How to Export a WhatsApp Chat to PDF with Photos
Updated
WhatsApp can’t save a chat as a PDF directly. Its export gives you a .zip file: the messages as plain text, plus the media as separate files.
Getting a PDF where each photo sits next to the message it was sent with takes one more step. This guide covers it, and the two things that decide how good the result looks: the export option and photo quality.
Step 1: Export with media
Photos only make it into the PDF if they are in the export, so choose the media option.
On Android
- Open the chat you want to keep (one-to-one or group).
- Tap ⋮ in the top-right corner, then More → Export chat.
- Choose Include media to keep photos, or Without media for text only.
- Save the file to your phone or share it straight to an app.
On iPhone
- Open the chat and tap the contact or group name at the top.
- Scroll down and tap Export Chat.
- Choose Attach Media to keep photos, or Without Media for text only.
- Save it to Files or share it.
Step 2: Convert the .zip to PDF
In the export share sheet, pick Chatcraft — or save the .zip and open it from inside the app. There is nothing to unzip: Chatcraft reads _chat.txt, matches every photo, video thumbnail, voice note and document to its message, and builds the PDF on your phone.
Beyond text and photos, it also lays out polls, shared locations, contacts, reactions, calls, and pinned, edited and deleted messages, instead of leaving “<Media omitted>” lines.
Step 3: Pick photo quality
Quality decides how sharp photos look when someone zooms in or prints, and how big the file is.
- Original: full detail from your photos — never blurs. The largest file.
- Balanced: 300 dpi, the print standard, at about half the size.
- Compact: the smallest file, easy to share — soft if you zoom right in.
Exported without media?
You can still make a PDF. Chatcraft lets you choose what happens where a photo would have been: a placeholder card, a small note, or hiding it entirely. For real photos, export the chat again with media.
WhatsApp caps exports: about 10,000 of the most recent messages when media is included, and about 40,000 without. For a very long chat, a text-only export captures more of the history.
Be careful with online converters
Many websites offer to convert a WhatsApp export to PDF. They work by uploading your file — names, phone numbers, private photos and years of conversation — to a server you know nothing about. If you use one, check who runs it and whether files are deleted. A converter that works on your own device avoids the question.
Questions
Can WhatsApp export a chat as PDF directly?
No. WhatsApp exports a .txt file, or a .zip with the media. You need a converter to turn that into a PDF.
Do I need to unzip the export first?
Not with Chatcraft — share or open the .zip as it is, and the app reads the chat and media from it.
Is my chat uploaded anywhere?
Not with Chatcraft. The PDF is built on your phone; the server only receives the book’s title, message count and page count, to charge credits.