How to Export WhatsApp
Chat History (Step-by-Step)
Whether you want to save important conversations, analyze communication patterns, or simply create a backup, exporting your WhatsApp chat history is straightforward. This guide covers every platform with clear, step-by-step instructions.
WhatsApp is the most popular messaging platform in the world, with over 2 billion users exchanging messages daily. Whether those conversations are with a romantic partner, close friends, or family members, the built-in export feature lets you save them as a simple text file in just a few taps.
Exporting your WhatsApp chats creates a .txt file containing every message, timestamp, and sender name from the conversation. This file is perfect for AI-powered chat analysis that can reveal communication patterns, sentiment trends, and relationship insights you might never notice on your own.
How to Export WhatsApp Chat on Android
Android users can export any individual or group chat directly from the WhatsApp app. The process takes less than a minute and works on all Android devices running WhatsApp.
1Open the chat you want to export
Launch WhatsApp and tap on the individual or group conversation you want to save. You can export any chat, including group conversations with multiple participants.
2Tap the three-dot menu
In the top-right corner of the chat screen, tap the vertical three-dot icon to open the options menu.
3Select "More" then "Export Chat"
From the dropdown menu, tap More, then tap Export Chat. WhatsApp will prepare your conversation for export.
4Choose "Without Media"
You will be asked whether to include media (photos, videos, voice notes). Select Without Media for a faster, smaller export. The .txt file will contain all your text messages, which is all you need for chat analysis.
5Save or share the file
Android will show your sharing options. You can email the file to yourself via Gmail, save it to Google Drive, or share it to any other app. For chat analysis, email it to yourself for easy access on your computer.
How to Export WhatsApp Chat on iPhone
The iPhone export process is slightly different but equally simple. Apple's share sheet gives you flexible options for saving the exported file.
1Open the chat and tap the contact name
Open WhatsApp, navigate to the conversation, then tap the contact or group name at the top of the chat screen. This opens the chat info panel.
2Scroll down and tap "Export Chat"
In the chat info screen, scroll down until you find the Export Chat option. Tap it to begin the export process.
3Select "Without Media"
Choose Without Media to export only text messages. This produces a compact .txt file that processes quickly and contains everything needed for conversation analysis.
4Choose your save destination
The iOS share sheet appears with multiple options. You can save to Files, email via Mail, save to Notes, or share to iCloud Drive. Pick whichever is most convenient for accessing the file later.
What About WhatsApp Web?
WhatsApp Web and the desktop application do not currently support the chat export feature. Export is only available through the mobile app on Android and iPhone. If you primarily use WhatsApp on your computer, you will need to open the mobile app to perform the export.
For more details, visit the official WhatsApp Help Center.
What Data Is Included in a WhatsApp Export?
The exported .txt file follows a consistent format that includes all the conversation data needed for analysis. Here is what you can expect to find in the file:
Included
- - Timestamps for every message (date and time)
- - Sender name or phone number
- - Full text of each message
- - System messages (group changes, calls)
- - Media placeholders (e.g., "image omitted")
- - Up to 40,000 messages without media
Not Included (Without Media)
- - Photos and images
- - Videos and GIFs
- - Voice messages and audio files
- - Documents and PDFs
- - Stickers
- - Deleted messages
The text-only export is ideal for WhatsApp chat analysis because it contains all the communication data that matters: who said what, when they said it, and how the conversation flows over time.
Export Limits and Tips for Large Chats
WhatsApp imposes limits on how many messages can be exported at once, depending on whether you include media. Understanding these limits helps you plan your export.
Export Size Limits
Without Media
40,000
messages per export. More than enough for most conversations and analysis purposes.
With Media
10,000
messages per export. The attached media files significantly increase the file size.
Tips for Very Long Conversations
- Always choose "Without Media": This quadruples your message limit and produces a much smaller file that processes faster during analysis.
- Email is the easiest sharing method: For large exports, emailing the file to yourself provides a reliable way to access it on any device.
- Very old chats may need WhatsApp to be updated: Make sure you are running the latest version of WhatsApp before exporting to avoid compatibility issues.
- Group chats export all participants: The exported file includes messages from every member, with each message labeled by sender name.
What to Do After Exporting Your WhatsApp Chat
Once you have your exported .txt file, you can do much more than simply store it. AI-powered analysis can transform that raw conversation data into meaningful insights about your communication patterns and relationship dynamics.
Sentiment Analysis
Track how the emotional tone of your conversation changes over weeks and months. Identify periods of high positivity, stress, or emotional distance.
Communication Balance
See who initiates more conversations, who sends longer messages, and whether the communication effort is balanced between both participants.
Response Time Patterns
Understand how quickly you and your chat partner typically respond, and whether response patterns have changed over time. Learn more about the psychology of response times.
Personality Insights
AI can detect personality traits from texting patterns, including MBTI dimensions and communication style preferences based on how you and your partner write messages.
For a deeper dive into what chat analysis can reveal, see our complete guide to chat analysis.
Analyze Your WhatsApp Chat with AI
Now that you have your exported WhatsApp chat, upload it to MosaicChats for instant AI analysis. Get sentiment trends, compatibility scores, personality insights, and communication pattern breakdowns in minutes.
- Upload your .txt file directly from your phone or computer
- Get AI-powered analysis of sentiment, engagement, and compatibility
- Discover personality types and communication patterns
- Privacy-first: your data is processed securely
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the other person see that I exported the chat?
No. WhatsApp does not notify the other participant when you export a conversation. The export is completely private.
Does exporting delete the chat from my phone?
No. Exporting creates a copy of your conversation. The original chat remains untouched in your WhatsApp app.
Can I export WhatsApp group chats?
Yes. Group chat exports include messages from all participants, with each message tagged by sender name. The same steps apply.
What format is the exported file?
WhatsApp exports conversations as a .txt (plain text) file. Each line contains a timestamp, sender name, and message content. This format is universally readable and compatible with chat analysis tools.