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WhatsApp Export .txt vs .zip: Which One to Choose

WhatsApp gives you two kinds of chat export. The choice comes down to one question: do you want the photos and videos alongside the messages?

What each file contains

• .txt: the message text only, with dates, times, sender names and placeholder lines where attachments used to be.
• .zip: an archive holding the chat text file plus every photo, video, document and other attachment from the chat.

The .txt is created when you export without media. The .zip is created when you export with media. Both come from the same Export chat option, so the difference is only the media setting you pick.

Size and speed

A .txt is usually small and quick to upload and convert. A .zip can be much larger, because the media normally takes up most of the space. There is no fixed size for either file, since it depends entirely on how much was shared in the chat, so compare the file sizes on your own phone before you upload.

Which one to choose

Choose the .txt when you want a clean record of what was said: who said it, when, and the words themselves. It suits work groups, long support threads and any chat where the text is the point.

Choose the .zip when the pictures matter. A family album chat, a trip group or a project where screenshots and photos are part of the record will lose something without them.

Using each with ChatIntoPDF

ChatIntoPDF accepts both files. Upload the .txt for a text-only PDF. Upload the .zip if you want the photos carried into the result. Photos are reproduced inline on a higher tier, so a .zip is most useful if you plan to use that tier. The free full preview lets you check the layout before you pay.

The full PDF is paid once per chat from $1.99, and there is no account to create. ChatIntoPDF is independent and is not affiliated with WhatsApp or Meta.

Opening each file

1. For the .txt, open it in any plain text editor. Choose UTF-8 if the editor asks for an encoding.
2. For the .zip, extract it to a new folder rather than opening media from inside the archive.
3. Keep the chat text file and the media folder together so the references still work.

Sharing and privacy

A .zip holds much more personal material, including every image and video in the chat. Share only what the recipient needs. If the pictures are not required, send the text-only .txt or the PDF made from it instead of the full archive.

Checking the export before you convert

Whichever file you choose, open it once before uploading. For the .txt, scroll to the start and the end and confirm that the first and last messages match what you expect. For the .zip, extract it and confirm that the text file and the media folder are both there. A quick check like this catches a wrong export, a truncated download or a missing folder before you spend time on a conversion.

It also helps to look for the placeholder line. In a text export made without media, you will see lines such as Media omitted where attachments were shared. Seeing them confirms the export is text-only, which is useful to know before you rely on the PDF as a complete picture of the chat.

Can I switch later?

Yes. Export the chat again with the other option. Each export is a snapshot of the chat at the time you made it, so a new .zip does not update an older .txt, and a new .txt does not add photos to an old archive.

• Only the words matter: export .txt.
• The pictures matter too: export .zip.
• Unsure: start with the .txt, check the preview, and export again with media if you need the images.