Can you export a WhatsApp chat on a computer?
Yes, on a PC or Mac through WhatsApp Web. We compared it with a phone export of the same chat, and the difference matters.
By Chantal, founder of EM Keep -
Yes. You can now export a WhatsApp chat on a PC or Mac through WhatsApp Web, which saves it as a file, something a computer couldn't do before. But a Web export is text only, and in our test it held only the last three months of the chat. For a complete copy of a conversation, with its photos and voice notes, export it from the WhatsApp app on your phone.
When the notice popped up on my computer saying 'Export a chat to save it as a file', I wanted to know what you actually get. So I exported the same chat twice, once from WhatsApp Web and once from my phone, and compared them side by side.
How to export a WhatsApp chat on a PC or Mac
- On your computer, open WhatsApp Web (web.whatsapp.com) in your browser and open the chat you want to keep.
- Open the chat's menu at the top of the conversation.
- Choose 'Export chat'.
- Save the file to your computer.
WhatsApp saves a zip file named after the chat. Inside are two files holding the same messages: a plain text file and a neater version for reading. There's no 'include media' choice, because a Web export never includes photos, videos or voice notes.
What about the WhatsApp desktop app for Windows and Mac?
We tested WhatsApp Web in a browser, which works the same on a PC, a Mac or a Chromebook. The WhatsApp desktop apps for Windows and Mac may have the same option, but we haven't checked them yet. If you use the app, look in the chat's menu for 'Export chat'. If it isn't there, WhatsApp Web in your browser is the way to do it on a computer.
What we found: the same chat, exported twice
The chat I tested goes back about fifteen months. Here is what each export held.
| Exported from the phone app | Exported from WhatsApp Web | |
|---|---|---|
| Messages | 1,590 | 505 |
| How far back it went | The whole chat, about 15 months | The last 3 months |
| Voice notes | 59, and with media you get the audio itself | 16, listed as 'voice message omitted', no audio |
| Photos and videos | Included if you choose 'with media' | Never included |
| Your own messages are signed | With your name | 'You' |
| Bold text | Kept, with its *stars* | Stars removed |
The biggest difference is how far back it goes. WhatsApp Web works from your phone, and it seems to hold only the recent part of a chat's history, so that's all it can export. In my chat that was three months. Yours may reach further or less far, so check the first date in the file before you rely on it.
When a WhatsApp Web export is useful
It's quick, it's easy to find on your computer, and you don't have to move a file off your phone. That makes it handy for anything recent: a record of a conversation from the last few weeks, a chat you'd like to read on a bigger screen, or an EM Replay of the last few months.
It isn't a way to save a whole conversation. If a chat matters to you, especially one with someone you've lost, export it from your phone, with media if you'd like to keep the voice notes.
For the steps on iPhone and Android, see our guide on how to export a WhatsApp chat.
Can EM read a WhatsApp Web export?
Yes. EM reads it just like a phone export, with every message on its right day. It simply has less in it.
One thing to know: pick one way of exporting each chat and stick with it. A Web export signs your messages 'You' and a phone export uses your name, so EM can't tell they're the same messages. If you add both for the same person, your messages would appear twice. The Web file is also named a little differently, so it would arrive as a second chat rather than joining the first.
Encrypted before it leaves your device. Only you can read your memories. Some supporting details stay readable, like message dates and times, so EM can bring the right memories back on the right day. Our privacy page lists them all.
Can you export a WhatsApp chat on a computer?
Yes. On a PC or Mac, WhatsApp Web can now export a chat as a file. It's text only, with no photos, videos or voice notes, and in our test it covered only the last three months of the chat.
Does a WhatsApp Web export include voice notes?
No. It lists where each voice note was, but the audio isn't included. To keep the voice notes themselves, export the chat from your phone and choose to include media.
Why is my WhatsApp Web export missing older messages?
WhatsApp Web seems to hold only the recent part of a chat's history, so that's all it can export. For the whole conversation, export it from the WhatsApp app on your phone.
Can I export a WhatsApp chat on a PC or laptop?
Yes. Open WhatsApp Web in your browser, open the chat, and choose 'Export chat' from the chat's menu. You'll get a text file of the chat, without photos or voice notes.
Can I export a chat from the WhatsApp desktop app?
We've tested WhatsApp Web in a browser, and it works there. The desktop apps for Windows and Mac may work the same way, but we haven't checked them yet.
Is a WhatsApp Web export the same as a phone export?
No. The phone export reaches further back, can include photos and voice notes, and signs your messages with your name. The Web export is text only, reaches less far back, and signs your messages 'You'.
Can I upload a WhatsApp Web export to EM?
Yes. EM reads it like a phone export. Just don't add a Web export and a phone export of the same chat, or your own messages would appear twice.
EM is independent and not affiliated with WhatsApp. These findings come from one chat, exported on 3 November 2026. WhatsApp's features and menus may change at any time.