TXT is text; ZIP groups files
A TXT is a plain-text record produced by the export. A ZIP can hold that TXT together with supplied media. Neither extension tells you whether all relevant messages or attachments are present. A WhatsApp backup is a different kind of file, intended for a different workflow.
To inspect a ZIP, keep the original and extract a working copy into its own folder. Look for the conversation TXT and accompanying files. Avoid combining exports from different chats into one folder or ZIP: it becomes harder to tell which material belongs together. UnPack expects one identifiable chat per native import.
Read a message as a record
An exported message may contain a date, time, sender label and text. Formatting varies; a message can run across multiple lines, and not every new line starts a new message. System notices may describe changes to the conversation rather than words written by a participant.
Fictional illustration, not a format specification:
16/07/2026, 10:41 - Alex Example: Can you confirm Friday?
16/07/2026, 10:44 - Sam Example: Yes, Friday works.A name displayed in an export is a label in the supplied material, not independent proof of the sender’s identity. Be careful with ambiguous date formats. Do not silently change a date or time to fit an assumption about locale or time zone; retain the original and note what needs clarification.
An attachment reference is not the file
Text can refer to an image, audio clip or other attachment without containing its bytes. A filename or omitted-media notice does not allow a viewer to reconstruct that content. Compare references with the files actually supplied and keep unexplained gaps visible.
Keep reading separate from editing
Opening a working copy in a text editor can help you inspect it. Saving it again may change encoding, line endings or content, even if it looks similar. Preserve the original unchanged and avoid using a resaved copy as though it were the original export.
UnPack separates the imported source from its presentation. Date filtering, participant placement and partial number masking affect the displayed view; they do not make the source anonymous. For the export mechanism itself, see WhatsApp’s official guidance.