Is Snapchat deleting my Memories?

No. Snapchat's help centre now says it "will not automatically delete your Memories because you do not upgrade." What changes instead is archiving: starting in January 2027, Memories that are more than a year old and fall outside your oldest 5GB are archived. They stay stored on Snapchat, but you have to pay for storage or download them to open them again.

What is the last date for Snapchat Memories?

There isn't one for deletion. The date that matters is January 2027: Snapchat says no Memories will be archived before then, and that you will get advance notice in the app before anything changes on your account. The widely quoted "September 2026" came from reading the 12 months of temporary storage, announced in September 2025, as a deletion deadline. Snapchat's help page now spells out January 2027 archiving instead.

Which Memories get archived in January 2027?

Only Memories that are both more than one year old and not part of your oldest 5GB. You keep full access to everything saved within the last year and to your oldest 5GB. On a large account, that means the middle years are the ones that get locked.

What does an archived Memory look like?

Snapchat says archived Memories appear as thumbnails in the app, but you need to upgrade your storage to open, edit or share them. Its two listed ways to get to them outside the app are subscribing or downloading your Memories.

Does this affect me if I'm under 5GB?

No. Free Memories storage is up to 5GB, and the archiving rule only touches what sits outside your oldest 5GB. If your whole library fits inside 5GB, nothing about it changes.

How do I check how much Memories storage I'm using?

In Snapchat, open your profile, tap the gear icon to open Settings, scroll down to "My App", tap "Memories" and look under "Cloud Storage". If you have more than 5GB saved, Snapchat also shows a notice in the Memories section with how much you use.

I don't see a storage banner. Am I safe?

For now. Snapchat says that if you don't see a banner offering storage upgrades, your Memories will continue to be stored as they are today, and you'll be notified when you're eligible for a plan. It's a rollout, not an exemption, so check again later.

How much does Snapchat Memories storage cost?

In the US, Snapchat lists a 100GB Memories-only plan at $1.99 a month or $20 a year. Snapchat+ typically includes 250GB and Snapchat+ Platinum includes 5TB. Prices vary by country, so check the app for yours. It's a recurring cost: archived Memories stay locked whenever the plan lapses.

Does exporting actually protect me?

Yes. A download is a full copy on your own device that doesn't depend on any Snapchat plan, and Snapchat itself lists downloading as one of the ways to keep Memories. The catch is that the export files come out with the wrong capture dates and no location baked in, which is the part we fix.

Should I export now or wait until January 2027?

Exporting before the archive date is the simple option: you get every file while it still opens normally in the app, and large exports can take Snapchat a day or more to prepare. Snapchat says downloading remains an option for archived Memories too, but we haven't verified that flow ourselves yet, so we wouldn't rely on it.

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 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. It also merges Snapchat overlays and returns a ready-to-import zip.

Snapchat Memories

Snapchat Memories deadline: what changes in January 2027

Snapchat is not deleting Memories. Its help centre now says that starting in January 2027, Memories older than a year that aren’t part of your oldest 5GB get archived: still stored, shown as thumbnails, but locked until you pay for storage or download them. If you’re under 5GB, nothing changes. Here’s the policy, how to check your own account, and how to keep your memories with their real dates.

Updated 2 October 2026. An earlier version of this page, like most coverage, read Snapchat’s 12 months of temporary storage as deletions around September 2026. Snapchat has since clarified that nothing is deleted and nothing is archived before January 2027.

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The short answer

Nothing is deleted. In Snapchat’s words, it “will not automatically delete your Memories because you do not upgrade.”
Archiving starts January 2027, with advance notice in the app before anything changes on your account.
What gets archived: Memories more than one year old that are not part of your oldest 5GB.
What stays open: everything saved in the last year, plus your oldest 5GB.
To open archived Memories you subscribe to a storage plan or download them.

Source: Snapchat Support, “How do I manage my Memories storage?” (checked 2 October 2026).

First: check whether this affects you at all

Most accounts never reach the cap. You can check yours in under a minute:

Open your profile and tap the gear icon to open Settings.
Scroll down to My App.
Tap Memories and read the figure under Cloud Storage.

Under 5GB: the archive rule never reaches you. Exporting is still worth it if you want your snaps in Apple or Google Photos with real dates, but there’s no clock.
Over 5GB: from January 2027, the Memories that are over a year old and newer than your oldest 5GB get locked. On a big library that’s most of the middle years.
No storage banner at all: Snapchat says your Memories keep being stored as they are today and you’ll be notified when you’re eligible for a plan. That’s a rollout you haven’t hit yet, so check again later.

