Recover exported conversation files — whether a WhatsApp .zip archive, a Telegram JSON export, or an iMessage .db dump — is possible through two main paths: re-exporting directly from the app if the chat still exists, or recovering the deleted file from your storage drive. Understanding which path applies to your situation is the first decision you need to make before taking any action.
Part 1. The First Decision: Re-Export or Recover the File?
Before attempting file recovery, check whether the original chat data is still accessible inside the app. If it is, re-exporting takes seconds and produces a clean, complete archive without any data loss risk.
Use the decision framework below to choose your path.
| Situation | Recommended Action |
|---|---|
| Chat still exists in the app | Re-export directly from the app |
| Export file deleted, chat still in app | Re-export — fastest and safest option |
| Export file deleted, chat deleted from app | Recover the export file from disk |
| Export file on a formatted or lost drive | Use file recovery software on the drive |
| Export file on a crashed phone | Extract via backup or recovery tool |
💡 Tip: Always try re-export first. It is faster, free, and produces a complete file without the uncertainty of drive-level recovery.
Part 2. How to Re-Export Chats from WhatsApp, Telegram, and iMessage
- Open WhatsApp on your phone and navigate to the individual chat or group you want to export.
- Tap the contact or group name at the top → scroll to Export Chat.
- Choose Without Media (text only, smaller file) or Include Media (attachments included, larger file).
- WhatsApp generates a
.zipfile containing a.txttranscript and any media files if selected. - Share the
.zipto your email, cloud storage, or computer via the system share sheet.
💡 Tip: WhatsApp limits media exports to the most recent 10,000 messages with media or 40,000 messages without media per chat. For very long chats, consider multiple exports covering different time ranges if you need a full archive.
Telegram
- Open Telegram Desktop on your computer (mobile does not support export).
- Click the hamburger menu (three lines, top-left) → Settings → Advanced → Export Telegram Data.
- Select the chats and data types you want (messages, photos, videos, files, voice messages).
- Choose output format: JSON (machine-readable, best for programmatic use) or HTML (human-readable, opens in a browser).
- Set a size limit and click Export. Telegram downloads the archive to a folder on your computer.
🗣️ A developer on r/Telegram noted: "The HTML export is surprisingly well-formatted — I opened a five-year-old group chat in a browser and everything was there, timestamps, reactions, the lot."
iMessage
iMessage does not have a built-in one-click export. Your options depend on the device:
- Mac: Messages are stored in
~/Library/Messages/chat.db(SQLite format). You can copy this file directly or use a tool like iExplorer to export chats to readable formats. - iPhone backup: Create an iTunes/Finder local backup (unencrypted), then use a third-party tool such as iMazing to extract the
chat.dbor export conversations to PDF/CSV. - iPhone: There is no native export option; screenshots or third-party apps like AnyToDMG are workarounds.
⚠️ Warning: Do not enable an encrypted iTunes backup if you have not done so before, just to try to export. Encryption changes the backup key and can lock you out of previously unencrypted backups. Use an existing unencrypted backup instead.
Part 3. Understanding Export File Formats
Knowing what your export file contains helps you verify it is intact after recovery and helps you choose the right recovery approach if the file is deleted.
| Platform | Export Format | Typical File Size | Contents |
|---|---|---|---|
.zip (contains .txt + media folder) | 1 MB – several GB | Text transcript, images, videos, voice notes | |
| Telegram | .json or .html + files/ folder | A few MB – tens of GB | Messages, stickers, attachments, poll data |
| iMessage (Mac) | chat.db (SQLite) | 100 MB – 1+ GB | All iMessage/SMS threads on the device |
| iMessage (backup) | iTunes .mbdb/Manifest.db | Varies | Encrypted or unencrypted full device backup |
🗣️ A user on r/DataRecovery described their situation: "I had carefully exported my WhatsApp archive before switching phones, saved the zip to my desktop, and then accidentally emptied Trash. I didn't realize until I was already on the new phone and the old one was wiped."
Part 4. Recovering a Deleted Export File from Your Drive
If the export file has been deleted and you cannot re-export (for example, the app account is gone or the phone is wiped), you need to recover the file from the drive where it was stored.
How file deletion works
When you delete a file, the operating system removes its directory entry but does not immediately overwrite the file's data on disk. The space is marked as available for reuse. Recovery is possible as long as new data has not been written over those sectors.
