Step-by-Step Tutorial

How to Convert Chat Exports to PDF

A complete guide to exporting your chat history and converting it to a clean, timestamped PDF document — for Telegram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Discord, Signal, Gmail, and more. Zero uploads. Zero tracking. 100% free.

 ·  Written by the CHATS2PDF Team

The 4-Step Process: Export, Upload, Convert, Download

Every converter on CHATS2PDF follows the same simple workflow. Once you learn it for one platform, you know it for all of them.

Step 1 — Export Your Chat From the App

Every platform has a built-in data export function. You need to use the official export — CHATS2PDF validates the file format against the real export structure.

  • Telegram: Desktop → Settings → Advanced → Export Telegram Data
  • WhatsApp: Chat → ⋮ More → Export Chat → Without Media
  • Messenger: Facebook → Settings → Your Information → Download Your Data
  • Gmail: takeout.google.com → select Mail → .mbox format
  • Discord: Settings → Privacy & Safety → Request all of my Data
All Platform Export Guides →
Step 2 — Select the Correct Converter Tool

CHATS2PDF has a dedicated converter for each platform because every app exports data differently. Using the right tool ensures your messages are parsed correctly.

Jump directly to the tool you need:

Telegram WhatsApp Messenger Instagram Discord Signal Gmail All 24 →
Step 3 — Upload and Process Locally

Drag and drop (or click to browse) your export file into the tool. The moment you click Generate PDF, the file is read and parsed entirely inside your browser using JavaScript.

Your file is never sent to any server. The Content Security Policy header blocks all outbound connections — technically impossible for your data to leave.

⚡ Processing speed depends on file size. A 10,000-message Telegram export typically takes under 3 seconds.
Step 4 — Download Your Timestamped PDF

Your PDF auto-downloads the moment it's ready. It includes:

  • Sender names and timestamps on every message
  • Chronological ordering (oldest to newest)
  • Multi-page support for large exports
  • Clean, readable Helvetica typography
  • A generation timestamp on the cover

The PDF is yours to print, share, archive, or submit — no watermarks, no branding, no restrictions.

Video Tutorial: Converting a WhatsApp Chat to PDF

Watch this 2-minute walkthrough showing the full process from exporting a WhatsApp chat to downloading the finished PDF document.

Video Tutorial Coming Soon

A step-by-step walkthrough of converting a WhatsApp TXT export to PDF using CHATS2PDF.

Try It Now Instead →

Prefer text? Read the full platform export guide or jump to any tool page for platform-specific instructions.

Privacy-First Design: How CHATS2PDF Keeps Your Messages Safe

Unlike online PDF converters that upload your files to a cloud server, CHATS2PDF uses a browser-local architecture that makes data leakage technically impossible.

No server uploadsThe Content Security Policy header sets connect-src: 'none' — outbound connections are blocked at the browser level.
No cookies or trackingNo analytics, no session storage beyond autosave, no advertising scripts. Nothing that identifies or follows you.
No account requiredStart converting immediately without creating an account, verifying an email, or agreeing to a data sharing agreement.
Web Worker isolationLarge files (like Gmail MBOX) are parsed in a Web Worker thread — isolated from the main page for added memory safety.
Privacy Policy & Disclaimer → Privacy FAQ →

Supported Chat Export Formats

CHATS2PDF validates every uploaded file against the expected format for that platform. Non-standard or renamed files may be flagged with a warning.

JSONTelegram, Messenger, Instagram, Discord, Snapchat, Douyin exports. The richest format — includes timestamps, sender data, and message metadata.
TXTWhatsApp, Signal, iMessage, WeChat exports. Plain text transcripts with embedded timestamps.
MBOXGmail export via Google Takeout. Parses email subjects, senders, dates, and body text from multi-email archives.
ZIPWhatsApp full exports, Discord data packages, archive bundles. ZIP contents are extracted and processed locally.
HTMLTelegram, Messenger, Instagram, WeChat HTML exports. Tags are stripped and readable text is extracted for the PDF.
PNG / JPG / WEBPScreenshot to PDF tool. Multiple image files are sorted by filename and listed in the PDF output.
Choose Your Platform and Convert →