One of the most poignant main quests in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is “Captured Memories.” After visiting Impa in Kakariko Village and receiving the quest (usually after obtaining the Camera Rune from Purah), you’ll find 12 pictures stored in your Sheikah Slate’s Album. These are fragments of Link’s past, taken at specific locations across Hyrule 100 years ago.
Your goal is to visit the exact spot where each photo was taken. When you arrive, you’ll find a glowing spot on the ground. Interact with it to recover one of Link’s lost memories – a cutscene detailing events leading up to the Great Calamity.
Finding all 12 memories is required to unlock a final, 13th memory, which in turn unlocks an additional cutscene after defeating the final boss.
Helpful Tip: If you’re struggling to find a specific location, look for the painter Pikango at various stables and settlements (like Kakariko Village, Hateno Village, Gerudo Town, Goron City, Rito Village, Tarrey Town, Woodland Stable, Tabantha Bridge Stable, Outskirt Stable, Highland Stable, Lakeside Stable, Wetland Stable). Show him a picture from your album, and if it depicts a location he recognizes nearby, he’ll point you in the right direction.
Here are the locations for all 12 memories from the Sheikah Slate, plus the final one:
The 12 Captured Memories
(Note: The order below matches the default order in the Sheikah Slate Album)
Memory #1: Subdued Ceremony
Photo Clue: A ceremony taking place before the central structure of Hyrule Castle.
Location: Sacred Ground Ruins, Central Hyrule. Directly south of Hyrule Castle Town Ruins. The memory is located in the exact center of the circular ruins.
Nearest Tower: Central Tower.
Memory #2: Resolve and Resolve
Photo Clue: Looking across Hyrule Field towards Hyrule Castle from near a unique stone archway resembling the Shrine of Resurrection’s exit.
Location: Komo Shore / Lake Kolomo, Central Hyrule. Just north of the Great Plateau Tower, west of Lake Kolomo. Look for a small hillock with the stone archway. The memory is slightly south-east of the arch, overlooking the lake and field.
Nearest Tower: Great Plateau Tower.
Memory #3: Zelda’s Resentment
Photo Clue: Zelda standing near ancient columns with Tabantha Tower visible in the distance.
Location: Ancient Columns, Tabantha Frontier. South of Tabantha Tower. The memory is on the elevated path leading directly towards the Tena Ko’sah Shrine within the columns.
Nearest Tower: Tabantha Tower.
Memory #4: Blades of the Yiga
Photo Clue: Zelda disguised in Gerudo attire at an oasis settlement.
Location: Kara Kara Bazaar, Gerudo Desert. This is the oasis located between the Gerudo Desert Gateway (where Gerudo Canyon Stable is) and Gerudo Town. The memory is on the northern edge of the water, looking back towards the bazaar’s main tent.
Nearest Tower: Wasteland Tower / Gerudo Tower.
Memory #5: A Premonition
Photo Clue: Overlooking Death Mountain from a rocky, elevated area.
Location: Eldin Canyon / Woodland Border. West-southwest of Goron City, high on the western slopes overlooking the volcano. It’s north of Woodland Tower, on a distinctive rocky plateau marked on the map as “Goronbi Lake South”. Look for the specific rock formation from the picture.
Nearest Tower: Woodland Tower / Eldin Tower.
Memory #6: Silent Princess
Photo Clue: Zelda observing a field of Silent Princess flowers, with Hyrule Castle across the water.
Location: Irch Plain / Salari Hill area, Central Hyrule / Ridgeland Border. West of Hyrule Castle, across the moat. Look for a large, solitary tree surrounded by Silent Princess flowers on a gentle slope.
Nearest Tower: Ridgeland Tower / Central Tower.
Memory #7: Shelter from the Storm
Photo Clue: Link and Zelda taking shelter under a large tree near a bird-like statue.
Location: West Necluda / Great Plateau Border. On the lower slopes of Mount Hylia, east/southeast of the Temple of Time ruins on the Great Plateau. Look for the tree and statue near the path leading up the mountain from the east.
Nearest Tower: Great Plateau Tower.
Memory #8: Father and Daughter
Photo Clue: Zelda looking out from a covered bridge/walkway within Hyrule Castle.
Location: Hyrule Castle, Central Hyrule. (Caution: High Danger Area) This memory is located inside Hyrule Castle itself. A relatively safe path is via the western entrance (docks). Navigate upwards towards the central keep. Find Zelda’s Study (a tower room high up) and Zelda’s Room (adjacent). The memory is on the covered walkway connecting these two rooms, overlooking Hyrule Field to the west.
Nearest Tower: Central Tower (but access requires entering the Castle).
Memory #9: Slumbering Power
Photo Clue: The altar area of the Spring of Power.
Location: Spring of Power, Akkala Region. Located east of the East Akkala Stable and northeast of Akkala Tower, nestled in a canyon. The memory is on the stone platform directly in front of the Goddess Statue. (This location is also part of “The Spring of Power” Shrine Quest).
Nearest Tower: Akkala Tower.
Memory #10: To Mount Lanayru
Photo Clue: Zelda and Link riding past a large horse statue in ruins.
Location: Sanidin Park Ruins, Central Hyrule / Ridgeland Border. West of the Central Tower, across the Regencia River. Directly east of the Outskirt Stable. Look for the prominent horse statue within the ruins. The memory is right in front of it.
Nearest Tower: Central Tower / Ridgeland Tower.
Memory #11: Return of Calamity Ganon
Photo Clue: A large, ornate stone gateway on a path.
Location: Lanayru Road – East Gate, Necluda Region. Follow the path east from Kakariko Village, past the Great Fairy Fountain. The memory is located right at the large gateway structure on this road, before it descends towards Hateno Village.
Nearest Tower: Hateno Tower / Lanayru Tower.
Memory #12: Despair
Photo Clue: A chaotic, rain-soaked battlefield in a forest clearing.
Location: Ash Swamp, Central Hyrule. Northeast of the Central Tower and south/southeast of Hyrule Castle. Look for a lowland, swampy area filled with pools of water and many deactivated (and some active!) Guardians. The memory is in a clearing within this swamp.
Nearest Tower: Central Tower.
The Final Memory (Memory #13)
How to Unlock: After finding all 12 memories listed above, return to Kakariko Village and speak with Impa. She will recognize your efforts and show you one final picture, adding it to your quest log and Sheikah Slate Album. This picture depicts the location of the 13th memory.
Photo Clue: A battlefield littered with Guardians, near Fort Hateno.
Location: Blatchery Plain / Ash Swamp border, Necluda Region. Southwest of Hateno Village and Fort Hateno, directly east of the Dueling Peaks Stable. This is the vast field filled with wrecked and active Guardians that you likely passed on the way to Hateno. The memory is located near the center of this Guardian graveyard. Be cautious of active Guardians in the area.
Nearest Tower: Dueling Peaks Tower / Hateno Tower.
Reward for Finding All Memories
Recovering all 13 memories doesn’t just fill in Link’s backstory; it also unlocks an alternate, extended ending cutscene that plays after you defeat Calamity Ganon. To see it, ensure you have found all 13 memories before you deliver the final blow to the boss.