How to Recover Deleted Snapchat Memories (2025 Guide)

How to Recover Deleted Snapchat Memories: 6 Best Ways to Restore Snaps

Imagine opening Snapchat to relive your favorite moments, only to notice some of your Memories have suddenly disappeared. Maybe you deleted them by mistake, your backup didn’t sync, the app glitched, or you recently changed phones, but now those photos and videos you cared about are just… gone. If you’re trying to figure out how to recover deleted Snapchat memories, you’re not alone, and the good news is there are ways to get them back.

Before you panic, take a breath. Most Snapchat Memories can still be recovered, even if they look permanently deleted. So if you’re searching for How to Recover Deleted Snapchat Memories, then there are reliable methods that work on both Android and iPhone.

Below, you’ll find six practical ways to bring your lost Memories back, whether they were never backed up, recently removed, or hidden inside your device storage.

1. How to Recover Deleted Snapchat Memories Using Snapchat “My Data”

If you deleted your Snapchat Memories that were previously saved and backed up, you can likely retrieve them. Snapchat stores your memories on its servers; therefore, all you have to do is retrieve that data to get back your saved Memories. You only need to do the following steps:

How to Download Your Memories

  1. Snapchat allows users to store data, such as Memories, in Snapchat’s servers. Here’s the process of how to download such data. 
  2. In the top-left, tap your Bitmoji and launch the app. 
  3. Next, tap the Gear or Settings icon in the top-right. 
  4. Continue scrolling down to find My Data, the section that contains all the files Snap currently stores for you and the files you are able to download. 
  5. Make sure to turn on the Include your Memories, Chat Media, and Shared Stories option. 
  6. Next, make sure Memories and Other Media are selected, and then tap Next. 
  7. If you only want data from a specific date, like last week or last month, toggle the icon and pick your date range.
  8. Enter the email to which you can access and tap submit. 
  9. Check your email for a message from Snap that will contain the download link.

How to Download the File

  1. Open the email and tap the link (use a web browser).
  2. Under Your Exports, click See exports.
  3. Tap Download to save your file.

Your data will download as a .zip file. Extract it using your phone’s file manager, and your Memories will be inside a folder named Memories.

2. Clear Cache to Restore Missing Snapchat Memories (Android)

If your most recently saved Snap Memories are missing or not loading, your app cache may be corrupted or overloaded. Snap cache builds up, causing the app to glitch and leading your lost Snap Memories to appear missing. Clearing your app cache is a good way to refresh Snap and retrieve your hidden Snap Memories, especially when you’re trying to how to Recover Deleted Snapchat Memories.

  • On Android
    • Open the Settings app on your phone.
    • Go to Apps and then choose All Apps.
    • Scroll down and select Snapchat.
    • Tap Storage and cache on the App Info page.
    • Tap Clear cache, then open Snapchat again to check your Memories.
  • Why this helps
    • Android clears all types of cached files that can prevent your Memories from updating properly. 
    • When you just clear the cache, it won’t delete your memories, chats, logins, or any data, so everything will still be here.

3. Offload Snapchat to Refresh Memories (iOS)

If you lost Snapchat memories and they are not showing up, in that case, you can clear the hidden cache by offloading the app. Since there isn’t a direct “clear cache” button on iPhones, this method is a safe alternative that won’t lose your data.

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
  2. Go to General → iPhone Storage.
  3. Find and tap Snapchat.
  4. Select Offload App and confirm.
  5. After that, tap Reinstall App.
  • Why this works on iPhone
    • Getting rid of unused cached data does not affect your app data and Memories. 
    • Snap Memories that have been hidden will appear again when you reinstall and Snapchat receives new data files.

4. Update Snapchat to Fix Missing Memories (Android & iOS)

Using an outdated version of Snapchat can sometimes cause Snapchat Memories not to load or behave incorrectly. If you’ve turned off automatic updates or haven’t updated the app in a while, now is the perfect time to do it.

To update, go to the Google Play Store (Android) or iOS App Store (iPhone) and install the latest version of Snapchat. Once updated, open the app and check if your lost Snapchat memories are now visible.

5. Check & Enable Snapchat Smart Backup

If some of your saved snaps aren’t showing up, the first step is to make sure your app is up to date. Outdated versions of Snapchat can cause Memories not to load or behave incorrectly. If you haven’t updated the app recently, go to the Google Play Store (Android) or iOS App Store (iPhone) and install the latest version. Once updated, open Snapchat and check if your missing snaps are now visible.

