- How Snapchat decides to show you a Flashback
- The two kinds of Flashback
- Why some Flashbacks have a title instead of a date
- Flashback is not the same as Snapchat Recap
- How to dismiss a Flashback you don't want to see
- How to turn Snapchat Flashbacks off (or back on)
- What to do with a Flashback you like
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
A Snapchat Flashback is a Featured Story in Memories that appears when you have a saved Snap from at least one year ago to the day. You can share it, save it to your camera roll or just watch it, and it expires after a while. To stop them, go to Settings, My App, Memories and switch Flashback off.
Flashbacks are lovely when the memory's a good one and awkward when it isn't. Either way, they're not random: Snapchat builds them from what you've chosen to keep in Memories, on a simple date rule. Here's how they work, the newer AI titles and chapters, and how to dismiss one or turn the whole feature off.
How Snapchat decides to show you a Flashback
Snapchat's rule is short. A Flashback shows up as a Featured Story in Memories if you have a saved Snap that dates back at least one year to the day. So if you saved Snaps on this date last year, or the year before, you're likely to see one. No saved Snaps on this date, no Flashback.
The detail most people don't know: Flashback pulls from your general Memories and never from My Eyes Only. If you've moved Snaps into My Eyes Only, they stay out of Flashbacks. My guide to Snapchat My Eyes Only explains how that private folder works.
The two kinds of Flashback
| Type | What's in it | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Flashback Memories | Snaps you saved to Memories on this date in an earlier year | Your saved Snaps in Memories |
| Camera Roll Flashbacks | Camera Roll photos from a specific day | Your phone's Camera Roll, shown inside Memories |
For Camera Roll Flashbacks, Snapchat says it doesn't back up Camera Roll content to its servers, but it may save certain Camera Roll metadata so it can send you notifications.
Why some Flashbacks have a title instead of a date
Some Featured Stories, Flashbacks included, now get a short personalised title that describes what's in them, such as a hobby or a place from your saved Snaps, instead of a date. Snapchat says this uses generative AI to summarise your own Memories.
When a Story has enough saved Snaps and distinct themes, the Flashback may also be split into chapters, with a short label as each one plays. The Snaps inside a chapter still play in the order you saved them. If personalisation isn't available for your account or for that Story, it just looks the way it always has.
Flashback is not the same as Snapchat Recap
This one confuses lots of people. Snapchat says Featured Stories in Memories, including Flashbacks with personalised titles and chapters, are separate from your annual Snapchat Recap, which is a different year-end Story. If you got a notification about a Recap and the story's gone when you open it, Featured Stories expire after a set time, so you may see a message that the Recap has wrapped. Open Memories to see what's current. I've written up the year-end one in Snapchat Recap.
How to dismiss a Flashback you don't want to see
- Open the Flashback Story.
- Tap the three-dot icon in the upper right corner.
- Tap Dismiss Story.
That gets rid of the one in front of you without changing your settings.
How to turn Snapchat Flashbacks off (or back on)
- In My Account, tap the gear icon to open Settings.
- Scroll down to App and Privacy and tap My App.
- Tap Memories.
- Switch the Flashback setting off, or on.
Turning it off stops Flashback Memories. It doesn't delete anything, because the Snaps were always in your Memories to begin with.
Making fresh memories for next year's Flashback? Try using the Snapchat video timer.
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What to do with a Flashback you like
- Share it with friends straight from the Featured Story.
- Save it to your camera roll so you've got a copy outside Snapchat.
- Save it now if you want it, because Snapchat says Flashbacks don't last forever and are set to expire after a certain amount of time.
The Snaps themselves stay safe either way. Snapchat says Memories keeps the Snaps and Stories you save and backs them up, and if you delete a Snap from Memories, its servers are designed to erase it as soon as possible. If you want every saved Snap off Snapchat as files, my guide to accessing Memories on Snapchat is the place to start.
My verdict
Flashbacks are harmless and built only from what you chose to save, so for most people they're a nice extra. If a date brings back something you'd rather not relive, dismiss that one Story. If you never want them, it's a single switch under Settings, My App, Memories, and nothing you've saved is touched.
Shared a Flashback to a Story? Read up on how Private Stories work on Snapchat before you post.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Flashback on Snapchat?
It's a Featured Story in Memories that appears when you have a saved Snap from at least one year ago to the day. You can share it, save it to your camera roll or just watch it.
How do I turn off Flashbacks on Snapchat?
Open Settings from My Account, scroll to App and Privacy, tap My App, tap Memories and switch Flashback off.
Does Snapchat Flashback use My Eyes Only Snaps?
No. Snapchat says Flashback pulls Snaps from your general Memories, never from My Eyes Only.
Why did my Snapchat Flashback disappear?
Flashbacks expire after a set time. If you open a notification after the Story has expired, it won't be there any more.
Is a Snapchat Flashback the same as Snapchat Recap?
No. Snapchat says Featured Stories in Memories, including Flashbacks, are separate from your annual Snapchat Recap.
