How to Export a WhatsApp Chat (iPhone & Android)
Updated September 23, 2026
WhatsApp lets you export any individual or group chat as a plain text file. It takes under a minute, and the export is useful for backups, moving a conversation to another app, or analyzing your texting patterns.
Export a WhatsApp chat on iPhone
- Open the chat you want to export.
- Tap the contact or group name at the top of the screen.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Export Chat.
- Choose Without Media for a small, fast file, or Attach Media to include photos and videos.
- Pick where to send it: Save to Files, AirDrop, Mail, or another app.
On iPhone the export arrives as a .zip file containing a _chat.txt file. You can upload the .zip directly to Almyia; there is no need to unzip it.
Export a WhatsApp chat on Android
- Open the chat you want to export.
- Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top right.
- Tap More, then Export chat.
- Choose Without media or Include media.
- Save the file to Google Drive, email it to yourself, or share it to another app.
Android exports a .txt file named something like "WhatsApp Chat with Alex.txt".
With media or without media?
Choose Without Media unless you specifically need the photos. The text-only export is small, uploads quickly, and still records where each photo, voice note or sticker was sent, so message counts stay accurate.
Exports that include media are much larger, and for very long chats WhatsApp may include fewer messages when media is attached.
Export Chat is missing or greyed out
- Your organization may have disabled exports on a managed or work phone.
- The chat may have Advanced Chat Privacy turned on, which blocks exporting. Check the chat info screen for this setting.
- Update WhatsApp to the latest version and try again.
- Very long chats can take a while to prepare. Keep WhatsApp open until the share sheet appears.
Does the other person know you exported the chat?
No. WhatsApp does not notify anyone when a chat is exported. That said, it is your responsibility to respect the other people in the conversation and handle the file with care.
Frequently asked questions
How far back does a WhatsApp export go?
An export covers the history stored on your phone, including messages restored from a backup. For extremely long chats WhatsApp may cap the number of messages included, and the cap is lower when you attach media, so choose Without Media to get as much history as possible.
Can I export a WhatsApp group chat?
Yes. The steps are the same for groups: open the group info and tap Export Chat.
What format is a WhatsApp export?
A plain .txt file where each line has a date, time, sender name and message. iPhone wraps it in a .zip file.