Free ways to turn a WhatsApp chat into a PDF
You don’t always need to pay. Here’s what works for free, and where it falls short.
Free option 1: print the exported text file
Export the chat (iPhone · Android), open _chat.txt on a computer, then File → Print → Save as PDF. It’s complete and free. The downsides: one long wall of text, no photos, no page structure, and hard to read beyond a few pages.
Free option 2: screenshots
Fine for a few messages. For anything longer it’s slow, and screenshots are easy to dispute because they can be cropped.
Free option 3: print WhatsApp Web
Scroll up until the whole chat is loaded, then use the browser’s print. It often breaks on long chats and cuts bubbles across pages.
Free option 4: Paperthread’s preview
The Paperthread preview is free: the first 2 pages in the real layout, watermarked. It’s a good way to check how your chat looks. Short chats sometimes fit almost entirely.
See your chat in a proper layout for free. Nothing is uploaded.
Try the free previewWhen paying is worth it
- The chat is long and you want it readable, with photos in place.
- Someone else will read it, like a lawyer, an employer or an insurer, and you want numbered messages and page references.
- You need it today and don’t want to fight with print settings.