How to Convert a WhatsApp Chat to PDF

Choose the right export

Start with one individual or group conversation. On iPhone, export from the chat information screen; on Android, use the chat menu. Choose the media option when you want photos. Keep the original export as a separate archive.

A TXT is enough for a text-only PDF. A ZIP can carry the transcript and photos together. A WhatsApp backup is a different file type: ChatToPaper reads exported TXT or ZIP files, not encrypted backup databases.

Convert the export in ChatToPaper

1. Open the converter and choose the ZIP, or select the TXT and its photos together. The current limits are 300 MB for a ZIP or 100 MB total for loose files.
2. Review the import message and warnings. Confirm that the first and last messages cover the period you expected.
3. Open Customize PDF. Choose the dates, chat bubbles or Simple & clean, and whether to include photos and timestamps.
4. Under Finishing touches, choose A4 or US Letter. Inspect the preview, especially long messages and photo-heavy pages.
5. Create and download the PDF. Open the downloaded file once to confirm the pages before printing or sharing.

Check ambiguous dates before downloading

A date such as 04/05 can mean April 5 or May 4. If ChatToPaper shows a date-order warning, select Day / Month / Year or Month / Day / Year to match the source. Check a message whose actual date you know. A readable PDF with the wrong dates is still the wrong document.

What stays in the PDF?

The converter uses the message order, sender names and times present in the transcript. Supported photos appear when their exported filenames match message references. Missing files and unsupported attachments remain marked; conversion cannot restore content absent from the export.

Chat files are processed in the browser. The finished PDF can still contain private information, so review its contents before sharing. A formatted document does not authenticate a conversation.

Questions and answers

Can I convert a chat without photos?

Yes. Select the TXT alone, or turn off Include photos after import. The PDF can retain text, names and timestamps without displaying images.

Can I convert several chats at once?

Import one conversation at a time. Mixing transcripts can make participant names, dates and attachment matching ambiguous.

Can I choose dates before exporting from WhatsApp?

The date filters described here apply after import into ChatToPaper. They shorten the PDF, but cannot add older messages missing from the WhatsApp export.