BinderChat turns an exported WhatsApp conversation into a beautifully organized PDF memory book.
Your messages, dates, images, videos, documents, and voice-message references are preserved and
presented in an easy-to-read format.
Follow the steps below to export your conversation, transfer it to your Windows PC, and create your PDF book.
Watch the video guide
Prefer video? Follow the full walkthrough on YouTube, or use the step-by-step guide below.
Before you begin
Install BinderChat on your Windows PC.
Make sure you can access the WhatsApp conversation on your phone.
Export with media if you want the available photographs, videos, documents, and voice messages included.
Large conversations containing extensive media may take several minutes to export and process.
Do not extract the exported ZIP file before selecting it in BinderChat.
The phone screenshots below show an iPhone. WhatsApp may look slightly different on Android,
but look for Export chat in the conversation settings.
Step 1 of 12
1Export the WhatsApp conversation
Open WhatsApp on your phone and open the conversation you want to preserve. Open the contact or conversation information screen, scroll down, and select Export chat.
Select “Export chat” from the conversation information screen.
Note: WhatsApp exports one conversation at a time. You can later combine multiple exported backup files in BinderChat.
2Include the conversation’s media
Select Attach media if you want BinderChat to preserve the conversation’s available photographs, videos, documents, and voice messages. WhatsApp will prepare a ZIP archive containing the conversation and its exported media.
Select “Attach media” to include available media and attachments.
Note: Exporting with media creates a larger archive and may take longer. “Without media” exports the written conversation without media files.
3Save and transfer the archive
Choose a location on the phone and select Save. Transfer the saved ZIP archive to the Windows PC using OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud Drive, email, a USB cable, or another secure method.
Save the WhatsApp ZIP archive and transfer it to your Windows PC.
Important: Keep the ZIP archive intact. Do not extract it before importing it into BinderChat.
4Locate the archive on the PC
Locate the exported WhatsApp ZIP archive in Windows File Explorer. It may be stored beside BinderChat or in any convenient folder such as Documents or Downloads.
Locate the transferred WhatsApp ZIP archive in Windows File Explorer.
BinderChat and the backup do not need to be in the same folder; the screenshot shows one convenient arrangement.
5Select a backup in BinderChat
Open BinderChat and select Select backup under Source backups.
Select “Select backup” to choose your exported WhatsApp archive.
6Open the WhatsApp archive
Browse to the folder containing the exported conversation. Select the WhatsApp ZIP or RAR archive and select Open.
Select the exported WhatsApp backup archive and open it in BinderChat.
Combining several exports
BinderChat can combine multiple exported archives. After selecting the first archive, use Add backup for the others. BinderChat merges the available conversation history and avoids repeated messages from overlapping exports. Messages with different timestamps remain separate even when text looks similar.
7Choose PDF options
Select the language and options BinderChat should use when creating the PDF book.
Select the language, media, attachment, and output options for your book.
Option
Explanation
Language
Selects the language used when interpreting and formatting the conversation.
Use English labels
Uses English for generated labels such as Sender and Recipient.
Embed images and media in PDF
Places supported images and media references within the PDF presentation.
Include attachment inventory
Adds an organized inventory of exported attachments.
Open PDF when done
Opens the completed PDF automatically.
Ask for missing attachments
Prompts when an attachment referenced by the conversation cannot be located.
Auto find all missing
Searches automatically for missing files without a separate prompt for every file.
Separate PDF per conversation
Creates a PDF for each detected conversation/recipient, not for each input archive.
8Generate the PDF book
Confirm the backups, output location, language, and options. Select Generate PDF Book.
Select “Generate PDF Book” to begin creating your book.
BinderChat can assign an output name and location. Use Browse Output to choose a different folder or filename.
9Wait while BinderChat processes the conversation
BinderChat processes the messages and available attachments and displays its progress. Keep the application open. Large conversations may take several minutes.
The progress bar shows the PDF creation process.
Pause temporarily pauses processing; Stop cancels it. Status text identifies the current stage. Do not close the application while it is writing the PDF.
10Confirm completion
BinderChat displays a confirmation message when processing is complete. Select OK.
BinderChat confirms when the PDF memory book has been created successfully.
Keep the generated files together. If BinderChat creates a PDF, HTML report, and attachments folder, keep them in the same location. Images may appear in the PDF, while links to videos, voice messages, documents, or other files may rely on the attachments folder.
11Open the finished PDF book
Open the output folder in Windows File Explorer, locate the generated PDF, and double-click it.
Open the generated PDF from the selected output folder.
Do not move only the PDF away from related attachments and report files if external attachment links need to keep working.
12Review the preserved conversation
BinderChat presents the conversation chronologically in a clear, book-style layout. Depending on the export and options, the book can include messages, images, attachment information, and links to voice messages and other media.
The finished book preserves the conversation and provides access to available media and attachments.
Your WhatsApp PDF book is now ready to read, preserve, share, or print.
Some media is accessed through links to accompanying files rather than playable audio or video embedded in every PDF reader.
Frequently asked questions
Should I export with or without media?
Choose Attach media when you want photographs, videos, documents, and voice messages included. Choose without media for text only.
Can I combine several WhatsApp exports?
Yes. Select the first archive with Select backup, then use Add backup for additional archives. BinderChat merges overlapping history while keeping messages with different timestamps separate.
Should I extract the ZIP or RAR archive first?
No. Keep the exported archive intact and select it directly in BinderChat.
Why are some attachments outside the PDF?
Some videos, voice messages, and documents are linked from the PDF to files in the attachments folder rather than embedded inside the PDF itself.
Why should I keep the generated files together?
If BinderChat creates a PDF, HTML report, and attachments folder, links in the PDF may stop working if you move only the PDF away from the related files.
How long does processing take?
Small conversations finish quickly. Large conversations with extensive media may take several minutes. Keep BinderChat open until processing completes.
What does “Separate PDF per conversation” do?
It creates a PDF for each detected conversation or recipient, not one PDF per input archive file.
