Ways to read an exported chat, compared

Facts about ToolkitHere on this page were checked on October 11, 2026. Facts about other products were checked against their own pages and help articles on October 17, 2026.

A chat export is a .txt file of messages, or a .zip that also holds photos, videos and voice notes. (See What is in a WhatsApp chat export? for details.) There are several ways to read one. They differ in what they show, what they cost, and whether your conversation leaves your device.

Which options are there?

Option	Cost	Does the chat leave your device?	Photos and voice notes	Search	Best for
ToolkitHere Chat Export Viewer	Free	No. Nothing is uploaded	Yes, from a .zip export	Yes, with jump to date and a filter by person	Reading a whole conversation privately, on any device
A text editor	Free	No	No, only file names	Basic find	A quick look at a short chat
Other online chat viewers	Varies, many are free	Depends on the site: some work in the browser, others upload the export	Varies	Varies	One-off reading, after checking the site
Desktop chat viewer apps, such as the open-source WhatsApp Backup Reader	Free to paid	No, with apps that work offline	Varies; WhatsApp Backup Reader shows media from a .zip export	Varies	Regular, offline work with many chats
Restoring the chat in the app	Free	Uses the app’s own backup, not the export	Yes	Yes	Continuing a chat on a new phone, not archiving

How does the ToolkitHere Chat Export Viewer compare?

The Chat Export Viewer runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded: the page reads the file on your device, and the part of the page that reads it cannot reach the internet.

What it does:

• Reads .txt and .zip exports from iPhone and Android, and pasted chat text.
• Detects the export’s line format and date order instead of assuming one.
• Shows messages as chat bubbles, with a date line for each day.
• Shows photos, stickers, videos and voice notes from a .zip inside the chat, loading them as you scroll.
• Searches the chat, jumps to a month and day, and shows or hides each person.
• Handles very long chats: tens of thousands of messages scroll smoothly.
• Saves a clean PDF with a note that it is a readable copy, not certified evidence.

What it doesn’t do:

• It can’t read chats that weren’t exported, or open the app’s encrypted phone backups.
• It can’t show reactions or read receipts, because exports don’t include them.
• It can’t tell who exported the chat, so you choose whose messages go on the right.
• Voice notes are Opus audio. Safari plays them only from version 18.4; current Chrome, Edge and Firefox play them.
• The PDF includes up to 400 photos; any beyond that are listed by name.

What should a good chat viewer handle?

Exports look simple, but real files have quirks. Whichever tool you pick, check that it handles these:

Quirk	Why it matters
iPhone and Android line formats	They write dates, times and attachments differently. A viewer built for one may skip messages from the other.
Day-first and month-first dates	05/12/23 is 5 December in most countries and May 12 in the United States. A wrong guess puts messages on the wrong days.
Messages over several lines	Lines without a date belong to the message above. Losing them cuts messages short.
Hidden characters	Exports contain invisible direction marks and special spaces. Tools that don’t remove them may show odd symbols or miss names.
Very long chats	Years of messages can mean tens of thousands of lines. Some tools slow down or freeze.
Attachments in a zip	Photos and voice notes must be matched to the right message by file name.

When is a text editor enough?

A text editor is enough when the chat is short and you only need the words. It opens instantly on any computer and changes nothing.

It gets hard to use with long chats. Every line starts with a date, time and name, so the conversation is hard to follow. Photos and voice notes are just file names. Multi-line messages and system lines mix with everything else.

What should I check before using an online chat viewer?

Chats are among the most personal files people have. Before you add an export to any website, check three things:

1. Does it upload the chat? Some online viewers send your export to their server to process it. Your conversation, and every photo in it, then sits on someone else’s computer, at least for a while. Others, such as WhatsApp Backup Reader’s web version and ChatParser, say they process the file in your browser. Check each site’s own statement, then test it.
2. What does the output look like? Some tools copy the messaging app’s exact look. Output that looks like a real app screenshot can be mistaken for one, which matters if you share it.
3. Are there limits? Free tools can cap file size, keep features for paid plans, or add their own branding. Check before you rely on one for a long chat.

A quick way to check any site: open it, add a file, and watch your browser’s network tab for an upload. Our How it works page shows how.

When does desktop software fit better?

Desktop software can fit better if you work with many chat exports regularly, for example to archive chats for a business. One option is WhatsApp Backup Reader, a free, open-source app for Windows, macOS and Linux. Its makers say it works without internet, reads .zip exports, and can transcribe voice notes on your computer.

For reading one chat now and then, an in-browser viewer does the same job without installing anything.

Is restoring the chat in the app an option?

Restoring brings a chat back into the app on a new phone. It uses the app’s own backup system (for example, a cloud backup), not the export file. An export can’t be imported back into the app, because it is a text file, not a backup.

This is the right choice if you want to keep chatting. It is not a good way to archive or share a conversation, because the chat lives only inside the app.

Can any of these make a chat count as evidence?

No tool on this page can certify a conversation. An export is a plain-text file, and text files can be edited, so an export or a PDF made from it is a readable copy, not proof. If you need a chat for a legal matter, ask a lawyer how it should be collected and preserved.

Which option should I pick?

Your situation	Best fit
You want to read a whole conversation, with photos, privately	The Chat Export Viewer
You need a quick look at a short chat	A text editor
You archive many chats every week	Desktop software
You want to keep chatting on a new phone	Restore the chat in the app
You need a chat for a legal matter	Ask a lawyer first

Key takeaways

• A text editor works for short chats but shows photos only as file names.
• A chat viewer turns the export back into a readable conversation with media.
• Check whether an online viewer uploads your chat before using it.
• No viewer can turn an export into certified evidence.
• The Chat Export Viewer is free, needs no sign-up and keeps your chat on your device.