Is Snapchat really deleting my Memories?

Only the ones over the free storage limit. In September 2025 Snapchat announced a 5GB cap on free Memories storage and gave a 12-month window of temporary storage for anything above it — so the first deletions of over-limit Memories are expected around September 2026. Snapchat's own wording is that for people under 5GB "nothing will change." If you're over 5GB, exporting is the free way to keep everything before that window closes.

Does it delete everything, or only what's over the limit?

Only what's over the 5GB limit. If your saved Memories fit inside 5GB, Snapchat says nothing changes for you. If you're above it, the excess is what's at risk once the 12-month grace window ends — not your whole account. We can't confirm exactly which files Snapchat drops first (it hasn't published that detail), so if you're near or over the limit the safe move is to export the lot.

Is there a grace period?

Yes. Snapchat said it would provide 12 months of temporary storage for Memories that exceed the 5GB limit, starting from the September 2025 announcement — which points to deletions beginning around September 2026. Snapchat hasn't published a specific to-the-day deletion date, so treat "September 2026" as the expected window, not a stopwatch, and don't cut it close.

What happens if I miss the deadline?

If you're over 5GB and you neither upgrade to a paid storage plan nor export in time, the over-limit Memories are permanently deleted — and once they're gone, they're gone. Exporting even a little early avoids the risk entirely: large libraries can take Snapchat a day or more to prepare, so don't leave it to the final week.

Does exporting actually protect me?

Yes — a download is a full copy that lives on your own device, independent of your Snapchat plan. Snapchat itself lists downloading your Memories as one of the ways to keep them. The one catch is that the export files come out with the wrong capture dates and no location baked in (details below), which is the part we fix.

Should I just pay Snapchat for more storage instead?

That's a real choice, but it's a recurring cost: a paid storage plan keeps your Memories inside Snapchat for as long as you keep paying, every month, forever. Exporting is a one-time move that hands you the actual files to keep or import anywhere. We compare the two in Snapchat storage cost vs. exporting once — most people who mainly want to keep old memories are better off exporting.

Why are the dates and locations wrong after I export?

Snapchat's export does not write metadata into the files themselves. The capture date, GPS location and timeline live only in a JSON file, so every photo and video shows the download date instead of when it was actually taken, and nothing has a location.

What does MemoriesExport do?

MemoriesExport reads the export's memories_history.json and writes the correct capture date (EXIF DateTimeOriginal) and GPS back into each file — including the QuickTime location atom Apple Photos needs for videos — merges Snapchat overlays, and returns a ready-to-import zip.

The over-limit deletion window is expected to close around September 2026, roughly a year after Snapchat's September 2025 announcement. Request your export from Snapchat early — large libraries can take Snapchat a day or more to prepare, and you want time to fix the metadata before you import.

Snapchat Memories

Is Snapchat deleting Memories in 2026? The 5GB deadline explained

In September 2025 Snapchat capped free Memories storage at 5GB and gave a 12-month grace window for anything over it — so over-limit Memories are expected to start being deleted around September 2026. If you're over the limit, exporting is the free way to keep everything. The catch: the export comes out with the wrong dates and no location. Here's the real policy, and how to keep your memories with their true timestamps.

What's actually happening

Snapchat is not wiping everyone's Memories. It announced in September 2025 that free Memories storage is capped at 5GB, and that it would keep anything above that cap in temporary storage for 12 months. In Snapchat's own words, for the majority of people who are under 5GB, "nothing will change." If you're over 5GB, the excess is what's at risk once that 12-month window closes — which, from a September 2025 announcement, points to around September 2026.

Snapchat hasn't published a to-the-day deletion date, so treat "September 2026" as the expected window rather than a hard countdown — and don't cut it close. Your options if you're over the limit are the same three Snapchat lists: pay for a monthly storage plan, trim your Memories down under 5GB, or download (export) everything to keep it yourself. Only the last one hands you files you own outright, with no recurring bill.

Who this affects

If your saved Memories fit inside 5GB, you're not on a clock — Snapchat says nothing changes for you (though exporting is still worth it if you ever want your snaps in Apple or Google Photos with correct dates). If you're over 5GB — years of daily snaps add up fast — the over-limit portion is what the deadline is about. Not sure where you stand? Exporting is free and settles it: you end up with a full local copy either way.

