WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. With so many messages sent and received daily, it can be difficult to find a specific message when you need it.
Luckily, WhatsApp provides a way to filter and search your messages by date. This allows you to easily view messages from a certain time period. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to filter WhatsApp messages by date on both iPhone and Android.
Filter WhatsApp Messages by Date on iPhone
Filtering WhatsApp messages by date is easy on iPhone. Here are the steps:
- Open the WhatsApp app and go into the chat that contains the messages you want to filter.
- Tap and hold on a message in the chat to activate select mode.
- Tap the search icon at the top of the screen. It looks like a magnifying glass.
- At the top, tap the calendar icon next to the search bar.
- Select a date or date range to filter messages from.
- Only messages sent during the selected timeframe will be shown.
That’s it! The chat will now only display messages sent on your selected dates. Here are some tips for filtering WhatsApp messages by date on iPhone:
- You can select a single date or a range of dates. Tap on the start and end dates to set a range.
- To reset the filter, simply tap the calendar icon again and select no date.
- This filter works for both individual and group chats.
- You can also search for keywords at the same time as filtering dates.
Filter WhatsApp Messages by Date on Android
The process is very similar on Android devices. Follow these steps:
- Open WhatsApp and go into the chat you want to filter.
- Tap the menu button (3 vertical dots icon) in the top right corner.
- Select More > Calendar from the menu.
- Choose a date or date range to filter.
- Tap Done after selecting your timeframe.
- Only messages from those dates will display.
Some tips for filtering by date on Android:
- You can pick a single date or a range of dates to filter between.
- To clear the filter, reopen the Calendar tool and tap Clear on the bottom.
- The filter works for all chats, both individual and groups.
- You can combine it with the search function to filter keywords and dates.
Why Filter WhatsApp Messages by Date?
Here are some of the benefits of using WhatsApp’s date filter feature:
- Quickly find an old message without endless scrolling. Great for finding important info or media.
- Review conversations from a certain time period like last week or last month.
- Find messages from a specific date like a birthday or event.
- Cut through clutter by filtering out irrelevant messages from other dates.
- Combine with search to find messages with keywords from a certain date range.
- Easily export or backup messages from a custom date range.
- Helps keep tracking of conversations and information over time.
WhatsApp Chat Export by Date
In addition to filtering, you can use WhatsApp’s export chat feature to save chat histories from specific date ranges. Here’s how:
Export WhatsApp Chat on iPhone
- Open the chat you want to export.
- Tap the contact name at the top of the screen.
- Scroll down and tap Export Chat.
- Select a date range to export.
- Tap Export to create the chat export file.
- The file will save to your iCloud Drive and can be accessed in the Files app.
Export WhatsApp Chats on Android
- In WhatsApp, open the individual or group chat.
- Tap the three dots menu > More > Export chat.
- Select Export with media if you want to include photos and videos.
- Pick date range to export.
- Tap Export. Choose where to save the file like Google Drive or local storage.
With chat exports, you can save full conversations from any timeframe. It’s useful for:
- Keeping records of important chats as backups.
- Sharing conversations from a specific period with someone else.
- Exporting work/project conversations from certain dates.
- Saving special chats as keepsakes or memories.
Third-Party Apps for Filtering by Date
In addition to the built-in filters, there are some third-party apps that provide advanced ways to filter, search and export your WhatsApp chats by date and other criteria:
App | Platform | Key Features |
---|---|---|
WhatsApp Chat History Extractor | Android | Filter and export chats by sender, date, keyword, etc. |
WAMR | iOS | Advanced search, bookmarking, cloud backup & export. |
ChatScope | Android, iOS | Organize, tag and search chats. Export filtered results. |
Watusi | iOS | Extended features like message filtering and scheduling. |
These apps provide greater flexibility and control over your WhatsApp chat history. The advanced filters allow you to fine-tune date ranges and search for keywords within specific time periods.
Important Considerations
When filtering WhatsApp chats by date, keep the following in mind:
- Filtered chats still live in your phone’s local storage. Use exports to free up space.
- Back up chats regularly in case you lose your phone and need message history.
- Don’t over-filter or you may miss important context from nearby dates.
- Adjust date ranges carefully to capture entire conversations.
- Third-party filters may have subscription fees but provide more features.
Conclusion
Filtering WhatsApp messages by date is a simple but useful feature to manage your chat history. Both iPhone and Android make it easy to filter any chat by a single date or custom date range.
Exports allow saving filtered message history outside WhatsApp. And advanced third-party apps give even greater control over sorting, searching and backing up chats.
So the next time you need to find an old WhatsApp conversation, call up the date filter to quickly zoom in on the relevant messages.