A WhatsApp export is usually a `.zip` file. Inside is a text log of the conversation and, if you chose Include media, files such as voice messages, photos, videos, and documents. You do not need to unpack it just to keep it safe, but knowing what is inside helps you choose the right next step.
WhatsApp can change filenames and menus between versions. Use the official WhatsApp Help page for the current export steps on your phone.
The important file is usually called `_chat.txt`, though some phones use a name based on the chat or contact. It is plain text. A typical line contains a date, a time, a sender, and the message. It can also show events such as a participant joining a group or a file being attached.
Open the file when you need to answer a practical question: What dates does this export cover? The normal WhatsApp export does not offer a date-range picker. A long chat may contain only the most recent messages that fit within WhatsApp's export limit. Looking at the earliest message in the text file is the simplest way to check.
Do not edit the original file if the conversation matters to you. Keep the `.zip` as it was exported and work from a copy when you need to inspect or share it.
The text format is designed for reading, not for looking polished. Lines can be long, names can repeat, and system messages can appear between ordinary messages. That is normal. A text editor can help you search for a name, a word, or a date, but it does not tell you whether a message is important. Read the surrounding messages before you draw a conclusion from one line.
If letters, accents, or emoji look wrong, your editor may have opened the file with the wrong text encoding. Choose UTF-8 if the editor offers that option. Do not replace the original file just to fix how it looks on screen. Make a copy for reading and leave the export unchanged.
If you choose Include media, the `.zip` can also contain audio files from WhatsApp voice messages. On many Android exports, they use the `.opus` extension. On iPhone and older exports, you may see `.m4a` files. The precise filenames do not matter as much as the fact that the audio is present.
Choose Include media when spoken messages contain decisions, promises, instructions, or other details you need to review. It creates a larger export and may include fewer messages than a text-only export, so check the dates in the message log afterwards.
Choose Without media when the conversation is mainly text. The file is smaller and can cover more messages, but it does not include the voice-message audio needed for transcription.
Audio filenames do not always make it obvious who sent the message. Use the dates and nearby lines in `_chat.txt` to connect a file with the surrounding conversation. If you are checking something important, listen to the original audio as well as reading any transcript. Speech can be unclear, especially with background noise, overlap, names, or numbers.
An export with media may take longer to create and share because the phone has to package more files. If it fails, try a text-only export to check that the basic export flow works, then review storage and sharing options before you try again with media. See WhatsApp export chat not working for that checklist.
An export with media may also contain images, video files, stickers, PDFs, contacts, or other attachments. These files can make a `.zip` much larger, but they are not all used in the same way.
ThreadRecap reads the chat text and can process voice-message audio. Photos, document files, and video files themselves are not uploaded. If you include videos, your browser can extract and send only their audio track for transcription. That distinction matters when the chat contains sensitive media.
If you only need to see that a file was shared, the text log often contains a line marking the attachment. It does not make the attachment's contents searchable or readable by itself.
| What you may find | What it is | When it matters | |
|---|---|---|---|
| `_chat.txt` or a similar `.txt` file | The message log | Always check it for dates, senders, and coverage. | |
| `.opus` or `.m4a` | Voice-message audio | Include media when you need spoken content transcribed. | |
| `.jpg`, `.png`, `.webp` | Images or stickers | They can increase file size but are not uploaded to ThreadRecap. | |
| `.mp4` | Video | The video file is not uploaded; its audio can be sent only when video is included for transcription. | If you select a video, your browser extracts and sends only its audio track for transcription. The video and its visual content stay on your device. |
| `.pdf`, `.docx`, `.vcf` | Documents or contacts | They may be in the export but are not used as conversation text. |
The exact list differs by conversation. An export without media may contain only the text log, which is normal.
First, save the original `.zip` somewhere you can find it. On iPhone, Files is usually the simplest place. On Android, choose Save as file when the option appears on Samsung, or save to Google Drive on other Android phones. The share panel is the step where many Android exports are lost, because closing it without choosing a destination does not save the file.
Then decide what you need:
After upload, ThreadRecap gives you a first view of the conversation. You can then ask follow-up questions about topics, decisions, open questions, or voice messages. Review anything important against the original chat and audio.
You do not need to convert `.opus` files before uploading the WhatsApp `.zip`. Keeping the package together preserves the link between the text conversation and its audio. If you save files separately for your own records, keep their names and dates, but use the original ZIP when you want to return to the exported conversation as WhatsApp created it.
Before you upload, check two things: that the file is the chat you intend to use and that its oldest visible date covers the part of the conversation you need. These checks take less time than starting an analysis from the wrong export. They also make it easier to explain the limits of the file if you later share a summary with someone else.
An export can make a long conversation easier to review, but neither an export nor a summary proves where the content came from, whether it is complete, or how a court will treat it. Keep the original `.zip` separately and ask a qualified professional about the process that applies to your case.
If your file is ready, upload the WhatsApp export. If you want to inspect its text log first, see how to open a WhatsApp _chat.txt file.
See what is inside a WhatsApp export: the _chat.txt message log, voice-message audio, and other media files, plus what each one means for your next step.
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