Tutorial & Backup

How to Recover and Download a WhatsApp Chat History on iPhone or Android?

💡 Did you know?

Once your WhatsApp file is downloaded, our tool can analyze your message statistics and create a beautiful souvenir book.

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Changing smartphones, losing your device, or simply running out of storage space: our precious chats are never completely safe.

Looking for a way to recover your WhatsApp chat history? Discover the official and free method to export your chats (with or without media) to back them up permanently and read them outside the app.

Jump straight to the tutorial:

How to download your messages from an iPhone

Automatic backup (via iCloud) is useful for restoring the app on a new device, but it doesn't allow you to read your messages outside of WhatsApp. By manually exporting your chat, you get a readable text file. Here is how to do it.

1
Open the WhatsApp app on your iPhone. Go to the "Chats" tab and open the chat history you want to export.
Open WhatsApp chat iPhone
2
Tap the contact's name at the very top of your screen to access the "Contact Info" page. Scroll all the way down and tap on "Export Chat".
iPhone chat settings
3
Choose whether or not to include media (Photos, Videos).

Note: "Without Media" generates a lightweight text file, "Attach Media" generates a larger .zip archive.
Choose media export iPhone
4
In the Apple share menu that opens, select the "Save to Files" option. Choose a local folder on your phone and confirm.
Save WhatsApp file
⚠️ Crucial Backup Tip: Never choose the "Mail" app to generate your file. Emails technically limit attachments to 15 MB, which will irretrievably erase a large portion of your older messages! Always prefer "Save to Files".

How to download your messages from an Android

1
Open the WhatsApp chat you want to export on your Android smartphone. Tap the three vertical dots (⋮) in the top right corner.
Android WhatsApp export menu
2
In the drop-down menu, tap on "More", then select "Export chat".
3
The app will ask for the backup format. You must select the "Without media" option to generate the full history in text format, then save it to your Google Drive or local storage.
💡 Android Technical Info: The Android system technically restricts the export when media is included (the archive is often abruptly cut off). To guarantee the recovery of ALL your old messages, the "Without media" choice is mandatory.
WhatsApp Android without media

What to do with your export file?

You have successfully recovered your WhatsApp history, which is an excellent precaution against digital data loss. However, let's be honest: a raw computer file is cold and unreadable.

🎁 Exporting this chat for a birthday? Discover our text templates ➔

What if you turned it into a real book?

Paper printing is the only true eternal backup. By transforming this raw digital export into a personalized printed book, you freeze your chats in time.

Our tool securely imports your backup file and generates a free preview of your future book with the real chat bubbles.

Start creating the book
Quick and easy

Create your book in 3 easy steps

Turn your conversations into a premium souvenir book in just a few minutes. No technical skills required.

1

Export your conversations

Select your mailbox and export your messages in just a few clicks. Your data remains 100% private.

2

Personalize your book

Choose your dates, add a dedication, select the cover. Preview the result in real time.

3

Receive it at home

Your book is printed with care and delivered worldwide free of charge. Digital PDF available instantly.

Compatible with all your messaging systems

Whatever your favourite application

Import your conversations from any platform

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