WhatsApp groups are a great way to communicate with multiple people at once. When you create a group, all the participants are added automatically. This can be useful if you need a list of everyone in the group for your records or to message them outside of WhatsApp later on.
Unfortunately WhatsApp doesn’t have a built-in way to easily extract a list of all group participants. But there are a few workarounds you can use to copy or export a WhatsApp group member list on both iPhone and Android devices.
Exporting Contacts on iPhone
If you’re using an iPhone, the easiest way to get a list of all participants in a WhatsApp group is to export your full contacts list to a CSV file using the Contacts app. This will give you a spreadsheet with all your contacts, which you can then filter to just show the WhatsApp group members.
Here’s how to export your contacts from an iPhone:
- Open the Contacts app
- Tap Groups in the top left
- Scroll down and tap the group you want to export
- Tap the Share button in the top right
- Select VCF or CSV to export the group contacts
This will generate a file with all the contact details (names, numbers, emails etc) for each person in that WhatsApp group. You can then open it in Excel or another spreadsheet app and delete any contacts not relevant to that particular WhatsApp group.
Using Google Contacts on Android
For Android users, Google Contacts can be used in a similar way to extract your WhatsApp groups. Here’s how:
- Open the Contacts app
- Tap the Navigation Drawer icon in the top left
- Select Groups
- Tap the Export button
- Select the WhatsApp group you want to export
- Choose to export as VCF or CSV file
This will save a file containing all the contacts in that WhatsApp group. You can then open it in Sheets, Excel or another app to filter out any contacts not in the WhatsApp group.
Using Third Party Apps on iPhone
If you don’t want to export your entire contacts list, there are a couple of third party apps that make it easy to grab just the members of a specific WhatsApp group on iPhone:
- WhatsApp Groups Manager: This handy app lets you easily export any WhatsApp group participant list as a CSV file or share it via email, AirDrop etc. It’s available on the App Store for $3.99.
- WhatsApp Contacts Exporter: Another good option, this app can export contact details for members of any WhatsApp group. Also available on the App Store for $3.99.
Both these apps provide an easy way to get a list of any WhatsApp group’s participants without having to extract it manually from your full contacts list.
Using Third Party Apps on Android
On Android, a couple of good third party apps include:
- Export Chat: This app lets you export the members of any WhatsApp or Telegram group as a CSV file. It’s free to download on Google Play.
- Group Members Exporter: Does what it says, allowing you to export a list of any group participants from WhatsApp. Also free on Google Play.
These provide an easy way to extract just the list of members from a specific WhatsApp group, rather than exporting your full contacts list.
Manual Extraction as a Last Resort
If all else fails, you can manually extract a list of participants from a WhatsApp group chat by following these steps:
- Open the WhatsApp group chat
- Tap on the group name at the top of the chat window
- Tap on Group Info
- Scroll down to see the list of Participants
- Manually copy the names or numbers of each participant from this list into another document
While a bit tedious, this method does provide a way to get a list of Who’s Who in any WhatsApp group chat, even without a third party app.
Other WhatsApp Group Tips
Here are some other useful things you can do when managing WhatsApp groups:
- Add or remove people from a group by opening Group Info > Participants and tapping the + or – icons next to names.
- Make someone else the Admin by making them a Group Admin in Group Info > Participants.
- Change the group icon by tapping on the current icon in Group Info.
- Change the group name by tapping on the current name in Group Info.
- Mute notifications from the group for a set duration by tapping Mute in Group Info.
Knowing the ins and outs of WhatsApp groups will help you communicate better and keep everyone in the loop. Now you know how to easily export a participant list when needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a way to get a WhatsApp group member list on iPhone without exporting my full contacts?
Yes, using a third party app like WhatsApp Groups Manager or WhatsApp Contacts Exporter allows you to export just the members of a specific WhatsApp group, rather than your full contacts list.
Can I export WhatsApp group members on Android without a third party app?
Unfortunately there is no built-in way to export a WhatsApp group member list directly on Android. Your best options are to use the Contacts app to export all contacts then filter, or use a third party app focused specifically on WhatsApp groups.
What’s the easiest way to manage large WhatsApp groups?
For large groups, make use of Admin privileges to help moderate conversations. Mute notifications or users if needed to cut down on noise. Have clear rules and don’t be afraid to remove participants who repeatedly break them.
Is there a maximum number of people allowed in a WhatsApp group?
Yes, currently WhatsApp caps groups at 256 participants. If you need more than that, consider using a broadcast list or Telegram which supports groups up to 200,000 members.
Can I export a WhatsApp group chat history?
Unfortunately there is no official way to export the message history from a WhatsApp group chat. However some third party apps claim to be able to backup and export your WhatsApp chats, which may work for groups as well.
Conclusion
Exporting the member list from a WhatsApp group is easy on both iPhone and Android with the right tools. Use the native Contacts app and then filter, or a dedicated third party app designed for this purpose. With the participant list in hand, you can then message members outside of WhatsApp or have a record of everyone in the group.