How to Download Skype Chat History before It's Gone?

Skype has been a main way you communicate, but it's changing and will close by May as Microsoft focuses on services like Teams. These changes mean your chat history might become hard to reach.

If you're among those struggling to recover your history, this guide offers official steps, third-party help, and suggestions for other apps to use instead of Skype. Let's get started.

Method 1. Using Skype's Official Data Exporter

What You Need to Know before You Start

Here's what you need to know before exporting your Skype chat history.

Steps to Export and Download Skype Chat History?

1. Go to the Skype Export Page and sign in with your Microsoft account.

2. Select what you want to export:

• Messages (includes chats, SMS, polls, calls, and shared locations).
• Files (includes photos, videos, voicemails, and call recordings).
• Or select both.

3. Click 'Submit request' and confirm by clicking 'Continue.'

4. For status updates, you can check the 'Available Exports' section, as the processing time can take hours or days.

5. When your files/messages are available for export, click on the downloading link to 'Download' your files/messages.

Note: The data will be downloaded in a .tar file, and you have to open it with the help of an archive extraction application.

For Windows users

1. Open 7-Zip File Manager, find the .tar file you just downloaded, and click 'Extract'.

2. Select the path where you want to extract the files and click 'OK'.

3. Next, visit and download the official Microsoft Skype parser (viewer).

4. Repeat the steps from Step 1 to extract the Skype parser .tar file to your desired location.

5. Double-click the extracted 'Skype parser' folder and then double-click the 'index' file (this will likely open in your web browser).

6. In the parser page, click 'Choose File' and open the Skype data folder you extracted in the first steps.

7. Select the 'messages.json' file inside the data folder and click 'Load'.

8. Now, click on any contact in the list on the left to view their entire chat history on the right.

For Mac users

Mac has built-in .tar support. You can just go to the folder where you exported the Skype data, unzip it, and then load it from Skype Parser.

Why the Official Method Might Not Be Enough?

The official exporting method does work, but it might not be enough because;

1. Processing time is slow, you have to wait for days or even months.
2. If you are a Windows user, then extracting and reading .json files can be a bit confusing.
3. As Skype services are being retired, you can encounter server-related issues during the export process.  
4. Exported data might be partial, especially if you are exporting old data or conversations are not synced.

If you want to recover Skype chat history from years ago (even from before Skype moved most of its services to the cloud), you can use a third-party tool, Skyperious.

Method 2: Using Skyperious for Older Chat History

What is Skyperious?

Skyperious is a free, open-source tool that lets you view your local Skype chat history. It's made for older versions of Skype where chats were saved directly on your device in a file called main.db, instead of in the cloud.

With Skyperious, you can open these old files to browse, search, and export all your past messages.

How to Use Skyperious?

1. Download and install Skyperious on your device.

2. Once downloaded and opened, Skyperious will automatically detect Skype databases by scanning your directories.

3. You can manually choose and add the folder or file where your older Skype data is stored, like main.db.

4. You can now open this file for reading, searching, and exporting your history.

5. If you want to look for specific messages, use 'from: john' or for a specific chat, use 'chat:familygroup'.

6. You can also find messages from a certain date through 'date:2014'.

7. For a date range, use 'date:2009..2014-06'.

8. You can also search using wildcards (*), exact phrases, or specific words.

9. Using Skyperious, you can log into the Skype online service, download and save new messages into the local database file so you can easily update your history.

10. You can also export your chats as an HTML file, which can include shared images.

11. If you don't want to automatically download shared images with messages, you can turn this off by going to File > Advanced Options > SharedImageAutoDownload.

What Will Happen When Skype Shuts Down?

Skype is changing as Microsoft encourages users to move to Teams. While Skype isn't shutting down completely in May 2025, important legacy features are being removed.

After May 2025, you won't be able to export chat history or access older conversations. Microsoft's official advice is to back up your data now, as future focus and updates will be on Teams, not Skype.

4 Best Skype Alternatives You Can Try

You can also look at these four solid alternatives that offer reliable communication tools in place of Skype

Final Words

The days are numbered for some Skype features, so export your Skype message history before they are gone. Use the official tool, or Skyperious if you have much older chats. When you're ready to move on from Skype, consider solid alternatives like WhatsApp, Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom. Secure your data and try a new platform.

FAQs about Skype Chat History

How long is the Skype data file available after submitting a request?

Maverick

The file will be available for only 30 days after Microsoft sends you the download email with a link.

Can I export all my previous chat history on Skype?

Maverick

You can export chat history either on Skype servers or your local device, but older data may be missing if it was not synced.

3.What if I can't access old Skype messages from a specific date range?

Maverick

Chances are that those old messages might be deleted, not synced, or stored locally. You can use Skyperious if you suspect the messages exist on your computer.