How to Reverse Snapchat Video for Fun Effects and Replays
It is quite easy to post short videos on Snapchat, but sometimes you want to flip the action and show it in a different order. That's where you need to know how to reverse Snapchat video. A clip that runs backward is really exciting for the viewers and gives normal moments a playful twist. In this guide, you'll learn to do this using the Snapchat app, what to expect when you use the reverse filter, and where its limits show up. You'll see how reverse fits into everyday snaps, reactions, and quick posts that rely more on timing and moments rather than heavy editing.
Generate Now!Part 1. Can You Reverse a Video on Snapchat?
Yes, you can reverse a video on Snapchat, and it fits the app's fun, casual vibe. The reverse effect plays your clip backward, so movements roll in reverse and the moments in the video turn playful or silly. Many creators on Snapchat usually use it for quick jokes, reactions, or short visual gags. This effect is suitable for short snaps rather than in a detailed, long video. The result that Snapchat usually gives you is pretty acceptable, exactly how the platform's content rolls.
But there is a catch. Although you can reverse Snapchat videos using the built-in Rewind effect, you can only do so with the clips you recorded through the Snapchat camera. Also, the captured video needs to be under 10 seconds.
Also, this Rewind/Reverse effect in Snapchat does not let you edit or trim your videos in any way. You may not even see this filter if you are located in a certain region because Smapchat quietly removed it without any official explanation.
Part 2. Why Should I Reverse My Video on Snapchat?
When you reverse a video on Snapchat, this makes your content more interesting. People get bored fast while scrolling. If motion suddenly goes backward, their brain notices something is off, so they stop for a second. That pause alone already gives your snap more attention than a normal clip.
You Become Creative
A reversed video on Snapchat gives you another way to show the same moment. You already recorded it. You already lived it. The same boring clip now becomes intentional, as you planned it that way, instead of just recording and posting. That's creativity at a very everyday level, not some big artistic statement.
Walking, pouring, or moving your hands are suddenly fun to watch for your audience because this breaks expectations. The action is again simple, but the backward motion makes people look twice.
Content Becomes Unique
The "unique" part is also very practical. Most people post snaps the same way. Forward motion, quick clip, done. Reverse breaks that pattern. Not because it's rare, but because people notice pattern breaks instinctively. They don't analyze it. They just pause and watch, and this means more engagement for you.
Audience Gets Impressed
Reversing the video creates a surprise, and you can do this without much effort. The viewer doesn't think, "Wow, editing skills." They think "that was weird in a fun way," and sometimes they replay it just to process what their eyes saw. These replays matter more than likes in a lot of cases.
You Get to Highlight Moments
In a normal Snapchat video, details disappear fast. The reverse slows how people visually process movement. A small gesture suddenly becomes the focus without getting lost because time runs the wrong way. You're not forcing attention. The motion does it naturally.
You Add the Fun Element
One of the main reasons you might reverse a Snapchat video is the kind of visual effects it brings out. When motion runs backward, things stop behaving the way your audience would expect. A jump pulls itself back to the ground, water moves upward instead of falling, and small actions rewind in a way that is pure fun. The reverse feature gives you room to try different movements and see how they play out when time runs the other way. That freedom leads to posts that are lighthearted and grab attention naturally.
Part 3. How to Reverse Snapchat Video Using the App's Reverse Filter
The process of reversing a video inside Snapchat itself. Everything happens within Snapchat, which is important because a lot of people assume reversing a video needs a third-party editor. It is true, but you don't always need it. The reverse feature behaves the same way on both Android and iOS Snapchat platforms. So it doesn't matter which phone you're holding. The steps are the same for Android and iPhone, and you're not missing anything just because of the device you own.
Step 1. Update Snapchat
In the first step, make sure that your Snapchat app is updated. The reverse effect is inside Snapchat's effects, and older versions sometimes do not show it at all. Updating avoids that headache before you even record anything.
Step 2. Open Snapchat and Record a Video
After updating the app, launch Snapchat like you normally do. Then, record a video directly in Snapchat using the camera button. This matters because the reverse effect applies to videos recorded inside the app, not clips you import from your phone gallery.
Step 3. Swipe through effects
After recording, swipe from right to left on the screen. Snapchat cycles through its effects this way. Keep swiping until you see the reverse effect, which shows as three curved back arrows.
Step 4. Apply the Rewind/Reverse effect
Once the rewind or reverse effect appears, tap on it, and Snapchat automatically plays your video backward. At that point, your video is reversed and ready to download or share as a story, post, or you can send it to your friends privately.
Part 4. How to Reverse Snapchat Video and Edit it Using HitPaw Edimakor
As already discussed above, the Snapchat built-in Reverse feature only works for videos you shoot using its camera, and they are under 10 seconds. If you have a prerecorded video or a longer one that is saved on your device, you need to use another software to reverse it, then download it, and share it on Snapchat. One such tool is HitPaw Edimakor, which makes this so easy for beginners.
The best part is that you do this offline. Here are the steps on how to reverse Snapchat video using HitPaw Edimakor.
