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How to Export a WhatsApp Chat as a Text File

Tap each step to follow along in order.

  1. Open the chat you want to export

    Go into the conversation you want to save as a text file.

  2. Tap the contact or group name at the top

    Tapping the name at the top opens the contact or group info screen.

  3. Scroll down and select "Export Chat"

    Find "Export Chat" near the bottom of the info screen and tap it.

  4. Choose "Without Media" or "Include Media"

    Pick "Without Media" for a lighter, text-only file, or "Include Media" to bundle in photos and videos as well.

  5. Check the result as a plain text file

    The exported file lists each message with its date, sender, and content in chronological order, in a format almost any text app can open.

Keep an important conversation on record

Saving a work conversation or an agreement as a text file makes it easy to search later, paste into another document, or keep as evidence if you ever need it.

This is different from a full chat backup

Export Chat produces a single readable text file for one conversation, while WhatsApp's built-in chat backup saves an encrypted copy of all your chats to restore later -- export is for reading and sharing, backup is for full restoration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does exporting include photos and files too?

Choosing "Without Media" saves text only; choosing "Include Media" bundles photos, videos, and voice notes alongside the text, though this makes for a much larger file.

What program can open the exported file?

It's a plain .txt file, so it opens in almost any text editor or word processor, on any device.