Why Do My Snapchat Memories Show the Wrong Date? (And How to Fix It)

If your downloaded Snapchat Memories all show today's date instead of when you actually took them, you're not alone. Here's why this happens and the permanent solution.

Last updated: January 2026 · 10 min read

Table of Contents

  1. 1. The Wrong Date Problem (Why It Happens)
  2. 2. Why This Matters More Than You Think
  3. 3. Common "Solutions" That Don't Work
  4. 4. The Only Solution That Actually Works
  5. 5. Step-by-Step: Fix Your Dates Permanently
  6. 6. Frequently Asked Questions

You spent hours downloading your Snapchat Memories. You carefully saved every photo. But when you check the files on your computer, they all show today's date. Not the date you took them. Not the date they were saved to Snapchat. Today's date. Every single one.

This is one of the most frustrating problems with Snapchat's data export, and it affects every single person who downloads their Memories manually. In this guide, I'll explain exactly why this happens, why the common "fixes" don't work, and the only solution that actually restores your original dates permanently.

The Wrong Date Problem: Why Does This Happen?

When you download Snapchat Memories using their official export tool, here's what happens behind the scenes:

The Technical Explanation:

  1. 1. Snapchat creates an HTML file with links to all your photos and videos
  2. 2. When you click a link, your browser downloads the file from Snapchat's servers
  3. 3. Your computer saves the file with the download date (today) as the "Date Created"
  4. 4. The original metadata (when you actually took the photo) is buried in the file, but your computer doesn't use it
  5. 5. Result: Every photo shows today's date, making them impossible to organize chronologically

In simple terms: Snapchat gives you the original date information, but buries it where your computer can't see it. So your computer just stamps everything with "downloaded today" and calls it a day.

What You'll See:

Your downloaded files:

  • 📸 Unknown.jpg - Date Created: Jan 5, 2026
  • 📸 Unknown (1).jpg - Date Created: Jan 5, 2026
  • 📸 Unknown (2).jpg - Date Created: Jan 5, 2026
  • 🎥 Unknown (3).mp4 - Date Created: Jan 5, 2026

What they should say:

  • 📸 06-15-2023.jpg - Date Created: Jun 15, 2023
  • 📸 12-25-2023.jpg - Date Created: Dec 25, 2023
  • 📸 03-10-2024.jpg - Date Created: Mar 10, 2024
  • 🎥 07-04-2024.mp4 - Date Created: Jul 4, 2024

Why This Matters More Than You Think

"So what if the dates are wrong? I still have my photos, right?"

Wrong dates don't just make your photos harder to organize—they make them practically unusable. Here's what happens when all your photos show the wrong date:

❌ You Can't Find Specific Memories

"Show me photos from my graduation in May 2022" becomes impossible. Everything is dated January 2026, so you have to manually scroll through thousands of files named "Unknown.jpg."

❌ Photo Apps Don't Work

Google Photos, Apple Photos, and other apps organize by date. If everything is dated today, your entire Snapchat history gets dumped into one day instead of being organized by year and month.

❌ Creating Albums or Slideshows Is Impossible

Want to make a "2023 Highlights" video? Good luck figuring out which of the 5,000 files named "Unknown.jpg" are actually from 2023.

❌ Searching by Date Range Doesn't Work

"Show me all photos from summer 2024" returns nothing useful. Your computer only knows that you downloaded them in January 2026.

Bottom line: Without correct dates, your Memories are basically a giant, unsorted pile of files. You saved them from Snapchat, but you can't actually use them.

Common "Solutions" That Don't Actually Work

If you've searched for solutions online, you've probably seen these suggestions. I'm going to save you hours of frustration: none of them work.

❌ "Manually Change the Date on Each File"

Why it doesn't work: You'd have to right-click every single photo, check the original date in the HTML file, manually change the file date, and repeat 5,000 times. This would take weeks.

Reality check: If you have 2,000 Memories and it takes 30 seconds per file, that's 16+ hours of mind-numbing work.

❌ "Use Photo Organizing Software"

Why it doesn't work: Photo apps like Lightroom, Picasa, or Windows Photos can only organize by the date your computer sees. Since all your files say "January 5, 2026," that's all these apps know.

Reality check: These apps can't magically extract the buried metadata that Snapchat hides in the files.

❌ "Download Them One at a Time from the HTML File"

Why it doesn't work: Even if you click each link individually and download one at a time, your computer still stamps them with today's date.

Reality check: You'd waste hours clicking links and still end up with wrong dates.

❌ "Use a Generic 'EXIF Editor' Tool"

Why it doesn't work: EXIF editors can change dates, but they can't extract the original dates from Snapchat's HTML file format. You'd still need to manually type in the correct date for each file.

Reality check: You're back to 16+ hours of manual work per thousand photos.

The Only Solution That Actually Works

Here's the reality: you need specialized software that understands Snapchat's export format and can automatically extract the original dates, apply them to each file, and organize everything properly.

