How to Export a WhatsApp Chat with Photos, Videos and Voice Notes

Check that WhatsApp Web can open the media

Start in the conversation you want to save. Open a few representative attachments: one photo, one audio message, and a document or video if the chat contains them. A thumbnail can be visible even when the original file is not currently downloadable.

If an attachment cannot open in WhatsApp Web, a browser export cannot reliably recover it just from the thumbnail. Try loading the file in the conversation first. If it remains unavailable, ask the sender for another copy rather than treating the archive as complete.

Export the conversation and available files together

1. Open the desired contact or group in WhatsApp Web.
2. Open ChatVault and select that conversation.
3. Choose the output you need: HTML for a readable archive, or a structured format for spreadsheet or data work.
4. Start the backup. Watch the message and media progress while the popup stays open.
5. Wait for the ZIP file to finish downloading.

A chat with videos can take longer than a text-only conversation because more data needs to be downloaded. Keep your browser session connected until the archive is ready.

Extract the archive before opening it

Move the ZIP into a dedicated folder, then extract it. Keep the main chat document and its media/ directory in the same relative positions. Opening an HTML file alone, or sending someone only that file, may separate the messages from their attachments.

If you need to share the archive with an authorized recipient, share the complete ZIP or complete extracted folder. Renaming individual media files can break references in the chat document, so preserve the generated names.

Check photos, audio, video and documents separately

Open the chat and compare a message with a recognizable attachment to the original conversation. Then open the attachment itself. Repeat for the file types you care about. A working photo does not tell you whether every voice note or PDF was collected.

Review any media report. Record missing items before you retry, so you can check those exact files in the next download instead of comparing two archives by memory. Keep your first archive until you have verified the replacement.

Keep the exported files private

A ZIP archive is a container, not an encryption setting. Anyone who can access an ordinary exported archive may be able to read its contents. Store the file in a location you control and use suitable protection when sharing it.

For a work conversation, check who is allowed to receive the attachments. For a family archive, consider whether private photos should be included before you distribute a copy. Saving a conversation and publishing it are separate decisions.