How to Recover Deleted Snapchat Memories

If you’ve accidentally deleted a Snapchat Memory—a snap or story you saved to your Memories—you may be able to get it back, but only if you act quickly and the right conditions are met. This guide walks you through the recovery options Snapchat actually provides, from checking your Recently Deleted folder to using a backup or requesting your data. You’ll need your phone with the Snapchat app installed and, ideally, access to the email or phone number linked to your account.

What You’ll Need

Your phone with the Snapchat app (Android or iOS) updated to the latest version.
Access to the email address or phone number associated with your Snapchat account.
If you had a backup enabled (Google Drive or iCloud), the same account credentials.
If you’re trying the data request method, a computer or another device to download the ZIP file.

Step-by-Step

Check the Recently Deleted folder (fastest method). Open Snapchat, tap your profile icon in the top-left, then tap the gear icon (Settings). Scroll down to “Account Actions” and tap “Recently Deleted.” This folder stores deleted Memories (including snaps and stories) for up to 30 days. If you see the item you want, tap it, then tap “Restore.” It will return to your Memories.
If it’s not in Recently Deleted, check your device’s backup. If you had enabled Snapchat’s backup feature (Settings → Memories → Backup Progress), your Memories are saved to Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iOS). Reinstall Snapchat and log in with the same account. During setup, Snapchat will offer to restore memories from the backup. Accept the prompt to restore. Note: This only works if the backup was made before you deleted the memory.
Look in your phone’s local storage (Android only). If you use an Android phone, deleted Memories might still exist in the app’s internal storage. Connect your phone to a computer via USB, enable file transfer, and navigate to Internal Storage/Android/data/com.snapchat.android/files/. Look for folders like reception or saved. You may find image or video files there. Copy them to your computer. This is not guaranteed and may not work on newer Android versions due to storage restrictions.
Request your Snapchat data. If the above fails, go to Snapchat’s data request page (accounts.snapchat.com) on a web browser. Log in, tap “My Data,” then “Submit Request.” Snapchat will email you a ZIP file with your data, which may include Memories that haven’t been permanently purged. Download and unzip the file, then look in the images and videos folders. This can take up to 24-48 hours.
Check your camera roll or gallery. If you had saved the snap to your phone’s camera roll before deleting it from Memories, it’s already on your device. Open your Photos or Gallery app and search for the date or location. If you use an iPhone, check the “Recently Deleted” album in the Photos app—deleted photos stay there for 30 days.

Common Mistakes

Waiting too long. The Recently Deleted folder only keeps items for 30 days. After that, they’re permanently gone from Snapchat’s servers.
Logging out or reinstalling before restoring. If you log out of Snapchat, the Recently Deleted folder may be cleared, and the restore option from backup may be lost.
Assuming the backup is automatic. Snapchat’s backup is not always on by default. If you never enabled it, there’s nothing to restore from.
Deleting the app after deletion. Uninstalling Snapchat can wipe local data that might have contained the deleted memory.

Tips

Enable backup now. Go to Settings → Memories → Backup Progress and turn on “Backup Memories.” This will save future snaps to your cloud storage automatically.
Save important snaps to your camera roll. When viewing a Memory, tap the three dots and select “Export” or “Save to Camera Roll.” That way, you have a copy outside Snapchat.
Act fast. The moment you realize you deleted something, check Recently Deleted. The sooner you act, the higher the chance of recovery.
Use the data request as a last resort. It’s not guaranteed to include deleted items, but it’s worth trying if the memory is critical.

Troubleshooting

If Recently Deleted is empty or the item isn’t there: It means the memory was either deleted more than 30 days ago, or it was permanently deleted (e.g., you chose “Delete Forever” instead of “Move to Recently Deleted”). In that case, move to the backup or data request steps.

If the backup restore prompt doesn’t appear: After reinstalling, if you don’t see a restore prompt, go to Settings → Memories → Backup Progress. If it shows “Restore from Backup,” tap it. If it says “Backup Complete,” you may have missed the window—restore must be done before the backup runs again.

If the data request ZIP doesn’t contain the memory: Snapchat may have already permanently deleted the file. Unfortunately, there is no further recovery method. Some third-party tools claim to recover deleted Snapchat data, but they are not reliable and may compromise your account—avoid them.

If you’re using an iPhone and the memory was in your camera roll: Check Photos → Albums → Recently Deleted. If it’s been more than 30 days, it’s gone from there too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a Snapchat Memory after 30 days? No. After 30 days, the memory is permanently deleted from Snapchat’s servers and cannot be recovered through any method.

Does Snapchat keep deleted memories on their servers? Snapchat states that deleted memories are moved to a “Recently Deleted” folder for 30 days, after which they are permanently deleted. They may keep some data for legal reasons, but it’s not accessible to users.

Will the data request include deleted memories? Possibly, but not guaranteed. The ZIP file contains your current data; deleted items may or may not be included depending on whether they’ve been purged.

Can I recover a memory if I didn’t have backup enabled? Your only chance is the Recently Deleted folder (if within 30 days) or the data request. Without backup, there’s no other way.

Does logging out delete my Recently Deleted folder? Yes, logging out can clear the Recently Deleted folder, so avoid logging out until you’ve restored what you need.

Is there a way to recover a memory I deleted from my camera roll? On iPhone, check the Photos “Recently Deleted” album. On Android, some phones have a “Trash” folder in the Gallery app. If not, you may need third-party recovery software, but that’s beyond Snapchat’s scope.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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