If a conversation might matter later (a dispute with a landlord, a client who won't pay, harassment, a custody case), preserve it properly before anything gets deleted. This is general information, not legal advice; rules differ by country, so check with a lawyer.
What to keep
- The phone itself with the original chat. Don't delete it or the messages.
- The original export file (.txt or .zip) from WhatsApp's Export chat. Keep a copy somewhere safe and don't edit it.
- A readable PDF of the export, so a lawyer or judge can read the conversation in order with dates, times and names.
Why not just screenshots?
Screenshots are easy to crop and hard to read in sequence, and they skip context. A full export shows every message with its timestamp, and a PDF made from it is easier to review, print and attach.
Make the PDF verifiable
Charlario prints a SHA-256 fingerprint of the original export file on the cover page. If anyone questions the PDF, the same export file run through any SHA-256 tool gives the same fingerprint, which shows the PDF came from that file.
Extra steps people take
- A notarial certification of the phone's content (in many Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, an acta notarial or ata notarial).
- Keeping a second copy of the export by email to yourself, so it has a date stamp.
- Exporting with media if photos, voice notes or documents are relevant.