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This wikiHow teaches you how to control the amount of time a photo you send on Snapchat can be viewed before it disappears.
Steps
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1Open Snapchat. It's a yellow app that contains a ghost logo.
- Enter your username and password if you're not automatically logged in.
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2Snap a photo. Tap the larger, open circle at the bottom center of the screen to do so.
- The length of videos are controlled by how long you hold down the button. Snapchat videos can be up to 10 seconds long.
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3Tap the Timer icon. It's in the lower-left corner of the screen.
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4Select a duration. Scroll through the selections, choosing a time between 1 and 10 seconds.
- The duration you choose is the length of time your photo will appear on screen to the recipient of your Snap or viewers of your Story.
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5Tap anywhere on your photo. Your chosen duration will appear in the center of the timer icon.
- Tap the editing tools in the upper right corner to add text, pictures, and other features to your image.
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6Tap the "Send to" button. It's in the lower-right corner of the screen. Now, whoever you send the picture to, whether it's a friend or your Story, will see it for the number of seconds you indicated on the timer.
- A Snap, the picture or short video you just took, can be sent to individuals, and will disappear after it's opened, or added to your Story.
- Your Story is a collection of the Snaps that you've taken and added to your Story over the last 24 hours.
- Snaps added to your Story disappear after 24 hours.
Community Q&A
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QuestionThere is no timer button in the lower-left corner after taking a Snap.
Community AnswerThe timer does not appear when you take a video Snap. Instead, the time limit will be the same as the video's length. The timer only appears when you take a photo Snap. -
QuestionWhy are all Snapchats sent to me suddenly only lasting for 3 seconds?
Community AnswerThis could be a glitch. Try to refresh the app by closing it. -
QuestionI'm receiving Snaps that have timers longer than 10 seconds, how can I do that?
Community AnswerThe Snaps you are receiving are actually not longer than 10 seconds. Snapchat plays all unviewed Snaps from a user back-to-back and combines each Snap's timer. Individual Snaps cannot be longer than 10 seconds.
About This Article
1. Open Snapchat.
2. Snap a photo.
3. Tap the Timer icon.
4. Select a duration.
5. Tap your photo.
6. Tap the Send to button.