Steps to recover a deleted export file
- Stop using the drive immediately. Do not save new files, install apps, or even browse the web if the export was on your system drive. Every write operation reduces the chance of recovery.
- Identify where the export was saved. Common locations: Desktop, Downloads folder, Documents, iCloud Drive, Google Drive local folder, an external USB drive.
- Run file recovery software on that drive. Point the tool at the volume where the export was stored, scan for deleted files, filter by file type (
.zip,.json,.db), and restore found files to a different drive. - Verify the recovered file. For a
.zip, try to open it or run a CRC check. For.json, open it in a text editor and check that the JSON structure is valid. Forchat.db, open it in an SQLite viewer.
Recovery success factors
| Factor | Impact on Recovery |
|---|---|
| Time since deletion | Shorter = higher chance of success |
| Drive type (HDD vs SSD) | HDD: better chance; SSD: TRIM may erase sectors quickly |
| How much was written since deletion | Less written = better chance |
| File size | Larger files span more sectors, higher risk of partial overwrite |
| File system (NTFS, APFS, ext4) | Affects how metadata is stored; NTFS and APFS both support recovery |
Part 5. Recover Deleted Export Files with Ritridata
Ritridata is a data recovery application for Windows and macOS that can scan drives for deleted files including .zip archives, .json files, and SQLite .db databases — the exact formats used by WhatsApp, Telegram, and iMessage exports.
How to use Ritridata to recover a deleted conversation export:
- Download and install Ritridata on a drive that is different from the one you are recovering from. Installing on the same drive risks overwriting the deleted file.
- Launch Ritridata and select the drive or partition where the export file was located.
- Run a Deep Scan to search for recoverable files, including those whose directory entries have been removed.
- When the scan completes, filter results by file type: search for
.zip,.json, or.dbto locate your export file. - Preview the file if possible to confirm it is the correct archive.
- Select the file and click Recover. Save the recovered file to a different drive — never recover to the same drive you are scanning.
💡 Tip: If Ritridata finds a partial
.zipfile, try to extract it anyway. ZIP archives store each file entry independently, so even a partially overwritten archive may still contain recoverable individual message files or media attachments.
Ritridata supports recovery from internal hard drives, SSDs, USB flash drives, SD cards, and external drives — covering all the common locations where exported conversation files are saved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover a WhatsApp export if I already reinstalled the app? Yes, reinstalling WhatsApp does not affect files already exported to your phone's storage or computer. If you exported the .zip and then deleted it from your computer, use file recovery software on that drive. If the export was never made, you may still be able to re-export from the app if the chat history was restored after reinstall.
What happens to my Telegram export if I delete the Telegram account? The export file already saved to your computer is unaffected — it is a local copy. However, you cannot re-export after account deletion because the server-side messages are deleted. Protect any existing export files immediately if you plan to close your account.
Is a WhatsApp .zip export the same as a WhatsApp backup? No. A WhatsApp export is a human-readable text file plus media, created manually per chat. A WhatsApp backup (stored in Google Drive or iCloud) is an encrypted full-database backup of all chats. They serve different purposes and are stored in different locations.
Can Ritridata recover a .json export from an SSD? It depends on whether the SSD's TRIM function has already zeroed the sectors. On a Windows system with TRIM enabled, deleted files on an SSD may be unrecoverable within minutes. On macOS, APFS with TRIM is similarly aggressive. Scanning immediately after deletion gives the best chance.
My iMessage chat.db is corrupted after copying. Can it be repaired? SQLite databases can sometimes be repaired using the SQLite command-line tool with .recover mode. Run sqlite3 recovered.db ".recover" | sqlite3 new.db to extract as much data as possible from a corrupted database. For severe corruption, a data recovery tool may be able to extract an older version of the file from disk.
Does re-exporting a Telegram chat again produce the same file? Telegram re-exports will contain the same messages but the file may differ slightly in metadata or formatting. The content — text, timestamps, attachments — will be identical. If you need the export for legal or archival purposes, keep the original and do not rely on re-export as a substitute.
Can I export iMessage chats directly on iPhone without a computer? Not natively. iPhone has no built-in iMessage export feature. You need either a Mac (to access chat.db) or a third-party tool that reads an iTunes backup. Some apps on the App Store claim to export messages, but they typically use screenshots or share-sheet workarounds rather than direct database access.
References
- WhatsApp Help Center — How to export your chat history
- Telegram — How to export Telegram data
- Apple Support — Back up your iPhone
- SQLite Documentation — The recover virtual table