Snapchat has been designed so that pictures and messages disappear after they're opened. Once they're gone, they're gone. Those are the widely accepted rules.

Merely yous're a rebel. You don't intendance nigh the rules. You want to hold onto those memories. So, tin y'all actually take pictures of content you receive without the other person knowing?

What Happens When You Screenshot on Snapchat?

Photo of an iPhone showing the Snapchat logo

Snapchat has been tweaked since its inception so that messages aren't entirely lost. Y'all can save chats, for example, past borer on them. Doing then again volition make them vanish forever. You tin can also set individuals' conversations to disappear 24 hours later on opening.

Only you can't do either with images and videos sent through the Snap function.

Of course, y'all can take a screenshot of anything, but the other person volition know about it. If they've got them switched on, they'll get a notification. If non, then it'll show up in your chat. You'll see information technology too: "Y'all took a screenshot!".

At that place might be reasons yous want to take a screenshot. It's okay to recall that, one day, you'll regret non saving that image, not treasuring that retentiveness, not existence able to retrieve what someone said to you. We're nostalgic creatures, and yous don't always have to feel bad nigh what you do online.

Taking a picture of a snap or chat—or fifty-fifty a friend's contour—without the other person seeing isn't easy. In fact, it's increasingly hard.

Which Methods Won't Work When Taking Screenshots on Snapchat?

Photo of a person with an iPhone in their hands

In that location used to be a few workarounds that meant you could screenshot Snapchat without the other person knowing you lot'd done so.

But Snapchat got wise and closed many of these loopholes. Here are the methods that used to work, but you lot don't want to try anymore:

  • Turning on Airplane Fashion: This should work because it severs all cyberspace connections, but because yous accept to load Snapchat earlier turning Airplane Way on, the app'southward servers know and the other person will get a notification.
  • Clearing Your Cache: After disconnecting from the cyberspace, you used to exist able to take a screenshot and then clear enshroud so that, when the app goes back online, there's no record of your activities. At present, nevertheless, the screenshot notification is sent immediately—no matter what.
  • Logging Out: No, y'all similarly tin't disconnect from your Wi-Fi and mobile information, take a screenshot, so log out then back in over again. The other person will know direct away when you lot have a picture.

These methods *might* still work on old versions of the apps, just that largely relies on both y'all and the recipient having an antiquated app, and fifty-fifty and then, it's a big run a risk. It'southward really not worth it considering if whatever of those do work, it'll likely be a fluke.

How to Save Snaps Without Them Knowing Via a Notification

Photo of a person holding their iPhone while surrounded by a forest and a lake

So, is it actually possible? Well, yes and no. There's no unproblematic way to screenshot snaps on iPhones and Androids, but you lot tin discover left-field methods.

Note that Snapchat can update vulnerabilities any time, so what works at present might not work fifty-fifty in a month's time. Be prepared to defend your deportment if something does get wrong...

1. Use Another Device

Allow's start with a mode y'all tin can go on a picture without needing much technical knowledge. You will need another device though.

Yeah, you need to take a recording of Snapchat using another smartphone or tablet. That literally means holding a camera towards your smartphone interface and recording whatever's on screen. You won't get the best resolution, but if you lot'd just like a record of what you've received, this is a fair method.

Before doing this, exercise your inquiry. Y'all'll demand to recognize what sort of snap you've been sent: is it a picture or a video? Is at that place a time limitation?

Snapchat introduced a style to loop content, so it doesn't have to disappear after a set number of seconds. Y'all're besides allowed to replay one snap a 24-hour interval, so use it wisely! The other person will know you've replayed it though.

If you're non sure, take a video using a different device. That fashion, you know you take the content saved, no thing how long it runs for.

ii. Use a 3rd-Party Screen Recorder

So, what else can you do really on your smartphone?

Tertiary-party apps tin exist useful, particularly if you've got an Android device or a jailbroken iPhone.

There are various Snapchat screenshot apps available, although naturally none are supported or licensed by Snapchat itself. Search the iOS App Store or Google Play for "screen recorders" and you lot'll see lots of options.

No, an iPhone'southward in-built screen recorder won't work: doing this volition even so notify Snapchat users that you lot've recorded content.

Because there are loads of screen recording apps on the market, Snapchat can't protect against all of them. This is sadly downward to trial and error, which tin can lead to some embarrassing moments.

That'due south too why Android users are more than likely to detect a method that works. While iOS users are express to the Apple App Shop, Android users take a wider selection through other stores. Similarly, jailbroken iPhones can access unofficial stores. Nonetheless, both these options leave you lot open up to some serious security risks, so exist careful.

3. Screenshot Using QuickTime on Mac

using Apple mac

This is a more than elaborate way of keeping Snaps and is only applicable if you ain a Mac.

Connect your iPhone to your Mac and open the QuickTime player. Become to File > New Movie Recording and hover over the Record button. Click on the arrow that appears and select iPhone every bit your camera input. Your iPhone screen should announced on your Mac, and from at that place, y'all tin tape nevertheless many Snaps y'all wish to open.

Yous can salvage the video to your Mac, simply if you lot want to screenshot private pictures, utilize Command-Shift-iv.

4. Use Google Banana on Android Devices

Photo of an Android phone next to a Smart Home device

Non all Android devices have Google Assistant, just if yours does, it can assist y'all save Snaps.

If the snap you want to capture isn't looped, you'll need to be quick, so be sure to practice before using it on something of import.

Go to the Snap and open up Google Assistant past either holding downward the dwelling button or saying, "OK, Google." It will then ask how information technology can help y'all. You tin can simply instruct it to "Take a screenshot". Alternatively, y'all tin can type this into the menu.

These will take a picture of whatever'south on your screen, including the Snap you want to keep.

You can't automatically salvage it to your photo gallery, however. Instead, you tin can share with another app (for instance, Slack, Gmail, or Messaging) or add information technology to Google Photos. Yet, whatsoever of these options however hateful the snap is saved in some capacity.

We Don't Disregard Taking Snapchat Screenshots

Sometimes, you might retrieve it necessary to have a Snapchat screenshot. But earlier you do, call up that it'southward a breach of privacy. Worse, it'southward a breach of trust. Y'all're finer putting your friendship in jeopardy.

Imagine what your friend or partner would think if they establish information technology. If you're drastic to brand sure it's a secret screenshot, at that place's already reason to think they wouldn't approve. This is besides a good reminder that nothing is ever private if you lot share it online, so recollect before you lot send annihilation!

How to Take Screenshots on an iPhone

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