Do Snapchat Memories Take Up Space on Your Phone?

Snapchat introduced the Memories function in an update during summer 2016, which signaled a significant change for the app. This app was previously popular for the short lifetime of its photos, which expire after 10 seconds or 24 hours. Soon after the app was released, users noted a uptick in storage usage by the photo-sharing application. As smartphone users will attest, storage on phones is valuable space that can fill up quickly. Users who are already tight on space may not want to dedicate their remaining storage to Snapchat, but thankfully there’s a trick to get around this. Here’s the breakdown on why memories are taking up valuable storage space on your Android and how you can remedy the situation.

Memories

Before getting into the details of Memory storage, Snapchat users should have a sufficient knowledge of how the feature works. By default, Memories will not save Snapchats or Snap Stories unless users manually select the downward facing arrow. To change this, users can access the Memories section of settings and select the “Auto-Save Stories” option under “Save To” and all future Snapchat Stories will be saved. To access Memories and view saved Snapchats, simply swipe up on the main camera screen on the app and all saved photos will appear. Within Memories, users have access to their saved snaps, their phone’s camera roll, and a passcode-protected “My Eyes Only” section.

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Storage

When Snapchats and Snap Stories are saved in Memories, they are automatically backed up on the cloud for users. This factor means that users can access their snapchat stories from any device that they choose to log into and that a lost or stolen phone doesn’t mean photos and videos are gone forever. Each user has access to unlimited cloud storage through Snap’s contract with the Google App Engine cloud.

However, while photo storage occurs in the cloud, your Memories cache can grow swiftly and take up a significant portion of your phone’s storage. This cache is a container for Snaps and Snapchat Stories you’ve recently taken and other account data that allows your memories to load quickly. Clearing this cache will free up space without actually deleting Memories, only clearing locally stored Memories content. To do this, tap the ghost icon at the top of the main screen and then the settings icon. Then, scroll down the settings window to tap “Clear Cache,” then “Clear Memories Cache,” and confirm.