Which of your Memories get locked

The rule has two exemptions, and it helps to picture a timeline. Take an account with 20GB of Memories saved between 2015 and 2026. The oldest 5GB (say 2015 to 2017) stay open. The last twelve months stay open. Everything in between, roughly 2017 to 2025 in this example, is archived in January 2027 unless the account is on a storage plan.

Archived Memories don’t vanish. Snapchat keeps them and shows thumbnails, but opening, editing or sharing one needs a paid plan. In the US that’s $1.99 a month or $20 a year for 100GB, or the 250GB typically included with Snapchat+. Prices differ by country.

Where “September 2026” came from

When Snapchat announced storage plans in September 2025, it promised affected users 12 months of temporary storage before any changes took effect. Twelve months from September 2025 is September 2026, so most guides, this one included, described that as the deletion deadline. Snapchat’s help centre now spells out what happens instead: archiving, not deletion, and not before January 2027. If a site still gives you a September 2026 deletion date, it hasn’t caught up.

Should you still export?

If you’re over 5GB, exporting before January 2027 is the way to keep every Memory openable without a subscription. You get the actual files, on your own drive, for good. Large exports can take Snapchat a day or more to prepare, so start well before the archive date rather than in the last week of December.

If you’re under 5GB, there’s no deadline at all. Exporting is then just about getting your snaps into your photo library.

The catch nobody mentions: the dates come out wrong

Whether you export because of January 2027 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. The toggles that decide whether you get your actual photos back are covered step by step in how to request and download your Snapchat Memories export. Do this well before January 2027 if you’re over 5GB; 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.

One thing worth doing before you submit the request: anything locked in My Eyes Only does not come through in the export, so move whatever you want to keep back into normal Memories first. Nothing can recover it after the fact.

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 deleting my Memories?: No. Snapchat's help centre now says it "will not automatically delete your Memories because you do not upgrade." What changes instead is archiving: starting in January 2027, Memories that are more than a year old and fall outside your oldest 5GB are archived. They stay stored on Snapchat, but you have to pay for storage or download them to open them again.
What is the last date for Snapchat Memories?: There isn't one for deletion. The date that matters is January 2027: Snapchat says no Memories will be archived before then, and that you will get advance notice in the app before anything changes on your account. The widely quoted "September 2026" came from reading the 12 months of temporary storage, announced in September 2025, as a deletion deadline. Snapchat's help page now spells out January 2027 archiving instead.
Which Memories get archived in January 2027?: Only Memories that are both more than one year old and not part of your oldest 5GB. You keep full access to everything saved within the last year and to your oldest 5GB. On a large account, that means the middle years are the ones that get locked.
What does an archived Memory look like?: Snapchat says archived Memories appear as thumbnails in the app, but you need to upgrade your storage to open, edit or share them. Its two listed ways to get to them outside the app are subscribing or downloading your Memories.
Does this affect me if I'm under 5GB?: No. Free Memories storage is up to 5GB, and the archiving rule only touches what sits outside your oldest 5GB. If your whole library fits inside 5GB, nothing about it changes.
How do I check how much Memories storage I'm using?: In Snapchat, open your profile, tap the gear icon to open Settings, scroll down to "My App", tap "Memories" and look under "Cloud Storage". If you have more than 5GB saved, Snapchat also shows a notice in the Memories section with how much you use.
I don't see a storage banner. Am I safe?: For now. Snapchat says that if you don't see a banner offering storage upgrades, your Memories will continue to be stored as they are today, and you'll be notified when you're eligible for a plan. It's a rollout, not an exemption, so check again later.
How much does Snapchat Memories storage cost?: In the US, Snapchat lists a 100GB Memories-only plan at $1.99 a month or $20 a year. Snapchat+ typically includes 250GB and Snapchat+ Platinum includes 5TB. Prices vary by country, so check the app for yours. It's a recurring cost: archived Memories stay locked whenever the plan lapses.
Does exporting actually protect me?: Yes. A download is a full copy on your own device that doesn't depend on any Snapchat plan, and Snapchat itself lists downloading as one of the ways to keep Memories. The catch is that the export files come out with the wrong capture dates and no location baked in, which is the part we fix.
Should I export now or wait until January 2027?: Exporting before the archive date is the simple option: you get every file while it still opens normally in the app, and large exports can take Snapchat a day or more to prepare. Snapchat says downloading remains an option for archived Memories too, but we haven't verified that flow ourselves yet, so we wouldn't rely on it.
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 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. It also merges Snapchat overlays and returns a ready-to-import zip.