Sunday, April 26, 2015

How to recover removed/deleted messages on Skype

Everyone knows by now that your Skype logs all calls, chats, SMSes, file transfers, documents,videos,voicemails, messages (if your 'save chat history' option inside the privacy setting is set to true). All this data is stored in a database file, called main.db, that can be accessed using a SQLite app/command line/browser editor if you are using a MacOS/ Windows. If you are using Linux, you can use the package manager to find and install the SQLite packages. I love playing with Linux Puppy, it's one of the fastest Linux OS, the easiest to install as a Virtual machine (it takes 5 minutes!!!), it's fun, user friendly and full with apps. Getting the SQLite in here it's easy; go to Menu->Setup->Puppy package manager and enter 'sqlite' inside the search box; click on the package you want to install and automatically you'll be asked if you want to install any dependencies.
The main.db is including all the messages excepting the removed ones. :) 
So... to recover the removed/deleted messages on Skype, you'll have to look somewhere else. It makes me smile every time when someone is deleting/removing messages on Skype, because there isn't such a thing as 'deleted' messages on Skype. 
Think twice before sending any message in there because once is sent, even deleted after, will be stored on everyone's hard-disk, included in that conversation.
In addition to the main database file, Skype is storing the messages on dat files and here you can find the removed/delete messages.
How to recover removed/deleted Skype messages on MacOS.
Go to Finder -> Go to folder->  Enter "~/Library/"->Application Support-> Skype-> select the folder with your username->chatsync->here are the dat files stored, in different subfolders. 

To get the right file you can check the date modified of the dat file and when ready, open the file in a text editor. VoilĂ ! :)
How to recover removed/deleted Skype messages on WindowsOS.
Go to C drive->Users->Your windows username->AppData->Roaming->Skype->your skype username-> rest of the steps are the same as above.
Have fun!