You can transfer all your Snapchat memories to Google Photos by first exporting them to your camera roll with correct dates using Memories Import, then letting Google Photos sync them automatically. The entire process preserves original timestamps so your memories appear in the right place on your Google Photos timeline.
Why Move Snapchat Memories to Google Photos?
Snapchat Memories lives inside the Snapchat app, locked behind a single platform with limited search, no facial recognition, and increasingly expensive storage through Snapchat+. Google Photos, on the other hand, offers a feature-rich alternative that makes your memories far more accessible and useful.
Here are the most compelling reasons to make the move:
- Powerful search capabilities - Google Photos lets you search by people, places, objects, and even text within images. Search "beach" and instantly find every beach photo from your Snapchat history.
- Facial recognition and grouping - Google automatically identifies people in your photos and groups them together, making it easy to find every photo of a specific friend.
- Cross-device access - View your memories on any phone, tablet, or computer through the Google Photos app or photos.google.com. No Snapchat account required.
- Automatic backups - Once in Google Photos, your memories are safely backed up to the cloud alongside all your other photos.
- Smart creations - Google Photos automatically creates collages, animations, and highlight reels from your imported memories.
- Sharing albums - Create shared albums with friends and family, something that is impossible with Snapchat Memories.
The Complete Transfer Process
Transferring Snapchat memories to Google Photos involves three stages: exporting your data from Snapchat, importing it to your camera roll with correct metadata, and then syncing to Google Photos. Here is each step in detail.
Step 1: Request Your Snapchat Data Export
Snapchat provides a built-in way to download all your account data, including every memory you have ever saved.
- Open a web browser and go to accounts.snapchat.com
- Log in with your Snapchat username and password
- Navigate to "My Data"
- Scroll to the bottom and click "Submit Request"
- Wait for the confirmation email from Snapchat (typically 24-48 hours)
- Download the ZIP file from the link in the email to your phone
The ZIP file contains links to all your memories along with metadata such as creation dates and location coordinates. The media download links inside the export are valid for 7 days, so be sure to process your export promptly.
Step 2: Import to Your Camera Roll with Memories Import
This is the critical step. You need to get your Snapchat memories into your camera roll with the correct dates and locations attached, otherwise they will all show up as "today" in Google Photos instead of when they were originally taken.
- Download Memories Import for iOS or Memories Import for Android
- Open the app and select your downloaded Snapchat export ZIP file
- Tap Import and grant photo library access when prompted
- Wait for the import to complete. The app downloads each memory and saves it to your camera roll with the original creation date and GPS coordinates embedded in the file metadata.
Memories Import costs a one-time $4.99 and processes everything locally on your device. Your photos never leave your phone during this step. For most users, the import takes between 5 and 30 minutes depending on the number of memories.
Step 3: Sync to Google Photos
Once your Snapchat memories are in your camera roll with correct dates, Google Photos will pick them up automatically if you have backup enabled. If not, here is how to set it up:
- Open the Google Photos app on your phone
- Tap your profile picture in the top right corner
- Select "Photos settings" then "Backup"
- Toggle backup on if it is not already enabled
- Choose your upload quality: Original quality (uses storage) or Storage saver (slightly compressed but saves space)
- Wait for the sync to complete. You will see a progress indicator in the Google Photos app.
Because Memories Import preserved the original timestamps, your Snapchat memories will appear on the correct dates in your Google Photos timeline. A photo from summer 2021 will show up in summer 2021, not in February 2026.
Understanding Google Photos Storage
Before transferring thousands of Snapchat memories, it is important to understand how Google Photos storage works so you do not run into unexpected limits.
Free Tier: 15 GB
Every Google account comes with 15 GB of free storage shared across Google Photos, Gmail, and Google Drive. For context, 15 GB can hold roughly:
- Approximately 5,000 photos at typical Snapchat quality
- Around 2-3 hours of video at standard definition
- A mix of both depending on your usage patterns
If you already use Gmail and Google Drive heavily, you may have less available space than you expect. Check your current usage at one.google.com/storage before starting the transfer.
Google One Plans
If your Snapchat memories exceed the free tier, Google One offers affordable storage upgrades:
- 100 GB - $1.99/month or $19.99/year
- 200 GB - $2.99/month or $29.99/year
- 2 TB - $9.99/month or $99.99/year
Compare this to Snapchat+ pricing, which can cost up to $192/year just to keep your memories stored in the Snapchat cloud. Moving to Google Photos often saves money while giving you far more features and flexibility.
