How to Save Snapchat Videos

This article explains how to save Snapchat videos, which usually disappear a few seconds after they are viewed. Information includes how to save your own Snapchat videos, how to save a video you posted as a story, and several methods for saving other users' videos.

Save Your Snapchat Videos

If all you want to do is save your own videos, then the solution is easy. You do it the same way you save a photo before posting it.

Record your video by holding the big clear button for as long as you want. It will show up as one long video divided into several snaps. Then, tap the down arrow button that appears in the lower-left corner of the screen.

You'll know your video was successfully saved when a Saved message appears.

To find the video you saved, check your Memories by tapping the Memories icon (which looks like two cards) located below the big clear snap/record button to find your saved video there. Then, tap it to watch it or tap the check mark icon in the upper-right corner to select the video, followed by the save/export icon in the menu that appears at the bottom to save it to your device.

Easy enough, right? All you have to do is remember to tap the save button before you send it to your friends.

How to Save a Video Posted as a Story

If you forgot to save your video before you sent it, there's no way to get it back on your screen. However, if you posted it as a story, there is a way to save it. From your Stories tab, tap the three gray vertical dots that appear to the right of My Story. Tap a snap video (if you have multiple stories posted) and then tap the down arrow that appears beside it to save it to your device.

Save Other Users' Videos

If you want to save Snapchat videos from other users who either send videos to you or post videos as stories, it's a bit more complicated.

The lack of a built-in feature to save other users' Snapchat photos and videos has to do with ensuring everyone gets the privacy they deserve. If you take a screenshot of someone else's photo snap that was sent to you, the app notifies the sender.

Still, there are several ways to capture other users' videos, some of which might work for you. You'll have to do some experimenting to find out for yourself. You have at least three options.

Use the Built-in Screen Recording Feature

If you have an iPhone or iPad with iOS 11 or later, you can take advantage of the built-in screen recording feature to save Snapchat videos, but be warned! If you do this, any videos from friends that you record trigger Snapchat to send those friends a notification that their videos have been recorded (similar to the screenshot notification for photos).

If you have no problem with your friends being notified that you recorded their videos, you can enable this feature by going to Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls and then tapping the green plus sign icon beside Screen Recording.

Now, when you swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access the control center, you'll see a new record button. Tap the record button to start recording your screen activity before you play Snapchat videos.

Use a Screencast App

Screencasts let you capture and record anything that happens on a screen. Screencasts are popular on desktop computers for hosting tutorials, slideshows, and other visual presentations.

There aren't as many free screencast apps available for mobile devices, particularly for the iOS platform. However, you may come across a few for Android when you search through Google Play (such as AZ Screen Recorder).

Any apps that show up in the iTunes App Store are often removed quickly. If you have a Mac with OS X Yosemite, you can use its built-in mobile screencast feature as an alternative.

Use Another Device and Its Camera

Suppose you don't have any luck finding a screencast app that works the way you want, and you don't have a Mac with Yosemite (or don't want to connect your phone to your computer). Another option is to use another device, such as a smartphone, an iPod, a tablet, or a digital camcorder, to record the Snapchat video via another separate video.

The picture and sound quality might not be great, and you may have trouble getting it to fit the screen of the device you're using to record it. Still, it's a relatively simple way (as long as you have access to an extra working device) to get a copy of it.

Forget About Using Third-Party Apps That Claim to Save Snapchat Videos 

Any third-party apps that claim to save Snapchat videos are probably scammers. So, avoid downloading those apps and don't give the app your Snapchat login details.

In the fall of 2014 and then again in April of 2015, it was announced that Snapchat was going to do everything it could to ban all third-party apps from accessing it as a means for stepping up privacy and security measures.

You might be able to find several apps throughout the App Store and possibly Google Play that claim to be able to use your Snapchat login credentials to save photos and videos that you receive. Many of these show that they were recently updated, suggesting that they still work.

Snapchat advises not to hand over your login details to any other app due to the potential security risks of those apps. If hackers target those apps, they could access your login details, photos, and videos. It's happened before, and it's why Snapchat has come down hard on third-party apps.