Below we explain how to best reproduce evidence in the form of Whatsapp.
Exporting
You can export Whatsapp conversations between you and another person, whether you are using an Android phone or an iPhone. On an Android phone, open the conversation in question and open the menu. The next step is to select More and then Export Chat. Then click Attach Media. Finally, choose how you want to save everything. You can save it to your phone or you can send the file to your e-mail so you can do the editing on your computer. Select “Do not resize” when the program asks if you want to resize the media.
If necessary, check YouTube
You can find examples by searching “Whatsapp export chat” on Youtube.
Large file restrictions
Part of the chat may not be saved if you choose “with media”. This can be the case if you have had a lot of chats with the person in question. You can easily see this by checking the result: Is it incomplete? Then, if it is important to include earlier chats as well, run the export again and choose the “without media” option.
Export Result
The outcome is a text file named “Whatsapp chat with xxx.txt” and other media files which you should store in a dedicated folder on your computer.
Identify the important parts.
You need to edit the export so it only includes important information for your case. Otherwise, the file may be too large, and your lawyer will have to do the editing. Open the text file and delete any irrelevant lines.
If you delete any lines, indicate it with the following symbol: (…). This is a way for others to be aware of the removal of one or more messages.
Delete media files you do not need
Remove all unnecessary media files from the folder and references to them that are not related to your case. This includes photos, audio, video, and PDF files. After removing these files, the task is complete.
Result
After editing, the text file will be smaller and contain only relevant information; if you have removed any lines, you will see an omission mark (…).
Send us the evidence
Send your lawyer all relevant files, including the text document, by saving and then sharing the computer folder. If you know how to compress files, you can use zip or tar.
