Guide
The Snapchat Memories storage limit, explained (what Snap has actually said)
Snapchat gives every account 5GB of free Memories storage. According to Snap's help page, starting in January 2027, Memories that are more than one year old and fall outside your oldest 5GB will be archived: they stay on Snapchat and appear as thumbnails, but opening, editing or sharing them requires a paid storage plan. Snap says it will not automatically delete Memories because you don't upgrade, and that no Memories will be archived before January 2027. Downloading your Memories is the alternative Snap itself names.
This page sticks to what Snap has published. Where we quote, we give the date we checked.
The timeline, in Snap's words
| When | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 26 September 2025 | Snap announces Memories Storage Plans for people with more than 5GB of Memories, with temporary storage for a year for anything over the limit | Snap Newsroom |
| 3 October 2025 | TechCrunch reports the change and describes ways to save Memories | TechCrunch |
| Checked October 2026 | Snap's help page describes archiving starting January 2027 | Snapchat Support |
What Snap's help page says (checked October 2026)
From How do I manage my Memories storage?:
- You have up to 5GB of complimentary Memories storage, and you can see your usage in Settings.
- If you save more than 5GB, you can upgrade to a Memories storage plan.
- Starting in January 2027, Memories more than one year old that are outside your oldest 5GB will be archived.
- You keep access to Memories saved within the last year, and to your oldest 5GB.
- Archived Memories appear as thumbnails in the app. To open, edit or share them you need to upgrade your storage.
- Snapchat will not automatically delete your Memories because you do not upgrade.
- No Memories will be archived before January 2027, and Snap says it will give advance notice in the app before anything changes for you.
- Besides upgrading, you can download your Memories to access them outside the app.
What it doesn't mean
- It isn't deletion. Snap's page says archived Memories stay on Snapchat. Some sites have described the change as a deletion deadline; that isn't what Snap's documentation says.
- It doesn't affect everyone. If your Memories are under 5GB, Snap's page describes no change for you.
- It isn't everything at once. Your most recent year of Memories and your oldest 5GB stay accessible.
Snap's page doesn't say what happens to archived Memories in the long term. If that matters to you, check the help page again over time rather than relying on summaries, including this one.
Your options
- Do nothing. If you're under 5GB, or happy with thumbnails for older Memories, nothing is lost under the policy as described.
- Pay for a storage plan. Snap's announcement lists plans with more storage, including tiers that come with Snapchat+ and Snapchat Platinum. See Snap's own pages for current prices.
- Download them in the app. From the Memories screen you can select and export Memories; TechCrunch describes doing this in batches of up to 100.
- Download them through My Data. Snap sends you a ZIP with all of them. Which toggles to choose covers the request.
Snap names downloading as the way to keep access outside the app.
If you download them, keep them usable
A Memories export is a folder of files named like 2022-06-25_<uuid>-main.jpg, with captions as separate overlay files and the original dates and locations in a separate JSON file. It's all there, but it isn't easy to look through.
Lidly opens that export on your iPhone:
- Your Memories appear by date, newest first, with captions back on.
- You can save any of them to your camera roll with the original date and, where Snapchat recorded one, the location. See restoring date and location.
- Throwbacks bring back snaps from this week in past years, using notifications scheduled on your phone.
It's free to import and read. Your most recent twelve months of media and your first ten saves are free, and a single one-time purchase unlocks the rest. Lidly makes no network requests and has no account, so your Memories stay on your phone.
Lidly can't stop archiving, change what Snap stores, or reach into your Snapchat account. It works only with the export you download.
Common questions
Will Snapchat delete my Memories in 2027?
Snap's help page says it will not automatically delete Memories because you don't upgrade. It describes archiving, not deletion.
Do I need to download before January 2027?
Snap's page says nothing is archived before then, and that it will notify you in the app first. Downloading earlier gives you a copy you control, without a deadline hanging over it. Large exports can take days to arrive; see how long it takes.
Are downloaded Memories the full quality?
Lidly doesn't recompress what's in your export. It shows the files as they are, and saving a photo without a caption saves the original file. A photo with a caption is saved as a new full-resolution image with the caption on it.