How to Send WhatsApp Messages to Email

Updated by Megan Brooks on Dec 31, 2025 • Category: WhatsApp
3 mins read

Sending WhatsApp chats to email is a convenient way to preserve important conversations outside of the app. Whether you're switching phones, need to store messages for future reference, or want to save memories, exporting your WhatsApp chat history to email ensures that your messages are accessible anytime.

This guide brings the simple steps to export individual WhatsApp chats from both Android and iPhone, allowing you to save them securely via email. Learn how to send WhatsApp messages to email without hassle and keep your data safe.

backup whatsapp to email

Part 1. How to Send WhatsApp Chats to Email on Android

For Android users, the "Export Chat" feature acts differently than the standard Google Drive backup. While Drive saves an encrypted file you can't read, the Export feature extracts your conversation into a human-readable text file. However, this option is often hidden deep within individual chat settings. Here is the direct path to find it on any Android device.

export whatsapp-chats-android

Step 1. Open and launch WhatsApp on your Android phone.
Step 2. Find the chat you want to export and open the conversation.
Step 3. You will see a three-dot icon in the top-right corner of the chat screen. Tap on it.
Step 4. Tap on the More > Export chat options to begin the export process.
Step 5. From the pop-up, you can choose to export your chat Without Media or Include Media (photos, video, etc.).
Step 6. After selecting the email app, you should enter the email address you want to back it up to and hit send.

Part 2. How to Send WhatsApp Messages to Email on iPhone

On iPhone, exporting a chat isn't found in the general WhatsApp settings. Instead, Apple nests this feature inside the specific "Contact Info" screen of each friend or group. Whether you want to send the file to the Mail app or save it to your iCloud Files, follow this specific workflow to extract your chat history from iOS.

whatsapp email

Step 1. Go to the WhatsApp app on your iPhone and launch it with your account.
Step 2. Go to the chat you desire to export and open the conversation page.
Step 3. Tap on the contact/group name at the top to open the chat information screen.
Step 4. Scroll down and you will see the Export Chat option. Tap on it.
Step 5. You'll be asked if you want to export the chat With Media or Without Media.
Step 6. Select the email app you use and then enter your email address to which you want to send the chat and press send.

Part 3. Alternatives to Export/Back Up All WhatsApp Data At Once

Sending to Email is a safe method to protect our previous data on WhatsApp, but it only works for individual chats, not a full WhatsApp backup. Therefore, knowing how to quickly get all WhatsApp data at once is also important for us. Here we list some useful alternatives to help you get all WhatsApp data at once.

1. One-click WhatsApp Data Tool - TunesKit WhatsApp Transfer [iPhone]

TunesKit WhatsApp Transfer is an iPhone-to-PC way to back up and export WhatsApp data including chats, stickers, audio messages, documents, and contacts. You will get your WhatsApp backups via this tool on your computer so you don't have to worry about that your backups would lose because of mobile device problems. With just one click, you can back up and export all your WhatsApp messages from iPhone to PC, which is effective and efficient.

Key Features of TunesKit WhatsApp Transfer

Back up and export WhatsApp messages between iOS devices without encountering any hassle. Transfer WhatsApp data between iOS devices.

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How to back up and export WhatsApp chats at once via TunesKit WhatsApp Transfer

Step 1 Connect your iPhone to your PC

This TunesKit tool is available on Mac and Windows PC. You should download it to your PC before you start backing up. Connect your iPhone to your computer via a USB cable after you download the software. Your iPhone model information will appear if the connection is completed.

backup whatsapp messages page

Step 2 Back up WhatsApp messages

Go to the Backup mode after device connection. On this window, Click the Start Backup button on this window. Please verify that your iPhone is unlocked.

backup completed

Step 3 Export WhatsApp backup

When you find the backup task is complete, you can click the Export icon on the sidebar to export this backup. Click the Export to Computer to export the backup to your computer.

connect ios device
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2. iCloud Backup [iPhone]

iCloud backup is an official backup way for iPhone WhatsApp users. You can directly back up your WhatsApp messages within WhatsApp to iCloud. However, if you choose this method, you should make sure your iCloud has enough space storage for your WhatsApp data because iCloud just provides 5GB of free space storage. Here are the steps to back up WhatsApp via iCloud.

icloud backup in whatsapp

Step 1. First, you should make sure your iCloud drive is turned on: Settings app > your name > iCloud > iCloud Drive.
Step 2. Enter your WhatsApp app and then tap on the three-doticon in the top right of the screen.
Step 3. Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup to arrive at the backup page.
Step 4. On this page, you can choose Back Up Now to back up manually, or set up Auto Backup for regular backup.

3. Google Drive Backup [Android]

Google Drive is an official backup method for Android WhatsApp users. The storage of it should be a key limitation.

google drive back up whatsapp

Step 1. Open the WhatsApp app on your computer.
Step 2. Tap on the three-dot icon in the top corner of the screen.
Step 3. From the pop-up, choose Settings and then choose Chat > Chat Backup to enter backup settings.
Step 4. Select Back up to Google Drive and set the backup frequency and which Google account you need.

Part 4. FAQs about Email Export on WhatsApp

  • 1. Can I restore my WhatsApp chat history from an email export?

    No. The email export feature generates a .txt file which cannot be imported back into the WhatsApp application. To restore chats, you must use a cloud backup (iCloud/Google Drive) or a dedicated transfer tool like TunesKit.

  • 2. Why does my email export stop at a certain date?

    This is due to the message limit. WhatsApp can only export the most recent ~10,000 messages (with media) or ~40,000 messages (text only). Older messages will be cut off.

  • 3. Can I export WhatsApp chats to email automatically?

    No, WhatsApp does not offer an "auto-email" feature. You must manually export each chat individually. For automatic backups, enable the Google Drive or iCloud Auto-Backup feature in settings.

Part 5. Wrap Up

In conclusion, while WhatsApp does not provide a direct feature to send entire chats to email, users can manually export individual conversations as text files with or without media attachments. This option is useful for personal archiving or legal purposes, but it is important to note that these backups cannot be restored within WhatsApp.

For a more seamless experience, TunesKit WhatsApp Transfer is the recommended options for safeguarding your entire chat history and media.

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