Export WhatsApp chat: How it works

The chat export feature on WhatsApp has been around for years, but was suddenly removed for German users in early 2020. In the meantime, it is back and we explain how it works.

Back up in TXT form: exported chats are another form of backup.

You receive an exported chat in the form of a TXT file. You can save this as you wish and view it at any time. On the PC, the Windows on-board tools are sufficient for this.

This is how you export a WhatsApp chat

Proceed as follows:

1. Open the chat you want to export.
2. Tap the button with the three dots in the top right corner.
3. Select "More" and then "Export chat".
4. Decide whether the export should be with or without media. This affects the size of the file.
5. Indicate where the chat should be sent. All services are available to you, in addition to other messengers such as Telegram, emails, cloud storage or Bluetooth transmission are also possible.

This decision also affects the amount of messages transferred: With media it is up to 10,000 messages, without media it is four times. Whether you take media or not thus also depends on the size of the chat history.