[discussion] where does snapchat store photos/videos?

[mvmacd]

So I've went into the /data/data/com.snapchat.android/ folder, and it is only about 200KB, so the image/video files can't be stored there.

I also noticed if you have a new message, and you close and open the app, it will have to redownload it. So it seems that snapchat is storing the images in the RAM.

So I dumped the ram of my snapchat PID, using this method. I had to download a compiled gdb binary.

I then used photoRec to scan all the *.dump files [I concatenated them all first, the file was about 100MB]. For filesystem I said "Other."
All I got was one txt file. It seemed to be xml, and contained a lot of usernames of my friends, but that's all.

If anyone has any input on the subject, here is the thread for it!

 

[b3ndik]

Bump for interest

 

[Pompsy]

So I've went into the /data/data/com.snapchat.android/ folder, and it is only about 200KB, so the image/video files can't be stored there.

Snapchat save picture under /data/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/received_image_snaps. You then have to copy and paste the file out of the folder, and rename the file extension from .jpgnomedia to .jpg

I can not find where the videos are stored. That's how I found this thread.

 

[DesolateEgo]

Like the previous poster said images are stored in /data/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/received_image_snaps. They are deleted when they are viewed though so you must copy them to your sdcard or wherever and change the file extension before viewing them. Videos are stored in /data/media/0/Android/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/tcs_pahn

 

[JCBucks]

Samsung Infuse

Where can I find these files on my Samsung Infuse? I go into /data/data/com.snapchat.android/cache but the folder is empty.

 

[mvmacd]

Where can I find these files on my Samsung Infuse? I go into /data/data/com.snapchat.android/cache but the folder is empty.

I have not had time to check this location, however I have sort of discovered a workaround. [HTC Rezound CM10.1]

Ideally you should have a wifi toggle in the statusbar.
Open snapchat and then click on your snaps, after it loads the images [It will say "Loading image..", then "Tap to view"], turn off WiFi. Then you can view the snapchats [pic or video], and before enabling wifi, wipe Snapchat's data.

This way you can screenshot while offline and they will not know.

Alternatively you can use TitaniumBackup. Backup app while logged in, after viewing snapchat offline, restore data from backup so you do not constantly have to login.

 

[CaseyJames22]

Where can I find these files on my Samsung Infuse? I go into /data/data/com.snapchat.android/cache but the folder is empty.

same here....
Galaxy Nexus CM 10.1

 

[quantemplation]

If you can't find the video folder, it's because it deletes it and the videos when they are not loaded. They are stored under /data/media/Android/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/received_video_snaps/ in mp4 format with a .nomedia file extension. As soon as you navigate away from the app, they are deleted, so I set up a tasker gesture to allow me to copy them while they are loaded.

As people said before, the images are stored in /data/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/received_image_snaps/ with the jpg.nomedia extension. If that folder doesn't exist, try making sure you've received and loaded a snapchat first. The images seem to stay until they're viewed.

 

[incarceration]

If you can't find the video folder, it's because it deletes it and the videos when they are not loaded. They are stored under /data/media/Android/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/received_video_snaps/ in mp4 format with a .nomedia file extension. As soon as you navigate away from the app, they are deleted, so I set up a tasker gesture to allow me to copy them while they are loaded.

As people said before, the images are stored in /data/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/received_image_snaps/ with the jpg.nomedia extension. If that folder doesn't exist, try making sure you've received and loaded a snapchat first. The images seem to stay until they're viewed.

That location you name for videos doesn't exist on my phone.
- I have /data/media/ "0" and "obb" are the only 2 folders within there
- I have also read that the videos are stored in /Storage (SD CARD)/Android/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/... but there isn't anything further from here, my 'cache' folder is empty, there's never been a "received_video_snaps" folder, let alone any content within here.
- I am able to get the photos from /data/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/received_image_snaps/ but never been able to intercept videos

Note: this is all done BEFORE "viewing" the material and allowing it to "load" and show "tap to view" from within SC

I'm using the EVO 3D CDMA version

 

[quantemplation]

That location you name for videos doesn't exist on my phone.
- I have /data/media/ "0" and "obb" are the only 2 folders within there
- I have also read that the videos are stored in /Storage (SD CARD)/Android/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/... but there isn't anything further from here, my 'cache' folder is empty, there's never been a "received_video_snaps" folder, let alone any content within here.
- I am able to get the photos from /data/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/received_image_snaps/ but never been able to intercept videos

Note: this is all done BEFORE "viewing" the material and allowing it to "load" and show "tap to view" from within SC

I'm using the EVO 3D CDMA version

I'm running TouchWiz. I wonder if you are on a 4.2.2 ROM or something, cause I've experienced the sdcard being moved around before...
Does your "0" folder have any subdirectories? such as Android/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/

In any case, videos are special: You need to actually click "load" (but don't hold, or else you'll actually view it before saving) if it doesn't do that automatically. Unless I misinterpreted, you didn't do that step. I think they might load automatically on Wi-Fi or something, though. For a general rule: As soon as it says "Load", the video is no longer (or never was) on your device. Furthermore, the sneaky little application deletes the folder at the same time, which is why you're never seeing "received_video_snaps" within the cache folder you found (assuming that one actually stores the videos in your version) because in my experience, almost everytime you navigate away from Snapchat, it unloads the video.

