Owing to its unique features and interface, the Snapchat platform is a popular and highly rated app. This is used for chatting and taking your picture with a few interesting effects, also called Snaps. This is a multi-media network that can be used for messaging services, but the irony is that the messages are not saved on the chat. In other words, the Snapchat message disappeared immediately or after some time you have sent it to another person. In this case, you might not be able to view the chat history. Let us learn the answer to the question of do Snapchat messages disappear after 24 hours and the methods to fix them.

How to Fix Snapchat Message Disappeared Issue

Here, you will get to know about do Snapchat messages disappear if not opened and how to solve Snapchat message disappeared after sending issue in detail.

Quick Answer

If your Snapchat message has disappeared, there are a few things you can try to fix the issue:

1. Troubleshoot Internet connection.

2. Try updating your Snapchat app.

3. Contact Snapchat support.

Note: As phones differ in specifications and other model details, the pictures and settings depicted in the article need not replicate the setting on your phone. Hence, you can refer to the phone user manual to see a similar setting. Here we have used Samsung galaxy A21s

Do Snapchat Messages Disappear if Not Opened?

Yes. The Snapchat messages are disappeared if the recipient does not open them. Most of the messages on Snapchat will be automatically deleted after they are viewed or have crossed the expiration period. The Snapchat Servers are designed to automatically delete all Snaps after all recipients mentioned by the Sender view them. The time limit for each chat is an answer to the question of do Snapchat messages disappear if not opened. If you believe that your Snapchat message disappeared after sending, you should ensure that the time specified below is not exceeded.

• Unopened messages sent to a person are deleted from the Snapchat servers if not opened for 31 days.
• Unopened Snaps sent to Group chats are deleted after 7 days from the date sent by the Sender.

Do Snapchat Messages Disappear After 24 Hours?

Yes. The Snapchat messages are disappeared after 24 hours if the messages are not saved manually. If you are searching for the answer to the question of do Snapchat messages disappear after 24 hours, you can find answers in this section.

• In chats send to a person, the messages will be deleted after you have viewed them. The time limit for the message in the chat is 24 hours by default.
• In some cases, if the setting to delete chat is set to After Viewing, the chat gets deleted immediately after you open them.
• In the case of group chats, the messages are deleted the next day after everyone in the group views them. In the other case, the messages are deleted a week after they are sent as said earlier. The minimal expiration period is considered for this option.
• Similar to the period in which the Stories are deleted is also 24 hours. They get disappeared within 24 hours of posting them online.

Why Do Snapchat Message Disappeared After Sending?

The possible reasons why the Snapchat message disappeares after being sent by the Sender are given in this section. If you have encountered instances, in which, the messages disappeared after sending them to another person immediately, you can consider the following reasons.

• Half swipe the message- Half swipe is a feature that allows users to view sent messages without completely opening them. Using the Snapchat Bitmoji, you could have swiped the message to the right and this would have made it believe that the message is read. As mentioned in the previous section, the viewed message gets deleted after the said expiration time.
• Sender Deleted Message- The sender might have deleted the message manually after sending you the message. If you have received a notification of an incoming message but it was deleted before you could open it, this might be the case.
• The message got Expired- The message sent might have crossed the expiration time as explained in the previous section. As an answer to the question of do Snapchat messages disappear after 24 hours, the message would have crossed the expiration time and disappeared.
• Temporary Glitch- There might be a temporary glitch on the Snapchat platform and you might not be able to view the received message.
• The Snapchat server is down- In some cases, the Snapchat server might be down due to overcrowding or maintenance work. If the server is not functional, the Snapchat message disappeared after sending it immediately.
• Bug Interference- There might be an error in the functioning of the Snapchat platform and you might not be able to view the message.

Other possible reasons for which the Snapchat message might be disappeared are listed as follows. The answer to the question of do Snapchat messages disappear if it is not opened may also lie in the following reasons.

• Not opening and reading the message- If the recipient has not viewed or opened the chat, the message might be deleted after the mentioned time.
• Expiration time set to After Viewing- If the period for viewing the message is set to the After Viewing option, the messages disappear immediately after being viewed. This is inclusive of the half-swipe feature.
• The message is not saved- If the recipient or the sender has not saved or responded to the message, it might be deleted.

The methods to fix the Snapchat message being disappeared are given in this section. Try implementing the methods to fix the issue and see if the message has expired before the expiration time.

Method 1: Alter Setting of Viewing Messages

The first option is to set the time for viewing messages to a longer duration. You can set this to 24 hours after viewing, so this gives a fluid time to see if the message is required or not.

