A Snapchat story from camera roll goes up through Memories: tap the Memories icon (two overlapping cards just below the capture button) or swipe up from the Camera screen, then open the Camera Roll tab. Pick the photo or video, tap Edit if you want to add text or stickers, then tap the send arrow and choose My Story.
The next thing to know: if your Camera Roll tab is blank or only shows a handful of pictures, that's a phone permission problem, not a Snapchat bug. The fix takes a minute and it's in the troubleshooting section below.
Posting one photo or video from your gallery
- Open Snapchat on the Camera screen.
- Tap the Memories icon just below the capture button. It looks like two cards on top of each other. You can also swipe up anywhere on the camera.
- At the top of Memories, tap the Camera Roll tab. This shows the photos and videos stored on your phone.
- Tap the photo or video you want to post so it opens full screen.
- If you'd like to add text, stickers or a drawing, tap Edit first.
- Tap the blue send arrow.
- Choose My Story, or pick a private Story if you only want certain people to see it, then send.
If a menu name looks different in your version, search Snapchat's settings or Memories for the word you're after, such as "Camera Roll".
Selecting several photos at once
You don't have to post your gallery one picture at a time. Snapchat lets you pick a batch and send them together.
- Open Memories and tap the Camera Roll tab.
- Press and hold the first photo or video until it's selected.
- Tap each of the others you want to include.
- Tap the send arrow.
- Choose My Story or a private Story and send.
Each item becomes its own snap on your Story. Pick them in the order you'd like friends to see them, because that's the easiest way to keep a day out or a trip in sequence.
Memories, Camera Roll and saved Snaps: which tab is which
Memories has more than one tab, and they hold different things. Mixing them up is the main reason people can't find a photo they know is on their phone.
| Tab | What's in it | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Snaps | Snaps and Stories you saved inside Snapchat | You want to repost something you took in Snapchat earlier |
| Camera Roll | Photos and videos stored on your phone, taken with any app | You took a picture with your phone's own camera |
| My Eyes Only (if you've set it up) | Snaps you moved behind a passcode | You want to keep certain snaps private on your own phone |
So a photo taken with your phone's normal camera lives in Camera Roll, while something you snapped inside Snapchat and saved lives under Snaps. Both can be posted to your Story in the same way.
Edit before you post
Tapping Edit opens the same tools you'd see after taking a fresh snap. A few are worth using on older photos.
- Text: add a short caption so friends know what they're looking at, especially if it's from a while ago.
- Stickers: add a place, a mention or a GIF. Everyone who can see the Story sees them.
- Crop: trim a wide photo so the part you care about fills the screen.
- Drawing: circle something or add a quick doodle.
- Links: if you're sharing something for a business, you can add a link. Here's my guide on how to add a link to a Snapchat Story.
Tall photos fit a Story best. A wide photo still works, but you'll see bars or empty space around it unless you crop or zoom in.
The catch: Snapchat can only show you the photos your phone lets it see. On iPhone, if you once chose "Limited Access" for photos, Snapchat only sees the few pictures you picked that day, and new ones never appear. Switching to Full Access fixes it straight away.
Fixes when your photos don't show up
- iPhone: open your phone's Settings, scroll down to Snapchat, tap Photos and choose Full Access.
- Android: open your phone's settings, find Snapchat in the app list, open its permissions and allow photos and videos.
- Close Snapchat fully and open it again so it reloads your gallery.
- Update Snapchat from your app store if it's been a while.
- Check the photo is on the phone itself. Pictures that only live in a cloud backup may need to download to the phone first before Snapchat can see them.
- If one video won't post, try a shorter clip or a different video. Very large files can be slow to load on a weak connection.
Once access is fixed, the Camera Roll tab should show everything, newest first.
One more tip for anyone posting for a small business: keep a folder of ready-to-go photos on your phone, such as products, the shop front or behind-the-scenes shots. When you have a quiet day, you can open Camera Roll, pick two or three, add a line of text to each and post them in under a minute. It keeps your Story active without you needing to be somewhere interesting.
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Old photos, honesty and who sees them
You can share an old gallery photo like any other snap. From the Story alone, friends can't tell how old a photo is, so don't rely on that either way. Don't post an old picture expecting people to know it's a throwback, and don't assume nobody will notice it isn't from today. A short caption sorts it out.
If the photo is personal, think about the audience first. A private Story on Snapchat lets you choose exactly who sees it, which is better for family photos than your main Story.
And if you post the wrong picture, you can take it down again. My guide on how to delete a Snapchat Story shows how to remove one snap without wiping the rest.
What I'd do
If it were my account, I'd switch photo access to Full Access once and forget about it, then use the press and hold trick to post a whole batch in order. I'd add a one-line caption to anything older than today. That's the whole job.
I keep every related walkthrough in the Instagram Help: 81 Guides to Followers, Hashtags, Money, Accounts and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I post a photo from my gallery to my Snapchat Story?
From the Camera screen, tap the Memories icon or swipe up, open the Camera Roll tab, pick the photo, then tap the send arrow and choose My Story.
Can I post several camera roll photos to my Story at once?
Yes. In the Camera Roll tab, press and hold one photo or video to start selecting, tap the others you want, then tap the send arrow.
Why is my camera roll empty in Snapchat?
Snapchat doesn't have full access to your photos. On iPhone go to Settings, Snapchat, Photos and choose Full Access. On Android, allow the photos and videos permission for Snapchat.
Can my friends tell a Story snap came from my camera roll?
Don't rely on it either way. From the Story alone, friends can't tell how old a photo is, so post what you're happy for them to see whenever it was taken.
