Preparing a WhatsApp chat as evidence

1. Export the chat from the phone

• Android: open the chat › ⋮ › More › Export chat › Include media (or Without media).
• iPhone: open the chat › tap the name › Export chat › Attach media (or Without media) › Save to Files.

WhatsApp limits exports to the most recent 10,000 messages with media, or 40,000 without (details).

2. Keep the original

• Keep the exported .zip/.txt unchanged and make a copy.
• Don't delete the chat on the phone; the phone itself may be needed.
• Note the date you exported it.

3. Make it readable and complete

A raw .txt is hard to read and easy to dispute when it's been retyped. Open the export in Convobook and save a PDF: chat bubbles with names, dates and times on every message, photos in place, a cover page and page numbers. Use the date filter to cover exactly the relevant period, and the Excel export for a sortable list with one row per message.

4. Screenshots too?

Screenshots from the phone show the chat as the participant saw it (including the phone number in the contact info). Many lawyers like a few screenshots plus the full export.

What an export can't prove

• Deleted messages aren't in the export.
• The .txt can be edited, so in contested cases a forensic extraction from the phone may be needed. Ask your lawyer.
• Only share chats you're entitled to share; respect the other people's privacy.