Recently, Snapchat announced that users can store only 5 GB of Memories in the cloud. That means millions of users are now exporting years of saved snaps to make space, only to find that the exported photos and videos have lost their metadata.
It’s frustrating, confusing, and honestly a little heartbreaking. After all, these aren’t just pictures — they’re your moments. The nights you laughed too hard, the trips that changed you, the birthdays you’ll never get back. And now, without the metadata, it’s as if time itself got erased.
But don’t worry — there’s a fix.
When you capture photos or videos with your phone’s camera, it automatically saves extra information — called metadata (technically, EXIF data).
This includes:
But when you post or save content through social apps like Snapchat, those apps often strip metadata for privacy and storage reasons.
So, when you export a photo or video from Snapchat Memories, the exported file is saved without its original metadata. Instead, the export date becomes the “creation date,” making it look like everything was taken at once.
For example:
That beach photo from 2018? Now it shows as “October 2025.”
That birthday selfie from college? Also “October 2025.”
And suddenly, your timeline, your visual diary, is out of order.
Snapchat’s new policy allows users to keep only 5 GB of cloud-stored memories.
For long-time users, that limit fills up quickly — especially if you’ve been snapping since 2016 or earlier. Once you hit the limit, Snapchat prompts you to delete old memories or export them to your device or computer.
And that’s where the issue arises: exporting memories wipes out metadata.
So, while you may have successfully backed up your memories, they no longer hold their original context. Your files lose timestamps and location data, making it impossible for apps like Google Photos or Apple Photos to display them chronologically.
Enter ExportSnaps — the simple, privacy-safe way to restore your lost metadata and bring order back to your memories.
When Snapchat users started panicking about missing timestamps, ExportSnaps became a quiet lifesaver. It’s a Mac app that reads your exported memories and the accompanying memories_history.json file, then restores all the original metadata (date, time, and GPS coordinates) exactly as they were captured.
memories_history.json file).It’s that simple and that powerful.
You could try manually editing metadata using tools like ExifTool or photo managers — but it’s tedious, error-prone, and nearly impossible for large libraries.
ExportSnaps solves that by automating everything. Here’s what makes it stand out:
memories_history.json file and maps it to your exported media with precision.Here’s how you can fix your Snapchat exported photos metadata right now:
When you look through your old photos, you’re not just browsing images — you’re walking through time.
Each timestamp is a breadcrumb. Each location pin is a chapter marker. And together, they tell your story.
So don’t settle for broken metadata or shuffled memories. With ExportSnaps, fixing your Snapchat exported photos metadata is quick, safe, and deeply rewarding.
Bring your moments back to life — exactly as they were lived.
Don’t let your memories lose their meaning.
Download ExportSnaps today and restore the story behind every snap — because every second you captured deserves to be remembered.
Snapchat removes EXIF data, like date, time, and location, when exporting photos. This means your Snapchat exported photos metadata gets stripped for privacy and storage reasons.
You can fix Snapchat exported photos metadata by using ExportSnaps, a Mac app that restores the original timestamps and GPS data using your memories_history.json file.
Yes! Even if your exported photos lost metadata, the memories_history.json ile contains that information. Tools like ExportSnaps can reapply it automatically.
Yes, Snapchat now limits cloud storage to 5 GB. Many users export their memories to free space, which is when metadata loss happens. ExportSnaps helps restore it after export.
Absolutely. ExportSnaps works offline and keeps all processing local to your Mac. No cloud uploads mean your Snapchat exported photos metadata stays private and secure.
Yes! Once you restore your Snapchat exported photos metadata with ExportSnaps, apps like Google Photos and Apple Photos will sort your images correctly by time and location.