Chat Hoarding
Lifetime$99

Feature

.tarc, one file, lifetime archive

Bundles manifest, decrypted msgstore.db, an optional contacts.json (imported address book) and manual_contacts.json (your in-app renames), and the media folder, all inside a macOS package. Double-click to open. Survives the phone.

What's inside a .tarc

A macOS package bundle (Finder sees one icon, on disk it's a folder). Contents: manifest.json (version, createdAt ISO 8601, exporterVersion, platform, conversationCount); msgstore.db (the decrypted main message database, the only WhatsApp DB that lives in the user-accessible Crypt15 backup); contacts.json (optional — JSON the Mac app builds from the imported vCard/CSV address book); manual_contacts.json (optional — your in-app JID-to-name overrides); media/ (folder tree of images, videos, voice notes, documents).

Atomic write protocol

Chat Hoarding app never produces a half-written archive. The writer stages everything into a sibling .staging-<uuid> folder, writes all files, and atomically renames at the end. If the Mac crashes mid-write, you see no .tarc, not a corrupt one.

Why a custom format

A plain SQLite file would change every time WhatsApp updates its schema. A .tarc decouples your archive from WhatsApp's wire format: the manifest records the exporter version, and future Chat Hoarding versions can read every prior .tarc cleanly. Open formats; no vendor lock-in.

FAQ

  • Can I open a .tarc on Windows or Linux?

    Not yet; the renderer is Mac-only. The .tarc bundle itself is a regular folder once unzipped; the contents (manifest.json, msgstore.db) are open formats you can inspect with any SQLite browser.

  • How big does a .tarc get?

    About the size of the original backup minus 10-20% (compression of msgstore.db) plus the size of the media folder if included.

Used in

Other capabilities

Save your WhatsApp history forever.

$99 one-time. 2 Macs, revocable. 14-day refund.

Buy lifetime · $99
.tarc, one file, lifetime archive · Chat Hoarding