Snapchat is a popular social media app that allows users to send photo and video messages called “snaps” that disappear after being viewed. A core part of Snapchat’s appeal is the ephemeral nature of snaps – they are only meant to be viewed once before vanishing. However, there are a few ways you can try to view or replay expiring Snapchat snaps.
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Taking Screenshots
The easiest way to save a disappearing Snapchat snap is to simply take a screenshot. Here’s how:
- On iPhone, simultaneously press the Home button and the Lock button.
- On Android, simultaneously press the Volume Down and Power buttons.
- On newer phones without Home or other buttons, swipe down from the upper right corner to access Control Center, then tap the Screen Recording icon.
When you take a screenshot, the other person will be notified. So it’s not very discreet, but it is effective if you just want to save something for yourself.
You can screenshot both picture and video snaps on Snapchat. For videos, you will capture just a still frame rather than the full video.
Using Airplane Mode
Here’s a clever trick to view an expiring snap multiple times on iPhone or Android:
- Open the snap you want to save
- Quickly put your phone into Airplane Mode
- Screenshot or screen-record the snap before it disappears
- Close Snapchat
- Take your phone out of Airplane Mode
- Delete and reinstall Snapchat
- Open Snapchat and view the snap again – it will appear as new!
Repeat steps 2-7 as many times as you want to replay the snap. This works because putting your phone in Airplane Mode prevents Snapchat from communicating with its servers, so it can’t register that you already viewed the snap.
One downside is that you have to reinstall Snapchat each time. But it’s worth it if you really want to replay an expired snap!
Using Third-Party Apps
There are a few third-party apps that claim to allow saving or recovering expired Snapchat pictures and videos:
- SnapSaver and Snapbox: Android apps that automatically save your Snapchat stories and snapshots.
- iMyFone D-Back: iPhone data recovery software that can extract Snapchat photos and videos from a backup.
- Decipher Forensics: A forensic software used by law enforcement that can reportedly recover deleted Snapchat snapshots under certain circumstances, like from unlocked Android devices.
However, be careful with third-party apps – they may violate Snapchat’s terms of service. And forensic recovery requires physical access to the device.
Changing Your Settings
Under Snapchat’s My Account settings, you can choose to have your snaps delete after being opened or after 24 hours:
- Opened Snaps: Disappear immediately after being viewed. This is the default setting.
- 24 Hours After Viewing: Remain on Snapchat’s servers for 24 hours after being opened. The recipient can replay snaps once during this window.
So if you change to the 24 hour setting, it will give your friends a little more time to replay your snaps if they miss them.
Similarly in your My Story settings, you can choose to have snaps posted to your story expire after 24 hours rather than immediately.
Using Snapchat+
Snapchat recently introduced a paid subscription plan called Snapchat+ with some exclusive replay features:
- Replay Again: Subscribers can replay a snap twice rather than just once.
- My Story Timer: Choose how long you want snaps on your story to be visible for – from 1 hour up to 1 week.
So if you don’t mind paying, Snapchat+ gives you more replay flexibility and control over expiration.
Sending Without Expiration
Rather than expiring snaps, you can send photos or videos that have no expiration date and work like regular messages:
- Memories: Save snaps to Memories, then send them from there. They will not expire.
- Chat: Send photos or videos directly in a chat. They will remain visible until you delete them.
So if you want to send something that the recipient can view multiple times, use Memories or Chat instead of snaps.
Conclusion
While Snapchat’s disappearing snaps create fun, in-the-moment sharing, there are ways to work around the expiration if you want to view or save snaps. Taking screenshots is the easiest method. Just be aware that the other person will know. Using Airplane Mode, third-party apps, adjusting Snapchat settings, or subscribing to Snapchat+ offer some other options. Or you can simply send non-expiring photos and videos instead through Memories or Chat.
I hope this comprehensive guide helps you better understand how to deal with expiring snaps on Snapchat! Let me know if you have any other questions.
