To download all your Snapchat Memories, go to accounts.snapchat.com (or Settings, then My Data), turn on Export your Memories, tap Request Only Memories and submit. When the email arrives, download the zip, open index.html and use the Memories page to download them all at once.
There's no single button inside the app that saves every Memory to your phone. The official route is a Memories-only export from Snapchat's My Data tool, which bundles everything into a zip file you then open on a computer. It sounds fiddly, but it's the only way Snapchat itself describes for getting the whole collection out in one go.
Request a Memories-only export
Snapchat added a separate option for this so you don't have to wait for your entire account history. Here are the steps from Snapchat Support:
- Log in at accounts.snapchat.com. On your phone you can get to the same page from Settings by tapping My Data.
- Click My Data.
- Under Select data to include, toggle Export your Memories on.
- Click Request Only Memories.
- Pick a date range, or turn the range off if you want everything.
- Confirm the email address you'd like to be told at.
- Click Submit at the bottom of the page.
Snapchat says it aims to deliver exports within 7 days, but large ones can take longer. Longer date ranges and bigger collections take more time to process, so if you've been saving Snaps for years, expect a wait.
Turning the zip file into photos and videos
This is where most people get stuck. The email link gives you a zip file, not a folder of pictures. Snapchat's instructions for the next part:
- Select See exports, then Download.
- Double click the zip file to extract a folder.
- Double click index.html. It opens in your web browser.
- Click Memories in the navigation bar on the left.
- Download individual Memories, or all of them at once.
Snapchat recommends doing this from a computer rather than a phone, and trying a different browser if the downloads stall. I'd follow that advice. Unzipping and saving hundreds of files is far easier on a laptop, and you can then copy them to your phone's camera roll or a cloud drive afterwards.
Why it's worth doing now
Here's the detail most people haven't heard. Snapchat gives you up to 5GB of complimentary Memories storage. Snapchat Support says that, starting in 2027, Memories more than one year old that aren't part of your oldest 5GB will be archived. Archived Memories still show as thumbnails, but you won't be able to open, edit or share them in the app without upgrading your storage. Snapchat lists downloading your Memories as the other way to keep access to them outside the app.
To be clear, Snapchat says it won't delete your Memories because you don't upgrade. They're archived, not wiped. But if you just want your photos and videos back in your own hands, a full export does that, and all it asks of you is a bit of patience.
| What you want | What Snapchat offers |
|---|---|
| Every Memory in one go | Memories-only export from My Data, then download all from index.html |
| A few Snaps quickly | Open the Snap in Memories and export it to your camera roll |
| Future Snaps saved to your phone automatically | Settings, My App, Memories, Save Button, then Memories & Camera Roll |
| To check how much space you're using | Settings, My App, Memories, then look under Cloud Storage |
Check your backup before you start
An export can only include what's reached Snapchat's servers. Snapchat Support says it isn't possible to recover lost Memories that weren't successfully backed up. To check, open Settings, go to My App, tap Memories and make sure Backup Progress says Complete. If it shows Snaps remaining, connect to Wi-Fi and give it time.
One more thing worth knowing: Snapchat doesn't back up your camera roll media to Memories. If a photo only ever lived in your camera roll, it won't be in the export, and it doesn't need to be.
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Stop the problem building up again
Once you've got your archive, you can tell Snapchat to save new Snaps to your phone as well as Memories. Go to Settings, then My App, Memories and Save Button, and choose Memories & Camera Roll. From then on, everything you save lands in both places, so you won't face a huge export again. If you're also keeping your posted Stories, my guide on saving a Snapchat Story covers that side, and how to save Snapchat videos and photos walks through saving single Snaps as you go.
And if you ever want to put an old Memory back out there, you can post to your Snapchat Story from your camera roll once it's on your phone.
Things that trip people up
- You can't cancel a request. Snapchat says data download requests can't be canceled, so double check the date range before you submit.
- The email went to the wrong address. Log back in at accounts.snapchat.com and open My Data. Your export is waiting there.
- It's taking ages. Big collections take longer than the usual 7 days. There's nothing to speed it up, so leave it.
- The files won't open on your phone. You need software that can open zip files. Switch to a computer.
My verdict
If you've got years of Snaps in Memories, I'd request the Memories-only export this week and save the lot to a computer and a cloud drive. It takes a few minutes to request and a bit of waiting, and it means your photos and videos are yours, whatever happens to your storage or your account. Then switch the Save Button to Memories & Camera Roll so you never have to do a big rescue job again.
Frequently asked questions
Can I download all my Snapchat Memories at once?
Yes. Request a Memories-only export from My Data, download the zip, open index.html and use the Memories page to download them all at once.
How long does a Snapchat Memories export take?
Snapchat aims to deliver exports within 7 days, but large downloads can take longer.
How do I get Snapchat Memories into my camera roll?
Download the export on a computer, then copy the files to your phone. For future Snaps, set the Save Button to Memories & Camera Roll.
Will Snapchat delete my Memories if I don't upgrade storage?
No. Snapchat says it won't delete them, but Memories older than a year outside your oldest 5GB will be archived from 2027, so you'd need to upgrade or download them to open them.
Can deleted Memories be included in the export?
No. Snapchat says lost or deleted Memories can't be recovered, and Support can't restore them.
