Delete a snap from your story before anyone sees it
You can remove a photo or video from your Snapchat story at any time, whether it has been up for seconds or days. The snap disappears from your story immediately, and anyone who has not already viewed it will not see it. If someone has already screenshotted or saved the snap, that copy stays with them — deleting from your story does not erase it from their phone.
The process is the same on iPhone and Android. You do not need to log out, restart the app, or do anything complicated. Open Snapchat, find your story, and tap the snap you want to remove.
Key Takeaways
- Tap and hold any snap in your story, then select the trash icon to delete it permanently from your story.
- Deleted snaps vanish from your story right away, but anyone who already viewed or saved it will still have their copy.
- You can delete snaps one at a time — there is no bulk delete option for multiple snaps at once.
- Deleting a snap from your story does not delete it from your phone's camera roll or from any direct messages you sent it in.
Steps to delete a snap from your story on iPhone or Android
Step 1: Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon in the top left corner. This takes you to your profile page.
Step 2: Tap "Story" to see all the snaps currently in your story. You will see them arranged in order, with the newest at the top.
Step 3: Find the snap you want to remove. Tap and hold on it — do not just tap once. Hold your finger on the snap for about one second until a menu appears.
Step 4: Tap the trash icon (or the delete option, depending on your phone). The snap is now gone from your story. The menu closes and you return to your story view.
Step 5: Repeat for any other snaps you want to remove. You have to delete them one at a time.
What happens after you delete a snap
The snap vanishes from your story immediately. Anyone who has not viewed it yet will not see it when they look at your story. However, if someone already watched the snap before you deleted it, they saw it — and if they took a screenshot or used Snapchat's save feature, they have a copy on their phone that you cannot remove.
Deleting a snap from your story does not affect the original file on your phone. If you saved the snap to your camera roll when you created it, that photo or video is still there. Deleting from your story also does not remove the snap from any direct messages you sent it in — only from your public story.
If you want to delete your entire story instead
If you want to clear out your whole story at once rather than delete individual snaps, you can do that too. Go to your profile, tap "Story," then tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right. Select "Clear Story" and confirm. This removes every snap from your story in one action.
Be aware that clearing your story is permanent and happens right away. You cannot undo it or recover the snaps afterward, though again, anyone who already viewed them will have seen them.
Common reasons to delete a snap from your story
People delete snaps for lots of reasons. You might have posted something by accident, changed your mind about what you wanted to share, noticed a typo or filter you did not like, or realized the lighting or angle was not what you intended. You might also delete a snap because you posted it at the wrong time and want to repost it later when more people are online.
Another common reason is that you posted something and then realized it was too personal, too negative, or just not the vibe you wanted your story to have. Snapchat makes it easy to fix that without having to delete your whole story or start over.
Why you might not see the delete option
If you tap and hold a snap and nothing happens, make sure you are holding long enough — a quick tap will not bring up the menu. Press and hold for at least one full second. If the menu still does not appear, try closing Snapchat completely and opening it again. Sometimes the app needs a fresh start.
If you are using an older version of Snapchat, the menu layout might be slightly different, but the delete option should still be there. If you have not updated your app in a while, go to your phone's app store and check for updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo a delete if I change my mind?
No, once you delete a snap from your story, it is gone permanently. Snapchat does not have an undo feature for story deletions. If you want the snap back, you would have to create it again and repost it.
Does the person who sent me a snap know if I delete it from my story?
No, Snapchat does not notify anyone when you delete a snap from your story. If you posted a snap that someone else created and sent to you, they will not get a notification that you removed it.
What if I delete a snap but want to post it again later?
If the snap is still in your camera roll, you can open it and add it to your story again. If you did not save it to your camera roll when you first posted it, you will need to recreate it. Snapchat does not keep a backup of deleted story snaps.
Can I delete a snap from someone else's story?
No, you can only delete snaps from your own story. You cannot remove snaps that other people posted to their stories, even if they tagged you or mentioned you in them.
If I delete a snap, will it disappear from my memories?
No, deleting a snap from your story does not remove it from Snapchat Memories. Memories is a separate storage area, and snaps there stay until you delete them separately from Memories itself.