1. Open the Snapchat app using the home menu.

2. Navigate to the Chat tab.

3. Long press on the specific contact on the list.

4. Tap on the Chat Settings option.

5. Tap on the Delete Chat… option.

6. Select the 24 hours after Viewing option.

7. Tap on the Done button to alter the setting.

Also Read: Snapchat Adds New Parental Controls and Content Guidelines to Block Sensitive Content

Method 2: Clear Cache of Snapchat App

The Snapchat app might be having unwanted data and cache, which might tamper down some functionalities. You can clear the cache of the app manually to fix Snapchat message disappeared issues.

1. Tap on the recent apps icon and tap on the Close all option.

2. Open the Settings app from the main menu.

3. Tap on the Apps tab.

4. Tap on the Snapchat app in the list.

5. Tap on the Storage option in the Usage section.

6. Tap on the Clear cache option to clear the cache of the app.

7. Open the Snapchat app from the main menu.

Also Read: How to Get the Ring Light on Snapchat

Method 3: Update Snapchat App

Using an outdated Snapchat app paves the way for most errors and bugs to creep in. You can update the app on the Play Store to fix Snapchat message disappeared issue.

1. From the main menu, launch the Play Store app.

2. Tap on the profile icon at the top right corner.

3. Tap on the Manage apps and device tab.

4. In the Overview tab, tap on the Updates available option.

5. Tap on the Update button next to the Snapchat app.

6. Open the Snapchat app as said earlier.

Also Read: How to Create Snapchat Filter for Free

Method 4: Report Bug to Snapchat Team

If none of the options mentioned earlier help in fixing the issue, there might be an unidentified bug in the Snapchat app. You can try reporting it to the team and follow their guidance to fix the issue. So, if you are puzzled by the question of do Snapchat messages disappear if not opened, you can find the answer by performing these instructions.

1. As said earlier, open the Snapchat app.

2. Tap on the Profile icon at the top-left corner.

3. Tap on the Settings icon at the top-right corner.

4. In the FEEDBACK section, tap on the I Spotted a Bug option.

5. Tap on the specific option on which you feel the bug gets categorized.

6. Add a screenshot and tap on the Submit button to send your report.

You will receive a reply from the official team with the method to solve the issue.

Why Do Some Snapchat Messages Not Disappear?

In some cases, Snapchat messages may not disappear and remain in the chat. If this is beyond the expiration time mentioned, this might be an issue. The following are the reasons why do some Snapchat messages not disappear and remain in the chat.

• Response to Message- If any of the persons, be it the sender or the recipient have saved the message, you can see them. In addition, any responses like replies or reactions are also saved. These activities help in retaining the message and are not an issue to be worried about.
• Improper Internet Connection- An improper and unstable Internet Connection may have interrupted the message midway and would not be delivered to the recipient.
• Login activity- If your Snapchat login has some issues or is hung midway, you may experience this issue.
• Different delete settings- As the individual has the option to set the delete time, this might vary. So, if you have set the chat to delete after viewing option but still see the message, it means that the recipient might have set it to 24 hours after viewing option.
• Unread or unopened message- If the message is not opened or unread, the message might still be there. This is only suitable if the message has not crossed the expiration time and the answer to the question of why do some Snapchat messages not disappear is affirmative.
• Bug in Snapchat- In some cases, the bug in the Snapchat platform might interfere with the working and make the screen hang. In this case, as well, the message is retained in the chat.

Also Read: How to Recover Deleted Snapchat Memories

Additional Information: Other Options to Avoid Disappearing Messages

If you are perplexed by the question of why do some Snapchat messages not disappear, you might not need these options. On the contrary, as the major policy of the Snapchat platform is to delete the messages after they are sent, there is not much help to avoid the loss of data. However, you can try the options listed in this section to have a backup of the messages, especially if they are of much worth.

Option I: Ask Sender to Resend Messages

The first option is to ask the Sender to resend the message. This way you can ensure that the important message does not miss your notice.

Option II: Save Messages

The second option is to save the individual messages in the conversation. This helps in retaining the message on the chat for a longer period.

1. Follow the instructions given earlier to open the Snapchat app.

2. Move to the Chat tab and tap on a specific chat.

3. Long press on a specific message in the chat box.

4. Select the Save in Chat option.

5. You can see the confirmation message of SAVED next to the specific message you have saved.

Option III: Screenshot Messages

Another option to save the message for your reference is to screenshot the chat message. Press the volume down+ power keys to screenshot the chat messages. The sender will be informed if you have taken a screenshot of the message.

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The article explains how to fix Snapchat message disappeared issue. It would be very helpful if you can let us know your thoughts, queries, and suggestions in the comments section.