How to Export WhatsApp Chat on iPhone
Last updated: March 18, 2026
If you need to use WhatsApp messages for legal purposes, the first step is exporting the full chat history from your iPhone.
Exporting the complete conversation is usually better than taking screenshots because it preserves timestamps, message order, and attachments.
Below is the step-by-step process.
How to export a WhatsApp chat on iPhone
- Open WhatsApp on your iPhone.
- Open the conversation you want to export.
- Tap the contact's name at the top of the screen.
- Scroll down and tap Export Chat.
- Choose whether to include Media (photos and videos) or export Without Media.
- Select where to send the file (Mail, Files, AirDrop, etc.).
WhatsApp will generate a .txt file. If you choose to include media, the images will be included in a compressed folder.
Should you include the media?
If photos, voice notes, or other attachments are relevant to your case, it's usually better to export the chat with media included.
This keeps everything connected to the right part of the conversation and avoids losing context.
Why export instead of taking screenshots?
Screenshots:
- Can miss timestamps
- May appear out of order
- Break long conversations into disconnected pieces
An exported chat keeps the full conversation in chronological order, making it easier to organize and review.
What to do after exporting
Once you have the exported WhatsApp chat file, you can:
- Review the content
- Remove irrelevant parts if needed
- Convert it into a clean, readable PDF
Tools like ChatToCourt help turn WhatsApp export files into structured, court-ready PDFs that clearly show participants, timestamps, and images, without manual formatting.
The goal is to keep the conversation complete, chronological, and easy to follow.
You can also follow our general WhatsApp export guide for instructions using the Desktop app, or see how to export on Android if you have a different device.