A WhatsApp export is usually a ZIP file. Inside is a text file with your messages, plus any photos and voice notes you included. Unzip it, then open the text file in any text app. The messages are all there, though a long chat is hard to read this way. The file can’t be loaded back into WhatsApp, because WhatsApp can’t restore from it.
If you don’t have the file yet, start with our guide to exporting a WhatsApp chat.
How to unzip it
| Device | What to do |
|---|---|
| iPhone | Open the Files app and tap the ZIP. A folder appears next to it. |
| Android | Open your phone’s file manager, such as Files by Google, tap the ZIP and choose Extract. |
| Windows | Right-click the ZIP and choose Extract All. |
| Mac | Double-click the ZIP. |
If you exported from Android without media, you may have a plain text file with no ZIP at all. Just open it.
Keep a copy of the original ZIP before you do anything else. If you ever need the chat as proof, you’ll want the file exactly as WhatsApp made it.
What’s inside
- The messages. On iPhone and Mac, this file is called
_chat.txt. On Android, it’s named after the chat, in your phone’s language. - Photos and videos. On iPhone, they look like
00000012-PHOTO-2026-01-13-18-42-54.jpg. On Android, they look likeIMG-20260113-WA0003.jpg. - Voice notes. On iPhone, they look like
00000042-AUDIO-2026-01-15-14-23-01.opus. On Android, they look likePTT-20260113-WA0003.opus. Our guide to saving voice messages explains how to play them.
A long chat may not include all its media, because WhatsApp says it adds the most recent media to an export.
How to read the text file
Open it in Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on Mac. Each message starts with its date, time and sender. On iPhone, a line looks like this:
[15/01/2026, 10:30:12] Maya: The boiler stopped
On Android, it usually looks like this:
15/01/2026, 10:30 - Maya: The boiler stopped
The date order follows your phone’s settings, so 03/04 could be 3 April or 4 March. Check it against a message whose date you already know.
What the odd lines mean
The exact wording depends on your phone and its language. These are the ones you’ll see most:
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
image omitted or <Media omitted> |
A file was sent here, but it isn’t in the export. |
<attached: 00000042-AUDIO-...opus> or (file attached) |
The file is in the ZIP. |
This message was deleted |
Someone deleted the message for everyone before you exported. |
<This message was edited> |
The message was changed after it was sent. |
Missed voice call |
A call was made in this chat. |
POLL: |
A poll, with its options and votes on the next lines. |
WhatsApp says view once messages aren’t exported. We haven’t seen reactions in exports either.
Why you can’t load it back into WhatsApp
WhatsApp says an export “can’t be re-imported because it’s a text file and not a backup file”. Apps that claim to restore a chat from a text file can’t put it back into your real WhatsApp history. An export is for reading and keeping. To move your history to a new phone, see how to get messages from an old phone.
An easier way to read it
A text file won’t play voice notes or show photos where they were sent, and searching a very long one is slow. You can open your export on Chatonfile.com instead. It shows the whole chat in order, with names, dates, times and photos where they were sent. You can search it, filter by person, play the voice notes and see the numbers, all for free. The file stays on your device and nothing is uploaded unless you order a PDF.
Be careful with other online readers. Many upload your file, and it holds other people’s private messages too, so check before you use one.
If the file won’t open at all, our page on WhatsApp export problems goes through the usual causes.
Common questions
Can I import a WhatsApp export back into WhatsApp?
No. WhatsApp says an export can't be re-imported, because it's a text file and not a backup file. To move chats to a new phone, use a chat transfer or a backup.
What does media omitted mean in a WhatsApp export?
It means a photo, video or other file was sent at that point, but it isn't in your export. Usually the chat was exported without media, or the file was no longer on the phone. Export again with media to get the files that are still there.
How do I read _chat.txt on my phone?
Unzip the export in your phone's files app and tap the text file. On iPhone it's called _chat.txt, and on Android it's named after the chat. It opens as plain text. A long chat is slow to scroll, so a reader made for WhatsApp exports is easier if you want to search it or play the voice notes.
