Why the export file beats screenshots
Screenshots capture only what fits on a screen, often lose the year or exact time, and invite questions about what was left out. WhatsApp's Export Chat feature produces a text file with every message in the conversation, each with a date, time and sender, plus the attachments if you choose to include them.
Working from the complete export makes it easier to show context, answer the question 'what came before and after this message?', and keep a clear record of what you started with.
What goes into the Evidence Package
The free analysis shows you the message count, date range, participants, attachments, deleted, edited and media-omitted markers, and consistency checks flagged for review, along with a searchable transcript and a watermarked preview. If it looks right, the paid export ($19.99 per case, one-time) gives you a ZIP containing:
- A report PDF with cover, summary and methodology & limitations
- An integrity manifest with SHA-256 hashes of the source file, transcript and report
- A chronological transcript with Bates-style page stamps such as SMITH-000001
- A case timeline of messages you tagged (payment, threat, agreement, custody exchange and more) with page references
- An attachment index with a SHA-256 hash for each file
- A redaction log, chain-of-custody worksheet and an unsigned preparer declaration template
- Transcript CSV, timeline CSV, integrity-manifest.json and VERIFY.txt
Organization, authentication and admissibility are different things
Organizing messages means making them readable and easy to cite. Authentication is showing that the messages are what you say they are, which usually involves testimony or other supporting evidence. Admissibility is a decision the court makes under its own rules, which vary by jurisdiction.
ScanMyChat helps with the first and documents your process to support the second. It cannot prove who typed a message, cannot recover deleted messages, is not a forensic examination of the device, and is not legal advice.
Privacy by design
Your chat is parsed on your own device, in the browser, and is not uploaded. Redaction is non-destructive: phone numbers, emails, custom terms such as a child's name, and excluded message ranges are hidden in the derived report only. The original export stays untouched, and the manifest records that a redacted copy was made.
Frequently asked
Are WhatsApp messages admissible in court?
They often can be, but admissibility is decided by the court under the rules of your jurisdiction. A well-organized export with hashes and a clear process can help, but no tool can guarantee admission. Ask your attorney what your court expects.
Does ScanMyChat upload my chat?
No. The export is processed locally in your browser. Nothing from the chat is uploaded.
Can it recover messages the other person deleted?
No. It works only with what is in the export file. Deleted-message markers that WhatsApp includes are counted and shown, but the original content cannot be recovered.
What does one case cover?
One case is one WhatsApp export file, $19.99 one-time, with unlimited re-exports of that same file, so you can adjust tags or redactions later.
Related guides
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Evidence rules vary by jurisdiction — consult an attorney about your matter.