WhatsApp messages when someone dies

[purpleme12]

What happened to my WhatsApp chat if that person dies?
Will it disappear?!
I tried to save it but it only saved a year's worth

You can export the chat and save it as a document.

Sorry for your loss. I've heard after a certain length of time, due to the phone number being inactive, one day the chat may say "LovedOne has left the group" which can be very upsetting.

If you click on the 3 dots at the top right, there's an export option.

My friend passed away and we had a group chat with the three of us and we didn't have the heart to delete it. But one day it said 'X has left the group' and as another poster said it was to do with the number not being in use after a certain period has passed.

It was quite upsetting so be prepared for that.

Sorry for your loss.

Yes this happened to me.

Worse still, the chat got deleted somehow and that was painful.

Both were so upsetting, back it up if you need to.

I tried to export chat but it didn't go further back than 2022?
I'm worried the whole chat will go

I'm so sorry for your loss.

It would be very time consuming, but could you consider screenshotting the whole thing then printing in a photo book?

Can you get what's app for desk top and copy and paste it all into a word doc?

I wonder what would happen if that number was subsequently allocated to someone else.

Hadn't thought of this I will have a look at it

Double check before you do, when I have changed devices I have often lost some of the chat, usually the most recent messages if I remember rightly.

Maybe screenshot the chat so you always have a note of it. Sorry for your loss ❤️

It might be easier if you log into WhatsApp on a laptop, more straightforward to copy and paste the messages then.
I’m sorry for your loss

Op, do you mean a group chat or just 2 of you?

My son died Christmas 2020, all our chat is still there, going back to December 2018

I read it regularly, sometimes it's comforting other times not so much

Sorry for your loss. Have a look at Zapp Tales photo book maker for what’s app.

This sounds positive (about the chat, not about your son obviously) .

I'm sorry to hear about your son 😢

Thank you for the lovely messages. He has not died yet but he has advanced cancer and it's palliative and it will happen. And it's been fast.

Thank you so much. My friend died 6 months ago and this hadn’t occurred to me. I’ve just saved our chat to files. I’d have been devastated if they’d just vanished

@purpleme12 Like so many other posters this prompted me to save my chat with my Dad who I lost recently. Similar to what you are going through by your update. Sending a hand hold to you.

Onto the WhatsApp, first I exported with media and it only did 2022 like you said. Then I tried without and it went right back to the start but of course any photos we sent are missing but I have the messages. Hope this helps xx

My mum died just over 4 years ago. All my WhatsApp messages with her are still there in their entirety

It is hard when the number leaves a group. Not sure if it's possible for you but when my brother died last year,his wife kept his phone and number and will give it to his son in a few years. I'm pleased as I was dreading his number being reassigned and seeing his WhatsApp picture change.

Whatsapp's policy isn't entirely clear on this, but the chats might remain unless the account is deleted.
Saving important conversations and media externally is a good idea to ensure lasting memories.

I had my mums EE number turned to a PAYG as I don't want no body to be reassigned it.
I haven't yet brought myself to go through our WhatsApp chats, we used to send eachother some funny stuff but the photo app someone has linked above looks like a nice thing to gift yourself, 🤗

Reported silly hacker/spammer guy above, seriously what is wrong with folk. 🙄

I know it's been a while since there's been a new post here, but I wanted to say that I really enjoyed www.memorialize-chat.com/

Maybe something to consider.