If you want to test for whether a file exists in a particular directory using Tasker, mess around with different directories in a File Modified profile (and have the associated task flash something). It'll flash as soon as something is added to that folder (including another folder, it seems).

Otherwise, check out my thread for this here.

 

[nannus]

I'm not familiar with Tasker. is it possible to have it automagically copy and rename the files that show up in the picture cache folder upon receiving a snap?


-edit-


From reddit:

I've got one method working on doing this, albeit I dislike it because this is questionable practice as is.

you''ll need Tasker and the Secure Settings plugin (tasker's run shell didn't like playing nice most of the time, but the secure setting run command does).

so i have tasker wait for snapchat to be opened, then the opening tasks are to wait 7 seconds (gives you time to load any pictures, honestly, i tried doing this with a file closed but tasker doesn't seem to like using wildcards in that command. if you really want, you can make this an exit command and open snapchat then back out before viewing)

then run shell as root cp -r /data/data/com.snapchat.android/cache/received_image_snaps/ /storage/emulated/0/snaps/ (you'll need to change the second directory, mine is for a gnex on 4.2.2 so that's why it's emulated/0)

next, you'll need to make a script in atext editor, and for sake of sanity, push it to /system/bin with chmod 755 (rwxr-xr-x)

the script then reads as CODE
!/system/bin/sh #there should be a hashtag in front of this but reddit's formatting is being wonky

cd /storage/emulated/0/snaps/ #wherever you copied them to
for file in *.nomedia
do
mv "$file" "${file/.nomedia}"
done
exit

then in tasker, as an exit action, run a secure settings run command with the command of whatever your script name is (include location if you do no push to bin).

it should work

You can play with the triggers and such, but i was having no luck including the scripted portion with the copy actions, it never seemed to run the script (secure settings has options to notify that it's running/completed).

Again, this is mean to be instructional on how to automate this with tasker, since I wanted to solve a puzzle. Not for anyone to be a creepy ass person saving snapchats that you shouldn't.

Couldn't post link =/

 

[quantemplation]

I'm not familiar with Tasker. is it possible to have it automagically copy and rename the files that show up in the picture cache folder upon receiving a snap?

Couldn't post link =/

Is it possible, yes. Will it work flawlessly, not really.

 

[kprz24]

Once I move the file and remove the no media extension. I can open the image but it is blank. Any ideas? Anyone know how to retrieve deleted Images

 

[quantemplation]

Once I move the file and remove the no media extension. I can open the image but it is blank. Any ideas? Anyone know how to retrieve deleted Images

Deleted images are deleted. That's the point of Snapchat. As for the file you moved (I'd recommend you copy it instead, cause Snapchat'll show a blank screen when you view it if you moved the file), make sure it ends in .jpg (for images) or .mp4 (for videos).

 

[mvmacd]

Once I move the file and remove the no media extension. I can open the image but it is blank. Any ideas? Anyone know how to retrieve deleted Images

Actually there is a program called PhotoRec that scans a disk for files using the headers. So as long as the file is unfragmented and not been written over, you can retrieve it with the software. Of course you'll have to either plug in your phone to your PC with usb mass storage mode [if your phone supports it], or else put it in a card reader.

 

[quantemplation]

Actually there is a program called PhotoRec that scans a disk for files using the headers. So as long as the file is unfragmented and not been written over, you can retrieve it with the software. Of course you'll have to either plug in your phone to your PC with usb mass storage mode [if your phone supports it], or else put it in a card reader.

Nice! I didn't think that technology was available on phones at this point.

 

[mvmacd]

Nice! I didn't think that technology was available on phones at this point.

Well actually it's not run from the phone [as I mentioned in my previous post], you must plug your card into your PC with usb mode in order for it to work.

I have used PhotoRec in the past and it has worked pretty well. The only thing, and it's not PhotoRec's fault, your files will have a random number. There's no way to know what the old filename/path used to be, so you have to figure that part out on your own.

In short, always backup your sdcard unless you don't mind losing everything, and depending on the damage, might be able to recover the files, but only the ones not fragmented and they will be randomly named.

 

[filllip]

I developed an easy way to sync the received pictures and videos with your Dropbox account.

If it is interesting you can check my thread here

 

[jaredkent]

Using the Droid DNA and looking in com.snapchat.android and the cache folder is there, but that is empty. There is no received images folder. Anyone know why this is the case? I know I've gotten plenty of images from snapchat.

 

[215alexdx]

Using the Droid DNA and looking in com.snapchat.android and the cache folder is there, but that is empty. There is no received images folder. Anyone know why this is the case? I know I've gotten plenty of images from snapchat.

The same thing is happening with my Galaxy S3