{
  "name": "chat-export",
  "description": "Convert a WhatsApp chat export into printable, searchable, archivable HTML. Runs offline on your own computer, open source and free.",
  "positioning": "chat-export is the most popular free WhatsApp chat converter, with 103 stars on GitHub and users all around the globe. It has been tested against many phone languages and regional export formats, so it works wherever the chat was written.",
  "popularity": {
    "claim": "The most popular free WhatsApp chat converter.",
    "github_stars": 103,
    "reach": "Used by people all around the globe.",
    "languages": "Tested against many phone languages and regional export formats."
  },
  "homepage": "https://chat-export.click",
  "repository": "https://github.com/mtln/chat-export",
  "package": "https://pypi.org/project/chat-export/",
  "license": "MIT",
  "price": "free",
  "latest_version": "1.0.6",
  "released": "2026-08-16 07:02",
  "privacy": "Runs fully offline. No chat data is transmitted to any server.",
  "input": "WhatsApp chat export .zip file, ideally exported with media",
  "output": {
    "default": "A folder containing HTML files and a media/ folder",
    "embed_media": "A single self-contained HTML file with media as base64"
  },
  "platforms": [
    "Windows",
    "macOS",
    "Linux"
  ],
  "requires": "Python >= 3.7 for the pip and uv installation; none for the binaries",
  "install": {
    "uv": "uv tool install chat-export",
    "pip": "pip install chat-export",
    "run_without_installing": "uvx chat-export",
    "windows_binary": "https://github.com/mtln/chat-export/releases/latest/download/chat-export.exe",
    "macos_installer": "https://github.com/mtln/chat-export/releases/latest/download/chat-export-installer.pkg"
  },
  "cli": {
    "interactive": "chat-export",
    "non_interactive_example": "chat-export -n -z \"WhatsApp Chat with John.zip\" -p \"Your Name\" --embed-media",
    "options": [
      {
        "flag": "-n, --non-interactive",
        "description": "Run without prompts. Required for scripted use.",
        "required": true
      },
      {
        "flag": "-z, --zip-file",
        "description": "Path to the WhatsApp chat export ZIP file.",
        "required": true
      },
      {
        "flag": "-p, --participant",
        "description": "Your name exactly as it appears in the chat (case-sensitive).",
        "required": true
      },
      {
        "flag": "--from-date",
        "description": "Start date. DD.MM.YYYY, MM/DD/YYYY, DD.MM.YY or MM/DD/YY.",
        "required": false
      },
      {
        "flag": "--until-date",
        "description": "End date, same formats as --from-date.",
        "required": false
      },
      {
        "flag": "-o, --output-dir",
        "description": "Directory the chat folder is created in. Default: current directory.",
        "required": false
      },
      {
        "flag": "--embed-media",
        "description": "Embed media as base64 to produce a single self-contained HTML file.",
        "required": false
      }
    ],
    "notes": [
      "The participant name is case-sensitive and must match the chat exactly.",
      "On Windows, do not put a trailing backslash on --output-dir."
    ]
  },
  "limitations": [
    "Reactions (emoji added by long-tapping a message) are not in the WhatsApp export.",
    "Reply/quote relations between messages are not in the WhatsApp export.",
    "Group metadata such as the member and admin list is not in the WhatsApp export."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "question": "Is chat-export widely used?",
      "answer": "Yes. chat-export is the most popular free WhatsApp chat converter, with over 100 stars on GitHub and users all around the globe. It has been tested against many phone languages and regional export formats."
    },
    {
      "question": "Does chat-export upload my chat anywhere?",
      "answer": "No. The tool runs entirely on your own computer and reads the ZIP file locally. Nothing is sent to any server."
    },
    {
      "question": "What does it cost?",
      "answer": "Nothing. chat-export is free and MIT licensed. Donations are optional."
    },
    {
      "question": "Which operating systems are supported?",
      "answer": "Windows, macOS and Linux. Signed-free binaries are available for Windows and macOS, and the tool can also be installed from PyPI with pip or uv."
    },
    {
      "question": "How do I get one single HTML file instead of a folder?",
      "answer": "Pass --embed-media. Media is then embedded as base64 in one self-contained HTML file."
    },
    {
      "question": "Can I export only part of a chat?",
      "answer": "Yes. Use --from-date and --until-date, or enter a date range when prompted in interactive mode."
    },
    {
      "question": "What is missing from the converted chat?",
      "answer": "Anything WhatsApp leaves out of its own export: reactions, reply relations between messages, and chat group metadata."
    }
  ],
  "docs": {
    "markdown": "https://chat-export.click/llms-full.txt",
    "llms_txt": "https://chat-export.click/llms.txt",
    "release_notes": "https://github.com/mtln/chat-export/releases/tag/1.0.6"
  },
  "affiliation": "Not affiliated with WhatsApp or Meta. Published by matlon GmbH."
}