Next, it’s important to ensure your saved moments are properly backed up. Without a backup, restoring deleted or disappeared snaps becomes nearly impossible. To enable Smart Backup:

  1. Open Snapchat and tap your Snapchat Bitmoji in the top-left corner.
  2. Tap the gear icon to open Settings.
  3. Scroll down to Memories under “Privacy Control.”  
  4. Snapchat’s server allows you to save your snaps automatically. Turn on Smart Backup.  
  5. You’ll see the Backup Progress: Complete indicator, so you can see when the backup is finished.  

Keeping your app updated and Smart Backup on will guarantee your lost or deleted snaps can be easily recovered, even if they disappear or fail to load.

6. Extra Fixes When Snapchat Memories Still Don’t Appear

If you have already tried different ways to recover your snaps and they still are not showing up, you can try the following quick fixes:

  • Check your Internet Connection: Make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi or Mobile Data and is stable. 
  • Check Device Storage Permissions: Make sure you have allowed the Snapchat App to have access to your device’s storage.
  • Look inside “Hidden” or “My Eyes Only”: Sometimes snaps are hidden and won’t appear in the main Memories folder.
  • C Refresh the app by clearing the cache, which can fix minor glitches.
  • Reinstall Snapchat: A fresh install can remove corrupted files, but back up what you can first.
  • Log out and log back in: This can refresh account data and make missing snaps reappear.
  • Contact Snapchat Support: If none of the above works, support may be able to recover data server-side.

When Snapchat Memories Cannot Be Recovered

Sometimes, certain saved snaps cannot be recovered. This usually happens in the following cases:

  • Permanent Deletion: If you delete a Snap or it’s removed due to storage limits, Snapchat erases it from its servers. Recovery is not possible once this happens.
  • Failed Backups: Snaps that were never successfully backed up to the cloud cannot be restored. This can happen if the internet connection was poor or if you logged out before the backup completed.
  • Snapchat Account Deletion: If your account is permanently deleted and the 30-day reactivation window has passed, all associated data, including Memories, is lost forever.
  • Third-Party Cleaners: Using apps that clean storage or cache can remove unsynced Memories, making recovery impossible.

How to Prevent Losing Snapchat Memories Again

Want to make sure your Snapchat Memories NEVER disappear again? Follow these steps to keep every snap safe and backed up forever:  

  • Enable Smart Backup. Go to Snapchat Settings → Memories → Smart Backup. Turning this ON makes Snapchat save your snaps even while using your phone data, rather than only Wi-Fi.  
  • Know Your Backup Status. In Memories, there will be snaps that have a circular backup icon (two arrows) — this means they are uploading. Make sure they finish backed up before logging out or uninstalling.  
  • Maintain Your App: Make sure you are always using the latest Snapchat version. Updates are there to fix problems like glitches and lost backups.  
  • Stay Online. Saving a snap without a good internet connection will interrupt the backup process. Make sure you have a good Wi-Fi connection or mobile data.  
  • Know Your Storage Space. Snapchat gives you 5GB of Memories storage. If you’re nearing your limits, make sure you have copied older snaps to your device gallery or a cloud service like Google Photos or iCloud.  
  • Avoid Closing App. If there are snaps still uploading, they won’t upload when you close the app. Make sure to wait until all of your snaps say “Complete Backup.”

You can also check this helpful guide on How to Recover Deleted Snapchat Memories from this resource.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Yes, if they were backed up via Smart Backup or downloaded from Snapchat’s servers.

If the internet connection is weak or the device is low on storage. Backups can fail if the Smart Backups setting is turned OFF.

Yes! Turn on ‘Smart Backups’ in the specific settings by clicking into ‘Memories’ or into ‘Snap Settings and then Memory Settings’ or by exporting Snaps to the personal device.

Snapchat provides 5GB of free storage and if this is full, then older Snaps need to be exported or deleted.

Snapchat cannot restore permanently deleted Snap Memories. The user can check Smart Backup and My Data, or look in the hidden folders.

Final Thoughts

This guide was meant to show you the methods you can use to get back lost Snapchat Memories and secure your snaps. If you ever need to figure out how to Recover Deleted Snapchat Memories, these steps make the process simple and effective. Snapchat may be a platform focused on temporary messages, but its Memories feature allows you to hold on to all the special moments you want to be able to look back on.

Always keep Smart Backup running to avoid losing snaps, and check that your backups are complete. Following these tips will ensure that your saved moments are always secure and that you can access them anytime you want.

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