How to Save & Back Up Your Snapchat Memories on iPhone

The short version

Saving your Snapchat Memories is three steps: request your export inside Snapchat, download the ZIP files it emails you, and import them with Memport, which puts every photo and video into your Photos app with the original date, location and caption restored. The one step you cannot rush is the export itself — Snapchat takes hours to a day to prepare it and the download links expire — so start there today, even if you deal with the files later.

Before you start: save your My Eyes Only memories first

Step 1: Request your Snapchat Memories export

1. Open Snapchat and go to Settings. Tap your profile, then the gear icon in the top corner.
2. Find Export My Memories. Open Privacy Controls, then Export My Memories, and choose All time so nothing is left behind. You can also start the request in a browser at accounts.snapchat.com/accounts/downloadmydata.
3. Submit the request and wait for the email. Snapchat prepares your data and emails you download links. This usually takes a few hours, sometimes up to a day for large libraries. Request it as early as you can — this is the only part with a waiting line you cannot skip.

Step 2: Download the ZIP files to your iPhone

When the email arrives, download every ZIP file it links to, straight onto your iPhone. A large library comes as several separate archives — download all of them. The links expire after a limited time, so save the files as soon as the email lands. You do not need to open or unpack the ZIPs; just make sure they are downloaded to your Files or Downloads.

Step 3: Import the ZIPs and save everything to Photos

Open Memport, select every export ZIP in one go, and let it run. Each photo and video is saved into your iPhone Photos library with its original date, location and captions restored, so your library sorts them into the correct years and places automatically. Nothing is uploaded to any server — the whole import happens on your phone. You can try it free and check the restored results before paying anything.

Why Snapchat's own export isn't enough on its own

Snapchat does let you export your Memories for free, and you should absolutely request it. But what arrives is not a usable photo library — it is a pile of raw parts, and reassembling them by hand is where most people give up.

Don't wait: the 5GB deletion deadline

There is a hard reason not to leave this for later. Snapchat has capped free Memories storage at 5GB, and Memories over that limit become eligible for deletion starting September 26, 2026. If you have been saving snaps for years, your oldest memories are the ones most at risk. Getting everything out now means you never have to think about that deadline again.

Frequently asked questions

Are My Eyes Only memories included in the export?

No. My Eyes Only is a passcode-protected vault that Snapchat leaves out of the standard Memories export, so those snaps will not be in your ZIP files. Move them back into your regular Memories before you request the export, so they are included. There is no passcode recovery, so if you skip this step they cannot be exported later.

How do I save my Snapchat memories to my phone?

Request your Memories export inside Snapchat (Settings, Privacy Controls, Export My Memories), download the ZIP files Snapchat emails you, then import those ZIPs with Memport. Every photo and video lands in your iPhone Photos library with its real date, place and captions restored. The whole process runs on the phone.

Can I back up my Snapchat memories without a computer?

Yes. You request the export inside Snapchat, download the ZIP files directly on your iPhone, and import them with Memport. No laptop, no desktop, and no transferring files between devices.

Will my saved memories keep their original date and location?

With Snapchat’s raw export alone, no: every file carries the download date and the real timestamps and GPS sit in a separate memories_history.json file. Memport reads that file and writes the original date, time and location back into every photo and video, so Photos sorts them into the years and places they actually belong to.

How long does the Snapchat export take to arrive?

Usually a few hours to a day, and longer for very large libraries. The download links Snapchat emails also expire, so request the export early and download the ZIP files as soon as the email arrives.

Is it free to save my Snapchat memories?

Requesting the export from Snapchat is free. Memport is free to try so you can see your restored memories first; unlocking your whole library is a one-time $9.99 purchase, with no subscription and no account.

How do I request my Snapchat data or memories export?

Open Snapchat, go to Settings, then Privacy Controls, then Export My Memories and choose All time. You can also start the request at accounts.snapchat.com/accounts/downloadmydata. Snapchat then emails you the download links.