Step 1. Launch HitPaw Edimakor and Import Your Video
First, move your video saved on your phone to your Windows or Mac. Then, download HitPaw Edimakor on your PC from the official site, install it, and then open it. Next, you'll see the main screen with different options. Click New Project to start the reverse Snapchat video process.
As soon as you click New Project, a new dashboard will open up. Now, click Import Files to browse to the location where you saved your Snapchat video, select it, and it will load into the editor.
Step 2. Move the Snapchat Video to the Timeline
After you import the file, the video clip will appear in the media area. From there, you can drag the video down to the timeline, which is where you'll reverse it.
Step 3. Reverse Snapchat Video
Now, it is time to reverse the video. Simply click the video in the timeline, and the new screen opens up right next to the media screen. Here, you'll find the Reverse option. Toggle it on and wait for a few seconds to let HitPaw Edimakor reverse the video for you.
After a couple of minutes, preview the video in the media screen by clicking the Play button and further edit it with some other useful tools in HitPaw Edimakor.
Step 4. Apply a Background and Enhance Your Video
If you want your Snapchat video to use a different background, HitPaw Edimakor offers you a Backgrounds section that has tons of categories to the choose the one you can use.
Not only that, you can enhance your video with different AI models. The General Repair, Quality Repair, and Portrait Repair can repair and denoise your video for better quality, and you can also enhance the resolution up to 4K as well.
There are other AI models as well to enrich the default colors, and even color your black & white old videos.
Step 5. Adjust Aspect Ratio for Snapchat
You may already know that Snapchat is mostly used on mobile devices, and it uses a vertical format to display your videos in snaps, stories, and posts. If your captured video is in another aspect ratio, you can choose the right one, which is 9:16. Right below the video preview, click the Aspect Ratio option and select 9:16 for Snapchat.
Step 6. Add Text to Your Reverse Snapchat Video
You have already reversed the Snapchat video, but to make it cooler, you can add the text under it with some fun quotes. To do this, navigate to the Text section, choose from Add Text, WordArt, Text Templates, or Animation Text, and place it below the video. You can edit the text with your own words and change its font style and color.
Step 7. Add Music, Sound Effects, Filters, and Effects
In case your Snapchat video has no audio, you can generate and add music to it. The Audio section lets you generate songs or instrumentals through prompts, or you can also download your own audio.
If your video has audio, you can also change your voice using popular voice options. With the AI Sound Effects, it is possible to use different ones for your video, like cheers, coin drop, applause, etc.
Then, there is a massive variety of filters and effects as well to use for your Snapchat video to make it more engaging.
Step 8. Exporting the Reverse Video and Sharing on Snapchat
After you're done reversing and editing your Snapchat video, it is time to export and share it on the Snapchat app. To do this, click Export, which is located at the top right, and this will open up the export menu.
Inside Export, there are different settings. For instance, the format selector lets you choose in what format you want to save your video, which can be MP4, AVI, FLV, etc.
You can again change the resolution and scale it up to 4K, choose the encoding, and select the Bit Rate (Choose Recommended for best results). There is frame rate selection as well.
After these settings, name your file, and choose a location to save it on your PC. Then, click Export, and this will save the reverse Snapchat video to your desired location.
Now, you need to move the video file back to your Android or iPhone, which will end up in the gallery. For this, you can utilize a USB transfer, cloud storage, or simply use email that you can open on both your PC and your mobile device. Then, launch the Snapchat app, swipe up the camera screen to open Memories, tap the Camera tab, select the video from the gallery, and share it with your audience.
Part 5. FAQs of How to Reverse Snapchat Video
Q1. Why can't you reverse videos on Snapchat anymore?
A1. You likely can still reverse videos on Snapchat, but it's for short clips (under 10 seconds), recorded within the app, and requires swiping left to find the curved arrow filter; if it's missing, try updating the app, checking settings, ensuring location is on, or trimming your video, as technical glitches, region locks, or very long videos (over 10s) often cause the feature to disappear.
Q2. Can I reverse audio while reversing the Snapchat video?
A2. Snapchat only reverses the video part, not the audio. The sound stays the same, even after the clip runs backward. If you want the audio reversed, too, a separate video editing app comes into play. Inside Snapchat, reversing a video is pretty simple. You just swipe your finger from right to left on the screen until the reverse effect appears and the video flips direction.
Conclusion on How to Reverse Snapchat Video
So there you have it. Now you know how to reverse Snapchat video using the built-in Rewind/Reverse effect. You also know that for the video captured earlier or not recorded through Snapchat camera, you need another software to have this effect, and HitPaw Edimakor offers you that ease with just one click.
Hopefully, you can now transform your ordinary videos into something fun and engaging for your audience on Snapchat.
Generate Now!
Home > Learn > How to Reverse Snapchat Video for Fun Effects and Replays
Select the product rating:
Natalie Carter
Editor-in-Chief
My goal is to make technology feel less intimidating and more empowering. I believe digital creativity should be accessible to everyone, and I'm passionate about turning complex tools into clear, actionable guidance.
View all ArticlesLeave a Comment
Create your review for HitPaw articles