Read an exported WhatsApp chat like in the app

An exported chat is a plain text file (_chat.txt on iPhone, WhatsApp Chat with … .txt on Android) plus media files. In a text editor it's a wall of timestamps; a viewer turns it back into a conversation.

Updated 2026-10-26 · 3 min read

Open it

Copy the exported .zip (or the .txt) to your computer.
Open Convobook and choose the file. Don't unzip – the photos are read from the zip.
Scroll, search for words, filter by person or date, and see per-person statistics.

Save it

PDF – chat bubbles with photos, cover page, page numbers.
HTML – one self-contained file with photos and a search box.
Excel/CSV – one row per message with real dates and times.

Languages and formats

Exports differ by phone language and region (date order, 12/24-hour time, system messages). Convobook reads Android and iPhone exports in many languages, including right-to-left Hebrew and Arabic chats.

Open your exported chat. Convobook reads the .zip or .txt from WhatsApp's “Export chat” (Android and iPhone, many languages and date formats) and turns it into a chat-bubble PDF with photos, a single-file HTML archive, or Excel/CSV – in your browser, nothing is uploaded. Reading the whole chat and exporting the first 100 messages is free; a 30-day pass is $9, lifetime $19.

Open the converter – free

Questions and answers

Does it play voice notes?

Voice notes included in a 'with media' export are listed in the chat; playback depends on the browser supporting the audio format.

Can I open several exports?

Yes – they can be merged into one timeline without duplicates.

Sources and product names: Format of WhatsApp chat exports on Android and iOS. WhatsApp is a trademark of WhatsApp LLC; Meta of Meta Platforms, Inc. Convobook is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by them. This page is general information, not legal advice.