WhatsApp export chat not working? Fix it fast — and still get your recap.
Quick fixes for export missing, failed, or stuck. If your chat is too large, export without media or split by time. Then upload to ThreadRecap.
Upload to ThreadRecapQuick fixes checklist
Try “Export without media” — smaller file, fewer failures.
Free up storage — low space can break export.
Check Advanced chat privacy — admin may have disabled export for that chat.
What to do when export fails
Most issues come from size, storage, or privacy settings.
Quick fixes checklist
Try these in order.
- •Export without media — avoids many “export failed” cases. You lose photos/videos but keep text (and can still transcribe voice notes if you later export a smaller range with media).
- •Free up storage — WhatsApp needs space to create the .zip. Clear cache or move files, then retry.
- •Check Advanced chat privacy — in some groups, “Export chat” is disabled by the admin. See our “WhatsApp advanced chat privacy export blocked” page.
- •Restart WhatsApp or the device — sometimes export is stuck due to a temporary glitch.
If your chat is too large: export without media or split by time
WhatsApp limits: 40,000 messages without media, 10,000 with media.
- •Export without media — gets you up to 40k messages. Enough for most summaries and action items. Upload that .zip to ThreadRecap.
- •Split by time — if you need more than 40k, export “last 6 months” then “6 months before” (or similar). You get multiple .zips; analyze the most recent one first, or combine later.
Once export works
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 on a smaller export
Generate Group Awards — shareable recap
Frequently asked questions
Common causes: chat too large (over 40k without media or 10k with media), low device storage, or Advanced chat privacy turned on by the group admin. Try “Export without media” and free up space first.
WhatsApp limits export to 40k without media (10k with media). To analyze more, export without media for the most recent 40k, or split by date. See our “WhatsApp export limit 40,000” page.
In some groups, “Export chat” is disabled by the admin (Advanced chat privacy). You’ll need to ask the admin to turn it off, or use partial capture (e.g. copy from WhatsApp Web) for a smaller analysis. See our “WhatsApp advanced chat privacy export blocked” page.
Rare, but can happen after a bad update or corrupt data. Try “Export without media”, restart the app, or reinstall WhatsApp (back up first). If you have a backup, export from that.
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.
See our “How to export WhatsApp chat on iPhone” and “How to export WhatsApp chat on Android” pages for device-specific steps.