How to move image from camera roll directly to my eyes only on Snapchat
Executive summary
Moving a photo from the phone’s Camera Roll into Snapchat’s My Eyes Only is a two-step process: import the picture into Memories, then hide it into My Eyes Only using the lock/hide controls — My Eyes Only only accepts items stored in Memories and requires a passcode to view [1] [2]. Users must remember that forgotten My Eyes Only passcodes cannot be recovered without deleting the hidden content, and certain media length/format rules may apply [2] [3].
1. Swipe up to Memories — the gateway for Camera Roll files
Accessing the Memories area begins on the main camera screen: swipe up from the bottom to open Memories, where Snapchat aggregates Snaps, Stories and imported Camera Roll files; the app explicitly allows adding photos and videos from the device Camera Roll into Memories as the first step to securing them [1] [4].
2. Import the photo from Camera Roll into Memories
Inside Memories, choose the Camera Roll tab to locate the desired image or video and use the app’s import/share controls to bring that file into Snapchat’s Memories library; multiple guides confirm that Camera Roll content can be selected from the Home, Camera Roll or Stories tabs on the Memories page [4] [5].
3. Select then hide — the actual “move to My Eyes Only” action
Once the item appears in Memories, select it (long-press or tap the checkmark/select option depending on UI), then choose the hide or lock action — usually labelled “Hide Snaps (My Eyes Only)” or represented by a lock icon — to move the selected media into My Eyes Only after confirmation [6] [3] [7].
4. Enter or create the My Eyes Only passcode
If My Eyes Only is not yet set up, Snapchat will prompt to create a four-digit passcode at the moment of first use; if already set, the passcode is required to confirm the transfer and to later access the folder, underscoring that My Eyes Only is a separate, passcode-protected area within Memories [6] [2].
5. What types of media are allowed and caveats to know
Not every file is eligible: many how-to guides and support pages note that only saved Snaps and certain short video Snaps qualify for My Eyes Only and that saved Camera Roll photos/videos must first be imported into Memories; some sources also mention limitations like maximum video length or format constraints, so very long videos or unsupported formats may not transfer directly [3] [5].
6. Security trade-offs and the irreversible reset warning
My Eyes Only adds an encryption-like layer behind a passcode, but Snapchat cannot help recover that passcode without erasing hidden content — resetting the passcode will delete everything in My Eyes Only — so the user-centric security model forces responsibility onto the account holder [2] [8].
7. Troubleshooting and UI variations across devices
Step names and icons can vary by app version and platform: guides across Android and iOS show consistent core steps (swipe up to Memories, select Camera Roll, choose items, tap hide/lock), yet exact button labels (“More”, “Hide”, lock icon) and menu placement can differ, so if a control is not visible, updating Snapchat or checking the Memories selector icon is recommended [6] [9] [4].
8. Alternative viewpoints and privacy context
While My Eyes Only offers an extra in-app barrier, experts and documentation remind users that it’s not a replacement for device-level privacy features or secure third-party vault apps; additionally, by design Snapchat ties My Eyes Only to the Snapchat account and passcode policy — an implicit product agenda to keep content within Snapchat’s ecosystem rather than exporting it to other secure storages [2] [5].