The catch nobody mentions: the dates come out wrong

Whether you export because of the deadline or just to get your snaps out, Snapchat's export does not embed metadata into your files. The capture date, GPS and timeline exist only inside a memories_history.json file, so once you import the photos and videos into Google Photos or Apple Photos they all show the download date and sit in the wrong place on your timeline. See our full walkthrough of how to export all your Snapchat Memories, and — if you've already imported them with the wrong dates — how to recover the original dates and locations.

What you need to do

In the Snapchat app or on accounts.snapchat.com, request a copy of your data and choose to include Memories. Do this early — large libraries take time to prepare.
Download the export .zip file(s) when Snapchat emails you the link.
Fix the metadata so every photo and video carries its real capture date and location before you import it anywhere.
Import the corrected files into your photo library — done.

How MemoriesExport fixes the export

MemoriesExport takes your Snapchat export and writes the correct capture date (EXIF DateTimeOriginal) and GPS location back into each file — including the QuickTime location atom that Apple Photos needs to show where a video was taken. It merges Snapchat overlays back onto your photos and returns a single, ready-to-import zip. Your first 100 memories are free.

Fix my Snapchat export →

Weighing it up against paying Snapchat every month? See Snapchat storage cost vs. exporting once. New to this? See how MemoriesExport fixes your export, or jump to the specifics: wrong dates, missing GPS and overlays.

Frequently asked questions

Is Snapchat really deleting my Memories?: Only the ones over the free storage limit. In September 2025 Snapchat announced a 5GB cap on free Memories storage and gave a 12-month window of temporary storage for anything above it — so the first deletions of over-limit Memories are expected around September 2026. Snapchat's own wording is that for people under 5GB "nothing will change." If you're over 5GB, exporting is the free way to keep everything before that window closes.
Does it delete everything, or only what's over the limit?: Only what's over the 5GB limit. If your saved Memories fit inside 5GB, Snapchat says nothing changes for you. If you're above it, the excess is what's at risk once the 12-month grace window ends — not your whole account. We can't confirm exactly which files Snapchat drops first (it hasn't published that detail), so if you're near or over the limit the safe move is to export the lot.
Is there a grace period?: Yes. Snapchat said it would provide 12 months of temporary storage for Memories that exceed the 5GB limit, starting from the September 2025 announcement — which points to deletions beginning around September 2026. Snapchat hasn't published a specific to-the-day deletion date, so treat "September 2026" as the expected window, not a stopwatch, and don't cut it close.
What happens if I miss the deadline?: If you're over 5GB and you neither upgrade to a paid storage plan nor export in time, the over-limit Memories are permanently deleted — and once they're gone, they're gone. Exporting even a little early avoids the risk entirely: large libraries can take Snapchat a day or more to prepare, so don't leave it to the final week.
Does exporting actually protect me?: Yes — a download is a full copy that lives on your own device, independent of your Snapchat plan. Snapchat itself lists downloading your Memories as one of the ways to keep them. The one catch is that the export files come out with the wrong capture dates and no location baked in (details below), which is the part we fix.
Should I just pay Snapchat for more storage instead?: That's a real choice, but it's a recurring cost: a paid storage plan keeps your Memories inside Snapchat for as long as you keep paying, every month, forever. Exporting is a one-time move that hands you the actual files to keep or import anywhere. We compare the two in Snapchat storage cost vs. exporting once — most people who mainly want to keep old memories are better off exporting.
Why are the dates and locations wrong after I export?: Snapchat's export does not write metadata into the files themselves. The capture date, GPS location and timeline live only in a JSON file, so every photo and video shows the download date instead of when it was actually taken, and nothing has a location.
What does MemoriesExport do?: MemoriesExport reads the export's memories_history.json and writes the correct capture date (EXIF DateTimeOriginal) and GPS back into each file — including the QuickTime location atom Apple Photos needs for videos — merges Snapchat overlays, and returns a ready-to-import zip.
How long do I have?: The over-limit deletion window is expected to close around September 2026, roughly a year after Snapchat's September 2025 announcement. Request your export from Snapchat early — large libraries can take Snapchat a day or more to prepare, and you want time to fix the metadata before you import.