Privacy Policy
The short version: WA Rich Export reads the chat you have open and writes a file to your own disk. It does not have a server, and it does not send your messages, media, or contacts to anyone - including its own developer.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does the extension operate a server? | No |
| Is any message, media, or contact data transmitted off your device by the extension? | No |
| Does it use analytics, telemetry, or crash reporting? | No |
| Does it sell or share data with third parties? | No |
| Does it store anything locally on your device? | Yes - UI preferences only, see below |
| Can the developer see your chats? | No |
Scope
This policy covers the WA Rich Export browser extension for Chrome and Microsoft Edge. It does not cover WhatsApp Web itself, or WhatsApp LLC / Meta’s own handling of your messages - see WhatsApp’s own privacy policy for that. This extension is an independent project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with WhatsApp or Meta.
What it can see
The extension’s code only runs on pages under web.whatsapp.com - that’s the only site it’s granted access to. On that page, it reads the chat you currently have open directly from WhatsApp Web’s own in-memory data layer (the same decrypted data already available to the page you’re looking at). It does not read other browser tabs, other websites, your file system, or any chat you haven’t opened.
Where an export goes
When you click Export chat:
- Messages are structured into a JSON timeline, in your browser’s memory.
- Media is downloaded (see below) and held in memory alongside it.
- Everything is packaged into a
.zipfile using your browser’s normal file-download mechanism.
At no point does this data pass through a server operated by this extension’s developer - there isn’t one. The only network activity involved is WhatsApp Web’s own traffic to WhatsApp’s servers, which happens regardless of whether this extension is installed.
Media & WhatsApp’s servers
Stickers, images, documents, and voice notes are fetched using WhatsApp Web’s own built-in media-download functions - the identical request the page would make if you clicked to view that media yourself. This extension does not introduce a new destination for that traffic; it only triggers a function that was already part of the page.
Permissions, explained
| Permission | Why it’s requested |
|---|---|
host_permissions: | Required so the extension’s scripts can run on WhatsApp Web at all. It is not granted access to any other site. |
That’s the only permission WA Rich Export requests. It does not ask for browsing history, bookmarks, other tabs, downloads-folder access, or general network access.
Local preferences
The export panel remembers a handful of interface preferences - its position on screen, whether it’s minimized, your last-chosen history depth, and whether the info hint is expanded. These are saved using your browser’s standard localStorage, scoped only to the web.whatsapp.com origin. They never leave your device, are never read by anyone but this extension, and are cleared automatically if you clear that site’s browsing data.
Third parties
WA Rich Export does not integrate any third-party analytics, advertising, or crash-reporting service. It loads no remote scripts. The only third-party code it ships is a bundled copy of JSZip (used entirely offline, in your browser, to build the archive) - nothing from it is transmitted anywhere.
Children’s privacy
WA Rich Export is a general-purpose utility and is not directed at children. It does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone, of any age - see the sections above for exactly what it does and doesn’t do with the data it can see.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, the update will appear on this page with a revised “last updated” date above. Meaningful changes will also be noted in the extension’s release notes.
Contact
Questions about this policy or how the extension handles data can be sent to support@example.com. (Replace this address with your own contact before submitting to either store.)