snapchat’s servers after 30 days. Of course, snaps you’ve sent to others will still be retained until they expire from the recipients’ devices and cloud backups.
Conclusion
While Snapchat advertises complete ephemerality, the reality is that deleted snaps can still be recovered in some circumstances. However, following best practices around screening, caching, and backups can minimize this risk significantly. Ultimately, it’s impossible to guarantee that no trace remains of any snap you send through the app.
Beyond snaps, Snapchat stores other user data like messages and location for up to 30 days. And should you choose to delete your Snapchat account entirely, your personal data is permanently purged 30 days after disabling your account.
Understanding what happens behind the scenes can help Snapchat users better manage their privacy. While the app delivers on ephemeral sharing relative to other platforms, it pays to be mindful of the potential risks of leaving unwanted traces behind.