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How to Export a WhatsApp Chat on Android and iOS: A Step by Step Guide

How to Export a WhatsApp Chat on Android and iOS: A Step-by-Step Guide

WhatsApp lets you easily and conveniently export chats on Android and iOS, with or without media

Written by Sheldon Pinto, Edited by Rohan Pal | Updated: 17 October 2026 08:00 IST

How to Export a WhatsApp Chat on Android and iOS: A Step-by-Step Guide

Photo Credit: Pexels

WhatsApp on Android or iOS can swiftly export data to a path of your choice

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Highlights

WhatsApp has a built-in tool to export individual or group chats
Chats can be exported with or without media
The output file is shared as a text or zip file

There are plenty of instances when users need to export a WhatsApp chat. Users need to do this when they need to create a permanent record or analyse lengthy conversations. There are plenty of times where WhatsApp chats are also used as legal evidence for contract disagreements, legal cases, divorce proceedings and the list goes on. At times business users also need to export chats to maintain records and dig deeper into client requirements. It's also good to export a group chat when you want to leave a large group but have many memories in it.

Lucky for us, WhatsApp has a built-in tool to help its users export chat conversations and here's how you can go about doing it.

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Things to Know Before Exporting WhatsApp Chats

The process of exporting WhatsApp chats is slightly different on Android and iOS platforms. Users can choose to export an individual or one-on-one chat or even group chats. WhatsApp's built-in export tool will let you export chats with or without media. Users who need to back up photos from group chats can use the ‘Include media' option.

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Once you have decided on what you want to export, you will have to head into a particular chat and go through the steps shown after the break. Do keep in mind that WhatsApp will export chats .txt files on Android or .chat.text files on iOS. The files will have a time stamp for each message presented in a simple chat format.

Users also need to keep in mind that the chat conversations that have been exported cannot be imported back into WhatsApp. This applies to the WhatsApp app on all mobile platforms including web and desktop apps. Basically, a chat export file is not the same as a backup file, which can be used to restore all your chats on a new or existing device.

Lastly, not all individual chats can be exported. This mainly applies to chats with users who have advanced chat privacy features turned on.

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How to Export a WhatsApp Chat on Android and iOS

Here's how to export a WhatsApp chat on Android and iOS devices:

On Android:

Open WhatsApp on your Android device and find the individual chat or group chat you want to export
Tap the three-dot menu placed at the top right corner
Tap ‘More'
Tap ‘Export chat'
You will then be presented with two options to export ‘Without media' or ‘Include media'
Once processed, you will get an option to share or save the files locally on your Android smartphone

On iPhone:

Open WhatsApp on your iOS device and find the individual chat or group chat you want to export
Tap on the contact or group's name Scroll down to find ‘Export chat'
You will be presented with three options - With all media, With select media, Without media
Once selected and processed, you will get the option to share or save the exported file

FAQs

Can the exported chat file from WhatsApp be used to restore a backup?

No. Exported chat files are simple text files and cannot be used to restore a backup

How long does the export process take?

Exports are usually quick, but the time taken depends on the size and length of the chat

Is there a limit on messages when exporting chats?

There is currently no limit regarding the number of messages in an individual chat or group chat

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Further reading: WhatsApp, WhatsApp Export Chats

Sheldon Pinto

Email Sheldon Pinto

Sheldon Pinto is based in Mumbai, and has several years of experience in reviewing smartphones and gadgets. As a Senior Reviewer at Gadgets 360, you will always find him deeply immersed in his reviews, switching from one phone to another. When the battery dies out, Sheldon is always browsing the web for a good sci-fi movie or reading up on cars and bikes. He also loves creating lists of interesting places to eat and travel. Sheldon is available on Twitter at @shellshocd, and you can mail him at ...More