1

How to export chat / files history in Skype (2020)

In this short tutorial, I’ll be showing you how you can export chat or conversation / files history in Skype. Before, this option was available through the skype desktop app however it was updated to a more secure process which requires web-based request of files and chat history compared to app-based requests.

Skype Export Link:
https://secure.skype.com/en/data-export

Video Tutorial

How to read the .json files?

To extract the .tar file on Windows 10:

  1. Press the Windows + r keys on your keyboard to open the Run window. 
  2. In the Open: field, type cmd and then click OK.
  3. Use the “change directory” (CD) command to navigate to your file:
    • Files saved to your Downloads folder: Type CD Downloads and then presh Enter
    • Files saved to a location other than your downloads folder: Type CD DIRECTORY, replacing DIRECTORY with the folder name where your exported file was saved. (IE: CD Desktop),  and then press Enter
  4. Type tar -xvfYOURFILENAME_export.tar, replacing YOURFILENAME with the name of your exported file which usually follows the pattern 8_skypename_export.tar or 8_live_skypename_export.tar and then press Enter
  5. After the command completes, you will see your extracted messages file named messages.json file in the directory. We recommend downloading the file  viewer to make is easier to read your conversation history. 
  6. After downloading the viewer, open it by selecting the index.html file from the skype-parser folder. 
  7. Browse to the messages.json file and then click the Load button. 

To extract the .tar file on Mac
Browse to the .tar file you downloaded and open the file. Mac has built-in .tar support. 

Instructions source: Official Skype Support Articles