Snapchat has become one of the most popular social media apps, with over 300 million daily active users. Its signature disappearing messages create fun, ephemeral sharing experiences.
But what if you want to save those funny Snapchat videos, selfies, and stories longer than the default 1-10 seconds? With the right tools, you can preserve Snapchat memories while respecting privacy.
This comprehensive guide will teach you the best practices for saving Snapchat videos, photos, and stories. You’ll also learn how to avoid common mistakes that could get your account banned.
Why Save Snapchat Videos?
There are many great reasons to save Snapchat content:
- Relive funny or meaningful moments – Snapchat lets you capture hilarious, embarrassing, or heartfelt videos with friends and family. Saving these can let you re-experience joyful memories.
- Preserve memories – Snapchat’s ephemeral nature means moments are often lost forever. Saving special Snaps provides a way to treasure these forever.
- Share with others – You may want to show a hilarious Snapchat clip or a cool Snapchat filter to someone who wasn’t an original recipient. Saving makes sharing possible.
- Creative projects – Saved Snaps can be incorporated into custom photo books, collages, edited videos, and other creative projects.
- Document your life – Curate your favorite Snaps into a visual diary of adventures, holidays, concerts, parties, and everyday moments.
Is It Legal to Save Snapchat Videos?
The short answer is yes, but be careful.
Snapchat’s terms of service prohibit using third-party apps or workarounds that allow saving Snaps without the sender’s consent. However, it is permitted to use Snapchat’s built-in tools to save your own Snaps or those shared directly to your account.
The safest approach is to only save Snaps:
- You have created yourself
- After getting permission from the sender
- From accounts that intend Snaps to be saved (like public figures or brands)
Never save or share private Snaps without the sender’s explicit consent. Doing so can violate privacy laws.
Also, if you wonder about how to fake Snapchat location filter, this guide you should check out.
How People Try to Save Snapchat Videos
There are a few common techniques people use to work around Snapchat’s disappearing messages, with varying levels of risk:
- Screen recording – Recording your device’s screen as you view a Snapchat video.
- Screenshots – Snapping a screenshot while viewing a photo or video Snap.
- Third-party apps – Downloading apps that can intercept Snapchat data and save it externally.
- File explorers – Browsing your device’s files to find cached Snapchat media.
- Modded/hacked versions – Installing modified Snapchat APKs that have built-in saving features.
Many of these methods violate Snapchat’s terms and could result in a banned account. They also raise privacy concerns if done without permission.
For the best experience, we recommend using Snapchat’s official built-in tools covered next.
How to Save Your Own Snapchat Videos
Snapchat provides a responsible way to save your own Snaps. Here are tips for using Snapchat’s built-in tools to save your videos, photos, and stories:
Save Videos and Photos to Memories
- When viewing a photo or video Snap you sent, tap the Heart icon to save it to your memories.
- To view saved Snaps go to your profile, tap the Hourglass icon, and select ‘My Memories’.
- You can also edit and send saved Snaps from Memories.
Save Stories to Memories
- After posting a Snapchat Story, go to your Stories feed.
- Long press on the Snap you want to save and select ‘Save‘.
- Saved Story Snaps get added to Memories for viewing and re-sharing later.
Save Chat Messages
- On the Chat screen, press and hold the message you want to save.
- Tap ‘More‘ and choose ‘Save Message‘.
- Saved chat messages can be found in Memories.
Download Memories Snaps
- In Memories, tap the Download button to save copies of Snaps to your camera roll.
- Downloaded Snaps can be viewed and backed up outside the app.
Responsible Saving
When saving your own Snaps, avoid taking any private, embarrassing, or inappropriate content you wouldn’t want shared publicly. Snapchat ultimately provides tools for short-term sharing, so think twice before permanently saving Snaps.
How to Save Someone Else’s Public Snapchat Videos
Sometimes you may want to save a funny Snapchat meme, cool artistic Snap, or viral Snapchat Filter video that someone publicly shared. Here are some legitimate ways to save other people’s public Snaps:
- Screen record public Stories from official brand accounts, celebrities, influencers, and creators who intend their content to be widely shared.
- Save Snaps directly sent to your own account by friends after getting their permission. Ask them to re-send the Snap if needed.
- Use Snapchat’s built-in Group Chat and Camera Roll options which friends can opt into.
- Check if the user posted their Snap on another platform like Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok and save it from there.
- Ask the creator kindly if they can send you the original Snap or post it on their public account.
What Not to Do
Avoid these risky practices that may violate privacy or Snapchat’s rules:
- Using third-party apps or hacked Snapchat clients to intercept Snaps.
- Taking screenshots without the sender’s knowledge.