That's exactly what Memory Downloader does. It's specifically built to solve this exact problem. Here's how it works:

What Memory Downloader Does:

  1. 1. Reads your Snapchat export file (memories_history.html)
  2. 2. Extracts the original capture date from each Memory's hidden metadata
  3. 3. Downloads each photo/video directly from Snapchat's servers
  4. 4. Renames files by date (e.g., "06-15-2023.jpg" instead of "Unknown.jpg")
  5. 5. Sets the correct "Date Created" on each file
  6. 6. Organizes everything into folders by year and month
  7. 7. Preserves GPS location data and other metadata

The result: All your Snapchat Memories organized by date, with correct timestamps, readable filenames, and perfect metadata. Exactly how they should have been from the start.

Why This Is the Only Real Solution:

  • ✅ Automatic: No manual work required
  • ✅ Fast: Processes thousands of Memories in minutes
  • ✅ Accurate: Gets the exact original date from Snapchat's data
  • ✅ Complete: Handles photos, videos, GPS data, and all metadata
  • ✅ Private: Everything processes locally on your computer
  • ✅ One-time cost: $1.99 total, not per memory or monthly

Step-by-Step: Fix Your Dates Permanently

Here's the complete process to fix your Snapchat Memories dates once and for all:

Step 1: Get Your Snapchat Export (If You Haven't Already)

  1. Open Snapchat → Profile → Settings (gear icon)
  2. Go to "My Privacy & Data" → "My Data"
  3. Tap "Export Your Memories"
  4. Select "Request Only Memories" → "All Time"
  5. Tap "Submit Request"
  6. Wait for email from Snapchat (usually 24 hours)
  7. Download and unzip the file to get memories_history.html

⚠️ Important: Do NOT download photos manually from the HTML file. This is what causes the wrong date problem in the first place. Just keep the HTML file—you'll use it in the next step.

Step 2: Download Memory Downloader

  1. Go to memorydownloader.com
  2. Download the app for Mac or Windows (free download)
  3. Purchase a license key for $1.99 (delivered instantly via email)

Why $1.99? This is a one-time purchase that processes your entire export file—whether you have 100 or 100,000 Memories. No per-memory pricing, no monthly subscription, no hidden fees. Just $1.99 total.

Step 3: Process Your Memories

  1. Open Memory Downloader
  2. Paste your license key to unlock the app
  3. Click "Browse" and select your memories_history.html file
  4. Choose where you want to save your organized Memories
  5. Click "Start Download"

The app will now automatically:

⚡ Speed: Most users process 2,000-5,000 Memories in 5-10 minutes. Larger collections (10,000+) take 15-20 minutes. The app runs automatically—no manual work required.

Step 4: Verify Your Fixed Dates

  1. Open your destination folder
  2. You'll see folders organized by year (2020, 2021, 2022, etc.)
  3. Inside each year: folders for each month (January, February, etc.)
  4. Inside each month: files named by date (01-15-2023.jpg, 01-15-2023 (2).jpg, etc.)
  5. Right-click any file → "Get Info" (Mac) or "Properties" (Windows)
  6. Confirm the "Date Created" shows the original date, not today

That's it. Your Snapchat Memories now have the correct dates, proper names, and perfect organization. You can import them into Google Photos, Apple Photos, or any other app, and they'll show up in the correct chronological order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I fix the dates on photos I already downloaded?

Unfortunately, no. Once you've manually downloaded photos and they have the wrong date, that original metadata is lost. You need to use Memory Downloader with your original memories_history.html file from Snapchat. If you still have that file, you can delete your manually downloaded photos and start over with Memory Downloader.

Why can't I just change the dates manually?

You technically can, but you'd need to: (1) Open the HTML file, (2) Find each photo's original date, (3) Right-click the downloaded file, (4) Manually change the date, (5) Repeat 5,000+ times. At 30 seconds per file, that's 40+ hours of work. Memory Downloader does this automatically in minutes.

Does this work for old Snapchat exports?

Yes! As long as you have the memories_history.html file from Snapchat's export, Memory Downloader can extract the dates—even if the export is months or years old.

Will this fix the dates in Google Photos/Apple Photos?

Yes! Once Memory Downloader sets the correct dates on your files, you can import them into any photo app (Google Photos, Apple Photos, Lightroom, etc.) and they'll automatically organize by the correct date.

Is my data safe? Do my photos get uploaded anywhere?

Your photos never leave your computer. Memory Downloader processes everything locally. No uploads, no cloud storage, no data collection. 100% private.

What if I have 50,000 Memories?

Memory Downloader handles any number of Memories. The $1.99 license processes your entire export file, whether it contains 100 or 100,000+ photos and videos.

Don't Waste Hours on Manual Fixes

You have two options: spend 40+ hours manually fixing dates on thousands of files, or spend $1.99 and 10 minutes letting Memory Downloader fix everything automatically.

The wrong date problem is frustrating, but the solution is simple. Get your dates fixed properly the first time, and never worry about it again.

Fix Your Snapchat Dates in Minutes

Download Memory Downloader and restore correct dates to all your Memories.

Fix My Dates Now

$1.99 one-time • Works on Mac & Windows • 100% Private

```