WhatsApp Chat Export Not Working? Check Format and Coverage
Troubleshoot rejected files, ambiguous dates and partially supported WhatsApp exports. Use Chat Export Doctor without sharing private message samples.
Check your export locallyStart with the specific import message
If a WhatsApp export will not open, check the file selection and detected timestamp format first. InstaScope accepts one UTF-8 TXT or one supported ZIP containing exactly one chat TXT. It deliberately rejects ambiguous archive choices and unsupported formats instead of creating plausible-looking but incorrect results.
A failed replacement does not discard the previously accepted chat. Cancel the new import or choose another file; do not assume an error means your existing analysis has been overwritten. Keep your original export unchanged while investigating.
An unsupported file and an empty filtered result need different responses. If the export opened successfully but a date or participant filter matches no records, reset filters first. Do not rewrite timestamps or discard the source merely because the current view has zero matching messages.
Match the symptom to the next action
The examples below are synthetic. Do not post real filenames, sender labels or message bodies in a public bug report.
| Symptom | Meaning | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| ZIP contains two TXT files | The chat candidate is ambiguous | Select the intended extracted chat TXT alone |
| 03/04/2026 could use two date orders | Both 3 April and 4 March fit | Confirm the order used by the source; do not guess from browser locale |
| Unsupported or mixed timestamp header | The record boundary cannot be parsed safely | Export a fresh file with supported numeric dates; retain the original |
| Partially supported | Some source structure or markers have limits | Read the Doctor's visible warnings and detailed evidence |
Supported is not the same as complete
After successful import, Chat Export Doctor keeps Supported or Partially supported visible. Expand Format details and source limitations to inspect wrapper, date order, year width, clock precision, recognized event types and ignored companion counts. Warnings about skipped preamble and unclassified markers remain important even when useful analysis is available.
Supported describes recognized structure, not proof that WhatsApp included your entire history. Compare the observed first and latest message dates with what you expected. Named months, translated AM/PM or a different wrapper may need verified parser support; changing a filename cannot add it.
Large or damaged files need a different input
Chat text is limited to 20 MiB and ZIP input to 1 GiB, with additional archive and record safety limits. A phone may still struggle below those ceilings. Try exporting without media to avoid unnecessary attachments; encrypted, multipart, ZIP64 or damaged ZIPs are not supported.
All inspection runs locally. If the issue persists, report the fixed error wording and non-identifying structural facts, such as numeric date order and whether brackets are present. Use a tiny invented record to demonstrate the shape. Never submit your private chat to a public issue or treat an unsupported marker as evidence of a recovered message.