How to export WhatsApp chat on iPhone — step by step, with or without media.
Best settings for analysis. Where the .zip goes, how to find the _chat.txt. Then upload to ThreadRecap and get your recap.
Export → upload to ThreadRecapHow to export on iPhone
Open WhatsApp → open the chat you want.
Tap the chat name (top) → Export Chat.
Choose “Export without media” or “Include media”. Tap Export → save to Files or share.
What you need for analysis
ThreadRecap uses the .zip from WhatsApp. Here’s how to get it right.
Best settings for analysis: export without media
For summaries and action items, you often don’t need media.
- •Export without media — smaller file, faster upload, stays under WhatsApp’s 40k-message limit. Use this when you only need text + (optionally) voice notes via a separate flow.
- •Include media — use when you want voice notes transcribed. Larger file; WhatsApp limit is 10k messages with media. Good for 1:1 or short threads.
Where the .zip goes, how to find the _chat.txt
After export, WhatsApp creates a .zip. On iPhone it’s usually in Files or shown in the share sheet.
- •Files app — if you picked “Save to Files”, look in On My iPhone → WhatsApp or in iCloud Drive.
- •Share sheet — if you chose “AirDrop” or “Save to Files”, the .zip is the file you shared. Open it to see “WhatsApp Chat - Contact.txt” or _chat.txt inside.
- •Upload that .zip to ThreadRecap. We parse it in the browser and show you the chat preview before analysis.
Why export for ThreadRecap
What you can do after export
Summarize the chat — decisions, action items, open questions
Get meeting-style minutes — agenda, decisions, actions
Transcribe voice notes — include media, get transcript + summary
Generate Group Awards — shareable recap with optional expiry
Frequently asked questions
If you choose “Save to Files”, it goes to Files (On My iPhone or iCloud). If you use AirDrop or another app, it’s in that app’s download or export folder. The file is usually named “WhatsApp Chat - [Contact or Group].zip”.
Export without media does not include voice note files. To transcribe voice notes with ThreadRecap, export with “Include media” and upload that .zip. It’s heavier and has a 10k-message limit from WhatsApp.
On some group chats, “Export Chat” can be turned off by the admin (Advanced chat privacy). See our guide on “WhatsApp advanced chat privacy export blocked” for what to do.
WhatsApp limits export to 40,000 messages without media (10,000 with media). To analyze more, export without media for the most recent 40k, or split by date (e.g. export “last 6 months” then “6 months before that”). See our “WhatsApp export limit 40,000” page.
We parse the .zip in your browser. Only the text (and voice note audio, if you include media and choose to send it) is used for analysis. We don’t store your raw chat. See our Privacy Policy.
The standard WhatsApp .zip: it should contain a _chat.txt or “WhatsApp Chat - [Name].txt” file. We support the usual date/message format. If export fails or looks wrong, check our “WhatsApp export chat not working” page.