How to Search Whatsapp Chats by Date

What to know

WhatsApp now lets you search conversations by date.
To search a conversation by date, tap on the contact > search > calendar icon > select date.
The search-by-date feature is available on Android, iOS, and WhatsApp for Web.

Trying to find something in a WhatsApp conversation can feel like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay. Although WhatsApp does let you search within the chat, sometimes the hits are so many that one would rather give up altogether. Thankfully, WhatsApp now has a ‘search by date’ feature that will let you narrow your search down. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

How to search WhatsApp Chats by date

Currently, the search by date function on WhatsApp is available on the smartphone app and WhatsApp for web only.

On WhatsApp app for Android and iOS

Follow the steps given below to start searching your WhatsApp conversations by date:

Open a chat. This could be a personal or group chat. Then tap on the contact or the group name and tap on Search.
Alternatively, tap on the three-dot icon in the top right corner and select Search.
Tap on the calendar icon to the right of the search field. Select the date to access the conversation that took place on that date, and tap OK.
And just like that, your chat will slide back to the conversations of that day.

Note that if no conversations took place on your selected date, the chat screen will slide back to the date closest to it when the conversation took place.

On WhatsApp for Web

You can also search WhatsApp chats by date on web.whatsapp.com. Here’s how:

Open web.whatsapp.com on a browser and link your device.
Select a chat and then click on the Search icon (magnifying glass) at the top.
Now click on the ‘Calendar’ icon.
Select your date.
And you’ll be directed to the conversations that took place on that date.

Apart from searching WhatsApp conversations by date, you can also look for media, links, and docs from the contact view itself.

FAQ

Let’s consider a few commonly asked questions about searching WhatsApp chats by date.

Can I search WhatsApp chats by date on the WhatsApp app for desktop?

Unfortunately, the search-by-date function doesn’t work on the WhatsApp app for the desktop. However, we can expect the same to receive an update soon that unlocks this feature.