How to export a WhatsApp chat
You can get a whole chat out of WhatsApp from your phone in a minute or two. You end up with a ZIP file holding the messages, and the voice notes and photos if you include them.
On iPhone
- 1
Open the chat
It can be a chat with one person or a group.
- 2
Tap the name at the top
Tap the person's name or the group's name.
- 3
Tap Export chat
Scroll down the page that opens if you can't see it.
- 4
Choose With all media
This keeps the voice notes and photos. Some versions call it Attach Media. Without media gives you the text alone, and With selected media lets you pick.
- 5
Choose where it goes
Save to Files is the easiest to find later. WhatsApp makes a ZIP file.
On Android
- 1
Open the chat
It can be a chat with one person or a group.
- 2
Tap the three dots, then More
The three dots are at the top right of the chat.
- 3
Tap Export chat
It's in the list that opens under More.
- 4
Tap Include media
This keeps the voice notes and photos. WhatsApp says it attaches the most recent media. Without media gives you the text alone.
- 5
Choose where it goes
Drive, Gmail or Quick Share all work. Pick somewhere you can reach from the device you'll use next.
Which option to choose
With all media or Include media
Messages, voice notes, photos, videos and documents. Choose this for a record. Voice notes can only be written out if their audio is in the file.
Without media
Messages only. Each voice note and photo shows as a line of text. Choose this when the chat is too long to export with media, or when the media export fails.
WhatsApp Web
Messages only, for all dates or a date range you choose. It has less of your history than your phone and never includes media.
One export can only hold so much. Here's what to do if your chat is too long.
What's in the file
This is the file from our sample chat, exported from an iPhone. Android names look different, such as PTT-20260113-WA0003.opus for a voice note, and the chat file is named after the chat in your phone's language.
The export is a copy. It can't be loaded back into WhatsApp, so it doesn't replace a backup, and it doesn't change anything in the chat.
- _chat.txtThe messages, one after another, each with its date and time
- 00000021-AUDIO-2026-01-13-18-42-10.m4aA voice note
- 00000027-PHOTO-2026-01-15-07-58-12.jpgA photo
What an export leaves out
- View once photos and videos. WhatsApp doesn't export them.
- Disappearing messages that have already gone, and messages you deleted for yourself. If someone deleted a message for everyone, you see a line saying it was deleted.
- Anything past the limit on a very long chat. The export keeps the most recent messages.
- Reactions such as a heart or a thumbs up. They aren't in the export. Calls may also not appear the way they do in the app.
On a computer
A computer only has part of your chat, so use your phone if you can. The WhatsApp app for Mac only exports what's on your Mac, so older messages, voice notes and photos can be missing. The Windows app can't export, so on Windows you use WhatsApp Web and get the messages only. Here are the steps with pictures.
Open your file here
Drop it here to read the whole chat on your device. It's free, and nothing is uploaded unless you order a PDF.