WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the most common questions asked by WhatsApp users is “Why can’t I export my entire chat history?” There are a few reasons why exporting your full WhatsApp chat history is not possible.
WhatsApp Chat Export Limit
WhatsApp currently limits how far back you can export your chat history. The maximum range you can export is 40,000 messages per chat. This limit applies to both individual and group chats. So even if you have a years-long chat history with someone, you will only be able to export the most recent 40,000 messages from that chat.
The 40,000 message limit has been in place for a few years now. Prior to that, the limit was much lower at just 10,000 messages per chat. WhatsApp likely implemented the limit to reduce strain on their servers from people trying to export very large chat histories.
Why is there a Limit?
There are a few technical reasons why WhatsApp has imposed a limit on how far back chat history can be exported:
- Server storage – WhatsApp hosts billions of chats on their servers. Letting people export full chat histories without limits would take up large amounts of server storage.
- Processing resources – Exporting chats requires processing power to package up the messages. Unlimited exports could strain WhatsApp’s processing capacity.
- Bandwidth usage – Large exports also consume bandwidth to transfer from WhatsApp’s servers to users’ devices. Capping exports reduces overall bandwidth needs.
In summary, the export limit helps WhatsApp manage their infrastructure costs and scale efficiently to a massive userbase. Removing the limits entirely could become technologically infeasible for them.
Workarounds
While you can’t export your full WhatsApp chat history, there are some workarounds to get more than 40,000 messages:
- Export chat history periodically – Don’t wait for your chat history to hit 40,000 messages before exporting. Export more frequently so you have multiple exports that together cover a longer period.
- Use a third-party backup tool – Some third-party apps claim to backup your full WhatsApp chat history outside the 40,000 message limit. However, WhatsApp does not officially support these tools.
- Transcribe key conversations – Manually transcribe or copy-paste important conversations to save them outside of WhatsApp’s export limit.
However, there is no guaranteed way around the 40,000 message export limit imposed by WhatsApp.
What Gets Exported?
When you export a WhatsApp chat, here are the types of data that get included in the export file:
- Messages – Up to 40,000 of your most recent messages are exported.
- Media – Photos, videos and other media sent in the chat are exported.
- Date/time stamps – The date and time each message was sent is included.
- Contacts – The names and numbers of all chat participants are included.
However, some data is excluded from chat exports such as:
- Call history – Calls made within WhatsApp are not exported.
- Deleted messages – Messages that were deleted are not included.
- Message edits – If a message was edited, only the latest edited version is exported.
How to Export Chats
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to export your WhatsApp chat history on both Android and iPhone:
On Android
- Open the WhatsApp app and navigate to the chat you want to export.
- Tap the More Options icon (3 vertical dots).
- Select More > Export chat.
- Choose whether to Include Media or not.
- Tap Export. WhatsApp will export the chat as a .txt file.
- You can now share the .txt file or email it to yourself.
On iPhone
- Open WhatsApp and go to the chat you want to export.
- Tap on the contact’s name at the top of the screen.
- Scroll down and tap Export Chat.
- Choose to Include or Exclude Media.
- Select Export as .txt or Export as .zip if including media.
- The file will save to your Files app where you can share or email it.
And that’s it! Just remember you can only export up to 40,000 of your most recent messages according to WhatsApp’s limit.
Does WhatsApp Plan to Change the Limit?
WhatsApp has not announced any plans to increase the 40,000 message limit on chat exports. The limit has remained unchanged for a few years now. There are likely no plans to remove the limit entirely either, due to the technological constraints explained earlier.
WhatsApp tends to be very cautious about making major changes that could impact their infrastructure capacity. For example, they limited forwards to only 5 chats at a time back in 2018 to reduce viral misinformation. Rather than increasing the export limit which requires more resources, WhatsApp seems focused on adding new features within their existing technical capabilities.
Of course, WhatsApp’s parent company Meta could decide to invest heavily in expanding WhatsApp’s infrastructure to support larger exports. But there have been no signs yet of that happening.
User Response to the Limit
In general, WhatsApp users seem to have accepted the 40,000 message limit as an annoyance that can’t easily be resolved. Here are some of the common user reactions:
- Disappointment at not being able to export their full chat history, especially for long chats they want to save.
- Annoyance at losing old conversations that hold sentimental value.
- Confusion about why a seemingly simple export feature has such an arbitrary limit.
- Frustration with having to use unreliable third-party apps to get around the limit.
However, there does not seem to be significant outrage among users, as exporting chats is seen as a secondary convenience feature. Most users realize WhatsApp likely has technical constraints leading to the export limit.
Alternatives with No Limits
While WhatsApp limits exports, there are some alternative messaging platforms that allow unlimited chat exports. Here are a few examples:
| App | Export Capability |
|---|---|
| Telegram | Full chat history can be exported without limits |
| Signal | No limits on exporting chat backups |
| Line | Allows chat history exports without limits |
Of course, migrating all your WhatsApp contacts and groups to a new platform just to get unlimited exports may not be practical for most users. But it is an option for those who want to preserve their full chat history outside of WhatsApp’s restrictions.
Will WhatsApp Ever Remove the Limit?
Given the continued growth of WhatsApp’s userbase, especially in countries like India where it is the dominant messaging app, removing the 40,000 message export limit seems unlikely in the near future. WhatsApp seems committed to keeping the limit in place to manage their infrastructure capacity.
Removing the limit could dramatically raise WhatsApp’s server and bandwidth costs to support billions of users exporting years of chat data. And the feature itself does not drive revenue or add significant value to the user experience.
The only scenario where WhatsApp might consider relaxing the limit is if they developed significantly more efficient export algorithms and data compression formats. But major technological shifts like that do not happen overnight.
For the foreseeable future, users will remain limited to exporting only their most recent 40,000 messages on WhatsApp. So if you want to preserve your full chat history, your best bet is to use an alternative messaging app with unlimited exports.
Conclusion
WhatsApp’s 40,000 message limit when exporting chats is frustrating for users who want to save their full chat histories. But the limit exists due to WhatsApp’s need to constrain the infrastructure resources required to offer the export feature to billions of users.
It is unlikely WhatsApp will remove or raise the limit anytime soon given their focus on adding new features safely within their technical capacity. For users who want true unlimited chat exports, migrating to alternative apps like Telegram or Signal is the best option. But most WhatsApp users accept the export limit as an annoying yet understandable restriction.