Skype Chat Migration to Microsoft Teams

Microsoft has officially confirmed that Skype will be discontinued, leading many users and IT administrators to seek ways to migrate Skype chat history to Microsoft Teams. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not provided a direct migration tool, meaning users must export and manually transfer their chat history.

This guide explains technical details, migration options, and workarounds for preserving Skype chat history in Microsoft Teams.

1️⃣Understanding Skype's Chat Storage Model

🔹 How Skype Stores Chat History

Cloud-Based Storage (Newer Chats)

Recent Skype chats (from 2017 onward) are stored in the Skype cloud, allowing seamless access across devices.

These messages are synced automatically but cannot be directly moved to Microsoft Teams.

Local Database Storage (Older Chats)

Skype versions before 2017 stored messages locally in a main.db SQLite database file (for Windows and macOS).

This file contains all past messages, including timestamps and sender information.

These messages do not sync with Microsoft’s cloud and must be extracted manually.

2️⃣ Exporting Skype Chats: Step-by-Step Process

To preserve chat history before Skype is shut down, Microsoft allows manual export of chat data.

🔹 Export Skype Chat History from the Cloud

✅ For users with cloud-stored messages:

Go to Skype's Data Export Tool → https://secure.skype.com/en/data-export

Select "Conversations" (to export text messages) and optionally "Files" (for shared attachments).

Click Submit request.

Once processed (within 24 hours), download the JSON file containing your chat history.

🔹 Extract Skype Chats from Local Database (For Older Chats)

✅ For users with local chat history stored in main.db (Windows/macOS):

Navigate to:

Windows: C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Roaming\Skype\YourSkypeID\main.db

Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Skype/YourSkypeID/main.db

Open the file using an SQLite database viewer (e.g., DB Browser for SQLite).

Run the SQL query:

SELECT timestamp, author, body_xml FROM Messages ORDER BY timestamp ASC;

Export results as CSV or TXT for further processing.

3️⃣Migrating Skype Chats to Microsoft Teams

Since Microsoft Teams does not natively support Skype chat import, users must rely on manual methods for data retention.

🔹 Method 1: Converting JSON to Readable Format

Since exported Skype chats are in JSON format, they must be converted before use:

Use a JSON to CSV converter (e.g., https://json-csv.com/).

Save the CSV file for easy viewing in Excel or Google Sheets.

Optionally, format it for easier readability before uploading to Teams.

🔹 Method 2: Uploading Chat History to Teams (Manual Process)

Once you have extracted your chat history, you can store it in Teams for reference:

✅ For Personal Users

Copy & paste important chats into a private Microsoft Teams chat.

Store the converted chat file in OneDrive for easy access.

✅ For Business/Enterprise Users

Upload chat history to a Teams Channel (via SharePoint integration) for team-wide access.

Store archived messages in Microsoft OneDrive or SharePoint with proper access permissions.

🔹 Method 3: Custom API-Based Migration (For Advanced Users)

While Microsoft does not offer an official Skype-to-Teams migration API, developers can attempt a custom migration:

Use Power Automate to extract chat logs and send messages to Teams.

Leverage Microsoft Graph API to programmatically insert chat data into Teams.

Implement Azure Logic Apps for automated chat processing.

4️⃣IT Admin Recommendations for Business Migration

For IT administrators managing a Skype-to-Teams transition, the following best practices apply:

🔹 Enable Teams Messaging

Ensure all employees have access to Microsoft Teams for chat and calling.

Disable Skype for Business (if still active) in Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

🔹 Migrate Skype Contact Lists

Export Skype contacts as a CSV file and manually add them to Teams.

Encourage users to re-establish important connections within Teams.

🔹 Compliance & Data Retention Policies

Review Microsoft 365 compliance settings for chat retention policies.

Archive Skype data in SharePoint Online or Microsoft Purview for long-term access.

5️⃣Will Microsoft Introduce an Official Migration Tool?

🔍 As of now, Microsoft has not announced an automatic migration tool for moving Skype chats to Teams. However:

A migration feature may be introduced closer to the final shutdown date.

Organizations should stay updated via Microsoft’s official channels for any announcements.

Future Alternative?

Microsoft is focusing on AI-powered migration with tools like Microsoft Copilot. While direct Skype-to-Teams migration is unlikely, future updates may offer better data import/export capabilities.