- Accessing private Snapchat data through file explorers or other workarounds.
- Sharing or saving provate Snaps without explicit consent.
Respect Privacy
Always think twice before saving someone else’s Snapchat videos. Public figures and brands may intend sharing Snaps widely, but private personal communications should remain private without permission. When in doubt, just ask!
Also read: How to delete Snapchat messages in different situations.
Top 3 Recommended Ways to Save Snapchat Videos
Based on our testing and research, these are the top methods for saving Snapchat videos reliably:
1. iOS Screen Recording with QuickTime Player
QuickTime Player is an easy built-in tool for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users.
To save Snapchat videos on iOS:
- Launch QuickTime Player and click File > New Screen Recording.
- On the popup, click the Start button to start recording your screen.
- In Snapchat, view the Snap you want to save. QuickTime will record it in real-time.
- When finished, click the stop button and File > Save to save the recording.
Pros:
- Simple and quick to use
- Detected by Snapchat so friends know you took a screenshot
Cons:
- Large video files take up storage space
- Can’t save photos
2. Android Screen Recording with AZ Screen Recorder
AZ Screen Recorder is a trusted Android app for screen recording.
To use AZ Screen Recorder to save Snaps on Android:
- Download and install AZ Screen Recorder from the Google Play Store.
- Open the app and enable permissions.
- In Snapchat, view the Snap you want to record.
- Tap the AZ Screen Recorder floating button to start recording your screen.
- Stop the recording when finished. The video will be saved in your gallery.
Pros:
- Free and easy Android screen recording
- Allows saving Snapchat videos secretly
Cons:
- Can’t save Snapchat photos
- Third-party apps violate Snapchat’s ToS
3. Snapchat’s Own Memories Feature
As mentioned earlier, Snapchat’s built-in Memories space is the official way to save your content.
To use Snapchat Memories:
- Create or view a Snap in Snapchat as usual.
- Tap the heart icon to save it to Memories.
- Later, view and manage saved Snaps under your profile’s Memories tab.
Pros:
- Officially approved by Snapchat
- Lets you edit and re-share saved Snaps
Cons:
- Only saves Snaps you capture yourself
- Requires uploading Snaps from Memories to save externally
Also, here, you will learn more about how to monitor Android Screen Time.
6 Pro Tips for Saving Snapchat Videos
Follow these expert tips for the best experience and results when saving Snapchat videos:
Get consent – Always ask friends before saving their private Snaps to respect privacy.
Mind the ToS – Avoid third-party apps and hacks that violate Snapchat’s terms to avoid a ban.
Use airplane mode – Enabling this on iOS prevents screenshot notifications.
Save chats too – Use Memories to save funny conversations or precious words.
Clear space – Offload Memories Snaps after saving externally to free up storage.
Add value – Consider captioning or editing saved Snaps before re-sharing.
Common Questions about Saving Snapchat Videos
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about how to save Snapchat videos:
Q: Does taking a screenshot notify the sender?
A: Yes, Snapchat shows a small screenshot icon if you capture a screenshot of a Snap. The sender will know you took one.
Q: Can you save Snapchat videos without them knowing?
A: On Android you can use screen recording without detection. On iOS enable Airplane Mode before taking screenshots to avoid notification.
Q: Can you save received Snapchat pictures?
A: You can only save your own Snaps to Memories. To save a photo received in Snapchat, take a screenshot or screen recording.
Q: Is it illegal to screenshot Snapchat?
A: Snapchat’s terms prohibit using third-party apps or circumvention to save Snaps. However, it is generally legal to screenshot and save content a sender shares directly with you.
Q: Can Snapchat tell if you screenshot a story?
A: No, Snapchat does not notify users when you screenshot or screen record public Stories from brands, influencers, creators, etc.
Q: Can you recover deleted Snapchat Memories?
A: Unfortunately no, Snapchat does not provide a way to recover deleted Memories. Always save copies outside the app for permanent storage.
Also, if you are looking for the best Snapchat Story games, we have compiled the top 10 most intriguing and amusing Snapchat Story games for you.
Key Takeaways
Saving Snapchat videos lets you preserve fun moments, but stay responsible:
- Use Snapchat’s own Memories feature to safely save your Snaps.
- Check with friends before saving their private Stories or messages.
- Screen recording public Snaps from brands and creators is usually okay.
- Be mindful of privacy, and avoid shady third-party apps that could get you banned.
- Take consent, intent, and context into account before saving others’ Snaps.
- With the right approach, you can keep treasured Snapchat memories forever!
So now you’re equipped with a better understanding of how to save Snapchat videos ethically and avoid common mistakes. Follow these tips to build your collection of saved Snaps while respecting privacy!
