Guide
How to export a WhatsApp chat
WhatsApp can save any chat as a text file you keep: for a backup, to search old messages, or to see what your conversations say about you. It takes under a minute, and the other person is never notified.
On Android
- Open the chat. Open WhatsApp and go into the chat you want to export (a person or a group).
- Open the menu. Tap the ⋮ three dots at the top right, then More.
- Tap Export chat. Choose Export chat from the list.
- Choose Without media. Pick “Without media” for a small text file. “Include media” adds photos and voice notes and makes the file much bigger.
- Save or send it. Choose where it goes: save it to Files or Google Drive, or send it to yourself on email or WhatsApp.
On iPhone
- Open the chat. Open WhatsApp and go into the chat you want to export.
- Tap the name. Tap the person's or group's name at the top of the chat.
- Tap Export Chat. Scroll down and tap Export Chat.
- Choose Without Media. Pick “Without Media” for a small file, or “Attach Media” to include photos and voice notes.
- Save to Files. Tap Save to Files (or AirDrop, Mail, etc.). On iPhone the export is a .zip with the chat inside as _chat.txt.
With or without media? Choose without media unless you need the photos. The text file is tiny, exports faster, and WhatsApp lets you include far more messages in it.
What's inside the file
Every message becomes one line: the date and time, who sent it, and what they wrote. Photos and voice notes show up as a placeholder such as <Media omitted>. That's why a text export is so useful: it's small, readable, and holds the whole rhythm of a conversation, from who texts first to the hour you both go quiet.
Common problems
Does the other person know if I export a WhatsApp chat?
No. Exporting happens only on your phone. WhatsApp doesn't notify anyone and nothing changes in the chat.
Why is my exported chat missing old messages?
WhatsApp limits how much one export can hold. Without media, Android exports up to roughly the 40,000 most recent messages (fewer if you include media). If you need everything, export without media.
What format is a WhatsApp export?
A plain text file: one line per message with the date, time, sender and text. Android usually gives you a .txt file; iPhone gives a .zip that contains _chat.txt.
Can I export a WhatsApp chat to PDF?
WhatsApp only exports text (.txt). You can open the file in Google Docs or Word and save it as PDF, but for reading patterns, the .txt is what tools need.
I don't see Export chat. What now?
Update WhatsApp first. On Android it lives under ⋮ → More; on iPhone, tap the chat name and scroll down. Some work phones disable exporting with a device policy.
Is exporting a chat safe?
The file stays wherever you save it. Treat it like the conversation itself: don't post it publicly, and delete it when you're done.
Want to know what happens to a chat when you analyze it? Read how Sense keeps your chat private: it's counted on your phone, and you see exactly what's sent before anything leaves it.