Can WhatsApp messages be used as evidence in court?
It depends on your country, the court and the case, and only a lawyer can tell you about yours. This page is general information, not legal advice. It explains how to keep a complete, readable copy of a chat, so you have something clear to show your lawyer.
What it depends on
The court or tribunal decides whether to accept messages, and the rules differ between countries and between kinds of case, such as family, employment or criminal matters. The questions that tend to come up are who wrote the messages, whether the copy is complete and whether anything has been changed.
Screenshots or a chat export
A screenshot shows only what fits on the screen, and it is easy to crop. A chat export from WhatsApp gives you the whole conversation in one file, with the date and time of each message. Ask your lawyer which one your case needs. You can keep both.
How to keep a copy of the chat
- Keep the original. Don't delete the chat or change phone before you have spoken to your lawyer.
- Export the chat from WhatsApp. On iPhone, tap the chat name and then Export chat. On Android, tap ⋮, More and Export chat. Choose With all media or Include media to keep the photos. Here is the guide with pictures.
- Save the export file somewhere safe and leave it unchanged.
- Open Amberword and choose the file. In the Records style every message is numbered, times show the time zone and the cover shows a fingerprint (SHA-256) of the export file.
- Download the PDF and keep it with the original export file.
How to submit the messages
The procedure and the format depend on the court, so ask your lawyer, or the court's own staff if you have no lawyer. A numbered PDF makes it easy to point to a specific message, for example "message 214".
What the PDF cannot do
Amberword does not certify authenticity. The PDF is a readable copy of your export, and it does not prove who wrote the messages or that they are genuine. It also cannot bring back deleted messages: an export contains only what is still in the chat on your phone.
Your chat stays on your device
Chats like these are often private. Your browser opens the file and makes the PDF, so your messages never reach our servers. You can check the result in the free preview first. The Records style is part of the complete PDF, which costs $9 per chat, paid once.