Printing your WhatsApp chats to PDF can be a great way to keep records of conversations for future reference. WhatsApp doesn’t have a built-in feature to print or export chats, but there are several methods you can use to save your chats as PDF files on both iPhone and Android devices.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the best options for printing your WhatsApp conversations to PDF on iOS and Android. We’ll cover multiple methods using third-party apps and workarounds to print full chat histories, specific conversations, attached media, and more.
Reasons to Print WhatsApp Chats
Here are some of the main reasons you may want to save your WhatsApp chats as PDF files:
- Keep records of important conversations for future reference
- Save work-related or personal chats as documentation
- Print chats to share with others offline
- Back up your chat history outside of WhatsApp
- Free up space on your phone while retaining chats
- Preserve chat history if you need to delete WhatsApp
Having your chats available as PDFs can make them much more convenient to search, share, and refer back to over time.
Methods to Print WhatsApp Chats on iPhone
There are a few different tools and techniques you can use to save your WhatsApp chats on an iPhone as PDF files:
1. Use the Documents by Readdle App
Documents by Readdle is a capable PDF management and editing app for iOS. It features integrated support for printing WhatsApp chats:
- Open Documents and tap the WhatsApp icon in the app toolbar
- Select the chat you want to print
- Tap the Share button in the top right
- Choose ‘Create PDF’ to save as a PDF file
With Documents, you can print current and archived WhatsApp chats. The PDF will include all messages, images, videos, and files from the chat.
2. Use the Tailor App
Tailor is another iOS app designed specifically for printing screenshots and screen recordings to PDF. To use it for WhatsApp chats:
- Open the WhatsApp chat you want to print
- Take a screenshot of the entire chat history
- Open Tailor and import the screenshot
- Edit if needed, then tap ‘PDF’ to save as a PDF
Tailor has handy markup tools you can use to annotate, crop, or highlight your screenshots before turning them into a PDF.
3. Use iOS Shortcuts to Automate PDF Creation
For a more automated approach, you can use iOS Shortcuts to create a script that will take screenshots of your chats and save them as PDF files:
- Download a WhatsApp or screenshot automation shortcut
- Customize it to save screenshots from chats as PDFs
- Run the shortcut whenever you want to print a chat
This method lets you print your WhatsApp chats in the background without needing to switch between apps.
Methods to Print WhatsApp Chats on Android
Android users have several good options for exporting WhatsApp chats as PDF files, including:
1. Use Google Drive Backup
WhatsApp has a built-in chat backup feature that saves your message history to Google Drive. You can use this to print chats:
- Back up chats to Google Drive in WhatsApp Settings
- Visit drive.google.com to view your WhatsApp backup
- Open the Databases folder > Msgstore.db.crypt12 file
- Save as PDF to print the decrypted chat history
The backups include your full message history, except for media. This method doesn’t require any extra apps.
2. Use Third-Party Apps
There are various Android apps for converting WhatsApp chats to PDF:
- Chat2PDF – Dedicated app for printing WhatsApp chats as PDFs.
- PDF Converter – Popular app with WhatsApp chat to PDF features.
- WAMR – Includes a ‘Print Chat’ option for saving as PDF.
The process is similar in most of these apps. You select the chat, optionally edit or annotate, then save as a PDF.
3. Use the Share Menu
Many file managers and PDF apps will show up as options when sharing a WhatsApp chat:
- Open the WhatsApp chat you want to print
- Tap the Share icon > Share chat
- Select a PDF app and follow prompts to save as PDF
This will save the currently visible portion of the chat, which you can do multiple times to print longer histories.
How to Print Long WhatsApp Chats
WhatsApp only shows a limited portion of longer chat histories at once. Here are some tips for printing long WhatsApp conversations spanning hundreds or thousands of messages:
- Use a third-party app that can load and print your full history.
- Take multiple screenshots while scrolling gradually through the chat.
- Periodically print portions of lengthy chats over time to keep records.
- Back up chats to Google Drive and print from there.
- Export the chat and print from the exported file.
Patience and persistence are key when printing especially long WhatsApp conversations. Taking it in manageable sections can help.
How to Print WhatsApp Media & Files
WhatsApp chats often contain photos, videos, audio messages, documents, and other media. Here are some ways to include these when printing WhatsApp chats as PDFs:
- Use apps like Documents or Chat2PDF that embed media into the PDF.
- Print through Google Drive backups to include attachments.
- Manually save media from chats first, then insert into the PDF.
- Screenshot media messages and stitch screenshots together.
Ideally, use an app built to handle WhatsApp media when printing. Screenshots may require more work to capture media effectively.
How to Print Specific WhatsApp Chats
If you only need to print a specific chat or portion of a conversation, there are easy ways to do so:
- Open the chat, take a long screenshot of the part you want.
- Use iOS Shortcuts or Android Automate to print only certain chats.
- Selectively print chats from your Google Drive backup.
- In apps, choose the chat you want rather than your full history.
Screenshots offer the most control for capturing snippets of chats. WhatsApp backup methods work well for printing multiple specific chats.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp PDF Printing Issues
Here are some common issues and fixes for printing WhatsApp chats as PDFs:
Issue | Fixes |
---|---|
Can’t load full chat history |
|
PDF is low quality or blurry |
|
Media isn’t saving |
|
Debugging issues requires some experimentation with different apps and tools. Refer to support documentation for the specific app if needed.
Best Practices When Printing WhatsApp Chats as PDFs
Follow these tips for best results when creating PDF files of your WhatsApp conversations:
- Use a dedicated app like Documents or Chat2PDF when possible.
- Back up chats first before printing lengthy histories.
- Print media attachments separately if needed.
- Break long chats into multiple PDF files if necessary.
- Remain patient and avoid stopping mid-process.
- Try both automated and manual methods to find the best fit.
Test different approaches to see what works best based on the chat content and your specific device setup. With some guided trial and error, you’ll be able to consistently print readable WhatsApp chats as PDF files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about printing WhatsApp chats as PDF files:
How do I print WhatsApp chat on iPhone?
On an iPhone, use the Documents app, Tailor app, or an iOS Shortcuts automation to print WhatsApp chats as PDFs. You can also take screenshots and stitch them together in Preview or an editing app.
Can you save a WhatsApp chat as a PDF file?
Yes, there are many ways to save a WhatsApp chat, either full or specific conversations only, as a PDF file. Popular options include using specialized apps, converting Google Drive backups, exporting chats, or taking screenshots.
Why can’t I print WhatsApp chat history?
WhatsApp only shows limited recent history and doesn’t directly support printing. Use a third-party app or workaround like Google Drive backups to access and print your full WhatsApp chat history.
How do I convert WhatsApp chat to PDF on Android?
On Android, apps like Chat2PDF, PDF Converter, and WAMR can convert WhatsApp chats to PDF. You can also print from Google Drive backups or use the Share menu to send chats to a PDF converter app.
How do I print selected WhatsApp chats?
To print specific WhatsApp chats rather than your full history, open the chats you want and take screenshots. You can also print individual chats from Google Drive backups or use automation apps to select certain conversations.
Conclusion
Printing your WhatsApp chat history to PDF provides a great way to preserve important conversations, keep records, and share chats more conveniently.
While WhatsApp itself doesn’t offer native printing features, the workarounds covered in this guide give you multiple options for successfully exporting your chats on both iPhone and Android.
From full backup methods to tailored automation shortcuts, you have plenty of approaches to try. With some directed experimentation, you’ll be able to find the WhatsApp PDF printing method that fits your needs and makes chatting history readily accessible.