Convert CRYPT7 to HTML

An old WhatsApp Android backup may need conversion when its messages must be read in a browser, archived independently of WhatsApp, or printed. CRYPT7 is encrypted, so the matching WhatsApp key must be available before a desktop exporter can create an HTML transcript.

What the CRYPT7 format is

CRYPT7 is an obsolete encrypted WhatsApp database format used by older Android releases. A local backup is usually named msgstore.db.crypt7 or msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt7 and was commonly stored in /WhatsApp/Databases/. The underlying database is SQLite, but its contents cannot be read as ordinary SQLite until it is decrypted.

Decryption requires the key file belonging to the WhatsApp installation that created the backup. On older Android versions, WhatsApp stored that key in /data/data/com.whatsapp/files/; retrieving it commonly required authorized access to the original device or a complete backup made while that installation was available. A key from another phone, account installation, or backup does not normally work.

What the HTML format is

HTML is a text-based web-document format that browsers can open without WhatsApp. An exported conversation can be searched, printed, copied, and archived as a standalone page; attachments may be stored in a separate folder referenced by the page.

An export can preserve message text, sender names, timestamps, and basic conversation order. It does not reproduce WhatsApp's interface or database functions, and it may omit or simplify deleted messages, reactions, quoted-message formatting, contact details, media, voice notes, and other metadata. The resulting HTML is normally unencrypted and must be protected like the original conversation.

How to convert the backup

1. Make a copy of every relevant .crypt7 file and leave the original backup unchanged.
2. Obtain the matching key file through an authorized device or backup. Do not upload either file to an unknown service: together they expose private conversations.
3. Install a version of WhatsApp Viewer that explicitly supports CRYPT7. Use the project's legitimate distribution source and scan downloaded software before running it. WhatsApp Viewer is a desktop utility for decrypting and viewing legacy WhatsApp databases and exporting conversations.
4. In WhatsApp Viewer, use File → Open or the equivalent database-opening command, select the .crypt7 file, and provide the corresponding key when prompted. Some releases place this operation in a decrypt or database dialog rather than directly in the Open menu.
5. Choose the required conversation and use the export command, usually named File → Export chat or similar. Select HTML when the format list is shown.
6. Open the generated .html file in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or another browser. Keep any media directory beside the HTML file if the exporter creates one; moving it can break relative links to attachments.

There is no need to convert CRYPT7 to an intermediate “CRYPT” format. CRYPT7 is already a specific encrypted backup variant, and renaming its extension does not decrypt it.

Alternative when WhatsApp still has the chat

If the conversation can still be opened in an authorized WhatsApp installation, WhatsApp's More → Export chat command is safer than extracting an old database key. That function normally produces a text transcript, optionally with media, rather than HTML; the transcript can then be saved or converted locally to HTML. It does not recover chats that are available only in a CRYPT7 file.

Compatibility and conversion limits

CRYPT7 is obsolete, while later WhatsApp backups use newer CRYPT variants. A tool that supports only current backup formats will not necessarily open CRYPT7, so check the utility's supported versions before installation.

A missing, damaged, or mismatched key normally makes conversion impossible. Opening the file in a SQLite browser, changing .crypt7 to .db, or sending it to a generic online converter does not remove WhatsApp encryption.

Online conversion is generally unsuitable for this format: a service would need both the encrypted database and the private key, and reputable general-purpose services cannot be assumed to support CRYPT7 or protect chat contents. Use a local exporter instead, then inspect the HTML and attachment folder against the original backup.