Storage Saver vs Original Quality
When backing up to Google Photos, you can choose between two quality tiers:
- Original quality preserves photos and videos at their exact original resolution and file size. This counts against your storage quota.
- Storage saver slightly compresses photos (to 16 MP) and videos (to 1080p). For Snapchat memories, which are typically lower resolution than DSLR photos, you may not notice any difference. This option still counts against your quota but uses less space.
Taking Advantage of Google Photos Features
Once your Snapchat memories are in Google Photos, you unlock a range of features that Snapchat simply does not offer.
Search Everything
Google Photos uses machine learning to understand the content of your photos. After your Snapchat memories are synced, you can search for:
- People - Type a friend's name (after you label them once) to find every photo they appear in
- Places - Search "New York" or "beach" to find photos by location. This works especially well when Memories Import has preserved the GPS data from your Snapchat export.
- Objects and scenes - Search "dog," "sunset," "food," or "concert" to find matching photos
- Dates - Search "January 2022" to jump straight to that month
Facial Recognition and People Albums
Google Photos will automatically scan your imported Snapchat memories and identify faces. Once the processing is complete, you will see a "People" section where every person is grouped together. You can label each person with their name and then search for them by name in the future. This is incredibly useful for finding old group photos or tracking how friendships evolved over the years.
Memories and Highlights
Google Photos has its own "Memories" feature that surfaces photos from the same date in previous years. Once your Snapchat memories are properly dated in Google Photos, you will start receiving "on this day" notifications featuring those old snaps alongside your regular photos. This is a delightful way to rediscover moments you had forgotten about.
Sharing and Collaboration
Create shared albums and invite friends to view or contribute their own photos. This is perfect for gathering everyone's Snapchat memories from a trip, a party, or a specific time period into one collaborative album.
Tips for a Smooth Transfer
- Connect to Wi-Fi before starting both the Snapchat export download and the Google Photos sync. Large libraries can consume significant mobile data.
- Charge your phone or keep it plugged in during the import and sync process. Downloading and uploading thousands of files is battery-intensive.
- Process your Snapchat export quickly after receiving it. The download links inside the ZIP file expire after 7 days.
- Check Google Photos after syncing to verify that dates are correct. Scroll through your timeline and confirm that older memories appear in the right time period.
- Consider available storage before starting. If you are close to your Google storage limit, upgrade your plan first to avoid a partial sync.
What About Android Users?
The process is identical for Android users. Memories Import is available on both the App Store and Google Play. On Android devices, Google Photos is typically pre-installed and may already be set to sync your camera roll. After importing your Snapchat memories with Memories Import, they should begin uploading to Google Photos automatically.
One advantage for Android users is that Google Photos integration tends to be tighter on Android, with faster sync times and more seamless background uploads. You may find that your Snapchat memories appear in Google Photos within minutes of the import completing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my Snapchat memories keep their original dates in Google Photos?
Yes, if you use Memories Import to save your Snapchat export to your camera roll first. The app preserves the original creation dates in the photo metadata, so when Google Photos syncs them, they appear in the correct position on your timeline.
How much Google Photos storage do Snapchat memories use?
It depends on the size and number of your memories. Google provides 15 GB of free storage shared across Google Photos, Gmail, and Google Drive. A typical Snapchat library of 1,000 to 2,000 photos and videos may use 5 to 15 GB. You can check your storage usage at one.google.com/storage.
Can Google Photos recognize faces in my imported Snapchat memories?
Yes. Once your Snapchat memories are in Google Photos, the facial recognition feature will automatically scan and group them by person. This works the same as any other photo in your Google Photos library, though it may take a few hours for Google to process a large batch of newly imported photos.
Do I need a Google One subscription to transfer Snapchat memories?
Not necessarily. Google provides 15 GB of free storage. If your Snapchat memories exceed this limit combined with your existing Google storage usage, you would need a Google One plan starting at $1.99/month for 100 GB. However, this is still significantly cheaper than Snapchat+ storage fees.
Ready to move your Snapchat memories to Google Photos?
Download Memories Import to get your memories into your camera roll with original dates preserved. Then let Google Photos do the rest.
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