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WhatsApp chat to PDF for court

If a WhatsApp conversation matters to your case, the judge needs to read it, find the messages people refer to, and trust nothing was missed. A numbered PDF made from the chat export does all three. Screenshots usually do none.

Why not screenshots

Screenshots of a long thread pile up quickly: one family barrister wrote that screenshotting long threads “increases page count, is difficult to follow and often features duplication or missed bits”. They also cut off dates, depend on the phone’s display, and invite arguments about what was scrolled past.

WhatsApp’s own Export chat feature writes out every message with its date, time and sender. That’s a much better starting point. The problem is that the raw export is a wall of text with no page numbers, no structure and dates in whatever format the phone used. Here’s how to export a chat.

What makes a message exhibit easy to use

Court bundle rules vary between courts and change over time, so check the current practice direction and any directions in your case. These are the things they, and judges, commonly ask for:

Page numbers that match the PDF. In an electronic bundle, page 14 should be the 14th page of the PDF. ChatBundle prints “Page X of Y” on every page.
A way to refer to individual messages. Every message gets a number, so a witness statement can say “message #1,204 on 3 March 2025” and everyone finds the same line.
A clear index. The cover sheet has a contents list, and the PDF has bookmarks for the cover sheet, each month of messages, the media index and the verification page.
Text you can search. The PDF is real text, not pictures of text, so it can be searched and copied.
A4, portrait, readable type. No tiny print and no sideways pages.
Only what’s relevant, honestly. If you filter to certain dates or people, the PDF says so on the cover and marks each gap, for example “Messages 412–431 not included”.

What ChatBundle puts in the PDF

Cover sheet	Your title and exhibit reference, the export’s file name, size and SHA-256 fingerprint, the date range and people included, message counts and a contents list.
Messages	Grouped by day, each with its number, time and sender. Notices such as missed calls are marked as WhatsApp notices. Images can be shown under the message they came with.
Media index	Every attachment with its reference (M1, M2…), the message it belongs to, its type, size and its own SHA-256.
Verification	The full fingerprint and how to check it on Windows, Mac or Linux.

Your chat isn’t uploaded

Most online converters ask you to upload the chat to their servers. For a private conversation in a family or employment dispute, that’s a real risk. ChatBundle does everything in your browser: the export is read and the PDF is made on your own device, and the page’s security policy stops it sending your chat anywhere.

Step by step

Export the chat from WhatsApp, with media if attachments matter.
Open ChatBundle and drop the file on the page.
Add a title and exhibit reference (for example “Exhibit SC/1”), choose the dates and people, and check the preview.
Download the PDF. Keep the original export file safe, too.

Questions

Will the court accept a ChatBundle PDF?

Nobody can promise that: it depends on the court, the judge and the directions in your case. ChatBundle gives you a clear, numbered, paginated document made from the export, with the export’s fingerprint, which is what you’d want to show. Follow any directions you’ve been given about evidence and bundles.

Should I include the whole chat or just the important messages?

Courts generally want relevant material, not everything. ChatBundle lets you choose dates and people, and keeps the original message numbers so it’s clear what was left out. If you’re unsure what to include, ask a solicitor, or Support Through Court if you’re representing yourself.

Can the other side check it?

Yes. The cover sheet names the export file and its SHA-256 fingerprint, and the last page explains how to check it. Message numbers match the order in the export, so the other side can find each message in their own copy.

What about voice notes and videos?

They can’t go on paper, so ChatBundle lists each one in the media index with its file name, size and fingerprint. Images can be shown in place.

Make the PDF now. Drop your export on ChatBundle, check the free preview of every message, then download a numbered PDF with a cover sheet, media index and fingerprint. Nothing is uploaded.

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Last updated 25 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice.