How to Print a WhatsApp Chat or Save It as PDF

By Josep Mampel Marques, updated November 9, 2026

WhatsApp has no print button, so to print a chat or save it as a PDF you export it first, then print the export. With PrintChats: export the chat from your phone with media, open the .zip in PrintChats, choose who you are, filter if needed, tap Save as PDF and choose Save as PDF (or a printer) in the print dialog. The result has chat bubbles, dates and photos, and the chat is never uploaded.

Step 1: export the chat from WhatsApp

1. On Android: open the chat, tap More options (three dots), More, Export chat, then Include media.
2. On iPhone: open the chat, tap the contact or group name, tap Export chat, and choose to include media.
3. Save the file to Files, iCloud Drive or Google Drive, or send it to yourself if you will print from a computer.

Choosing media keeps the photos in the PDF. Without media you get the text only. More in exporting with photos and media.

Step 2: open it in PrintChats

1. Open PrintChats in your browser, on the phone or on a computer.
2. Choose the .zip (or .txt) under Choose your WhatsApp export, or drop it on that box. The file is read in your browser tab and not uploaded.
3. Pick your name under I am so your messages sit on the right, as in WhatsApp.

Step 3: choose what goes in the PDF

• From and To: print only a date range, for example one month or the days around an event. See export only part of a WhatsApp chat.
• Search: show only messages that contain a word or a name. The PDF contains what is on screen, so clear the search if you want the whole chat.
• Photos in PDF: leave it ticked for images, untick it for a shorter text-only PDF.

Step 4: save as PDF or print

1. Tap Save as PDF. PrintChats first loads every photo, then opens your browser's print dialog.
2. Pick the destination:
   • Chrome or Edge on a computer: set Destination to Save as PDF, then Save. Or choose a printer to print on paper.
   • Chrome on Android: in the print preview, choose Save as PDF, tap the PDF button and pick where to save it.
   • Safari on a Mac: in the print dialog, use the PDF menu and choose Save as PDF.
   • Safari on iPhone or iPad: the print options screen opens; use its share button to save the PDF to Files or send it. Labels may vary by iOS version.
3. Check the result. The PDF opens with the chat name and date range, message bubbles are kept whole instead of being cut between pages, and videos and audio are left out (only photos are printed).

Tips for a clean printout

• Long chats: a PDF of thousands of messages with photos can be large. Splitting by date range keeps files manageable.
• Paper: to save paper, untick Photos in PDF and use your browser's scale option.
• Background colours: if bubbles print without colour, turn on background graphics in the print dialog's settings (the name varies by browser).
• Missing old photos: WhatsApp attaches only recent media to an export. See export limits.

Other ways, and why we built this one

Screenshots work for a few messages but become unmanageable for a whole conversation. Pasting _chat.txt into a word processor prints the raw text, with no photos and no layout. Many online converters require uploading the chat to their servers or charge per chat. PrintChats does the conversion in your browser and uses the browser's own print function, so the result costs nothing and the chat stays on your device.

If you need the printout as a record for a dispute or a case, also read saving a WhatsApp chat as a record.