There is definitely a way to turn it off. You must go through your SKYPE settings, not Outlook settings/Options. In Skype: -Click OPTIONS (the little cog icon) -Click PERSONAL tab at left -Then UNCHECK the box on the right that says 'SAVE IM CONVERSATIONS IN MY EMAIL CONVERSATION HISTORY FOLDER' Good luck! We recommend downloading the file viewer to make is easier to read your conversation history. After downloading the viewer, open it by selecting the index.html file from the skype-parser folder. 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. Steps to Secure Erase Skype Conversation and Call History Clearing chat history in Windows 10 or Mac only removes access to the data, but it does not wipe your sensitive chat and call history data from the disk. The information remains on the disk and can be recovered unless overwritten with new data. Restore Skype Chat History It is as simple as it can get. Navigate to the above mentioned directory (on the machine where you want to restore chat history). Copy the backup folder and place it. We have Exchange Hybrid and S4B hybrid deployment. It has been noted that users are not able to save their conversation history to Outlook for Mac, wherever the mailbox maybe. This works only when both Skype and mailbox are hosted in O365. The other combination don't work. S4B Server 2015 with latest CU update and all clients are up-to-date.

• Skype For Business Conversation History Missing
• Stop Saving Conversations Skype
• Skype Conversation History Not Saving

Keeping chat conversations and call history on your Windows PC or Mac isn’t a good idea, and that’s for many reasons. Most importantly because it poses a risk of data breach. Skype chats and call history may contain sensitive and confidential information. Anyone with access to your PC that you had used for Skype conversations can get unauthorized access to all your sensitive chat and call history.

However, you can overcome this potential data privacy risk by deleting the Skype conversation and call history, which is quite easy!

In this guide, you will learn how to delete Skype conversations and call history on Windows 10 and Mac systems. You will also learn about secure eraser method and why it is crucial to erase Skype history rather than just clearing or deleting it from your Windows 10 PC or a Mac system.

Steps to Delete Skype Conversation and Call History

These steps will help you clear Skype chat history. However, remember — deletion wouldn’t remove other sensitive data stored by Skype and other chat messenger app, including web browsers. Moreover, cleared and deleted history also remains recoverable. So, if you wish to permanently remove (i.e. erase) your Skype chats and call history, including other sensitive data stored by the app beyond recovery, skip to the secure erase method steps discussed in this post.

On your Windows 10 PC,

• Open Skype and sign in to your user account
• Go to Tools>Options
• Click on the Privacy Settings tab with a padlock icon in the left-pane
• Click ‘Clear History’ listed under the header ‘Keep history for.’

• This opens up a confirmation popup. Click on the ‘Delete’ button to finish deleting your history.

Steps to Remove chat and call history from Skype UWP app

• Navigate to the local Skype UWP profile folder located under C:Program FilesWindowsAppsMicrosoft.SkypeApp_….
• Find and manually delete the main.db database
• In case you get following error, contact system admin or change the user permissions.

NOTE: Next time you start Skype, the app may sync and download about 30 days of recent chat and call history from Skype Cloud servers on your PC.

Skype For Business Conversation History Missing

However, the problem can be resolved by scheduling automatic eraser task. For that, you would need to use a file eraser tool, as discussed below in the secure erase method in this post.

On your Mac

• Open Skype and sign in, if not already, to your user account
• Click ‘Skype’ in the menu bar at the top-left of the screen and choose ‘Preferences’ from the drop-down menu
• Click on the ‘Privacy’ button
• Click ‘Delete All Chat History’
• Click ‘Delete All’ to confirm and finish Skype chat history deletion

Steps to Secure Erase Skype Conversation and Call History

Clearing chat history in Windows 10 or Mac only removes access to the data, but it does not wipe your sensitive chat and call history data from the disk. The information remains on the disk and can be recovered unless overwritten with new data.

Overwriting existing data on the drive completely destroys the information.

But to destroy it and that too beyond the scope of recovery, you would need a secure file eraser and privacy safeguarding tool such as BitRaser File Eraser.

The software is available for both Mac and Windows 10 users. It features 17 international data eraser standards such as US DoD 5220.22-M (3 pass/7 passes), NATO, etc.

These secure eraser algorithms securely wipe all your sensitive files such as Skype conversation history and other sensitive data from your Windows or Mac system to an extent where no data recovery software or service, including forensic tools can recover the data.

Besides, you can schedule and automate the task of deleting the chat database stored by Skype UWP app based on system boot status or time.

The steps to securely erase Skype chats and call history with BitRaser File Eraser are as follow,

On Windows PC,

• Close Skype app, if running

• Install and launch BitRaser File Eraser on your Windows or Mac system
• Go to Setting and choose the Data Erasure algorithm and Verification Method from respective “General” Tab menus

• Click ‘Ok’ after this again click on Setting a d go to “Erase Traces” Tab
• Click ‘Application Traces’ and choose Skype Messenger app

• Click ‘OK‘ to confirm the eraser task

Steps to Schedule Automatic Eraser Task to Wipe Skype UWP app’s Main.db File

• On BitRaser File Eraser Software, click ‘Add Erasure List’ in left-pane
• Click ‘Add New List’
• Click ‘Add File’ and navigate to Skype UWP folder
• Choose main.db file and click ‘Open.’
• Click ‘Save List’ and enter a name such as ‘SkypeUWP.’

Tip: You can add multiple files and folder to this list or create more listings for automatic or one-click manual eraser tasks.

• Now click ‘Schedule’ tab
• Expand ‘Add Erasure List’ and choose ‘SkypeUWP’ list

Tip: You may also select and schedule Application Traces—Skype Chat Erasure Task here.

• Choose the Frequency, Start Date, and Time or boot event
• Choose Show mode, if you want to see the eraser task when it happens or select Hide Mode
• Select a data erasure standard and verification method from respective drop-downs
• Click ‘Apply’

The task will automatically run and securely erase the Skype UWP main.db chat database file based on the selected criteria.

You can schedule multiple tasks and view or delete all your scheduled tasks by clicking on ‘Scheduled Tasks’ button

On Mac systems,

• Install and run BitRaser File Eraser Mac
• Select ‘Traces’ and click ‘Next.’

• Click ‘Application Traces’ in left-pane and choose the Skype Messenger from the list
• Click on the Preferences button with a gear icon at the top

• Choose erasure algorithm and verification method for secure deletion.
• Click ‘OK’ and then click ‘Erase.’

• Click ‘Confirm Erasure’ button to start the erasure process. You can stop or abort the process by clicking on the Stop button
• After erasure, restart the system

You can also use BitRaser File Eraser to secure erase internet activities data, system traces, and files from external Windows and Mac storage devices. You may further choose to secure wipe an entire drive volume or secure erase only the empty storage space on media devices to get rid of the previously deleted but recoverable files and folders.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to delete skype conversation and call history from a Windows PC and Mac, go ahead and get rid of all your sensitive chat messages and details. Make sure you always secure erase it and not just delete or clear the history.

For that, use a secure files eraser and a privacy-safeguarding tool such as BitRaser File Eraser. It features 17 international data erasure standards that you can use to get rid of all your sensitive information from your PC. It’s a handy tool, and in a few clicks, you can sanitize any file, folder, or drive volume. It also generates a certificate of erasure and erasure report when you search and erase data by using BitRaser File Eraser. The certificate of erasure and erasure report are tamper-proof and digitally signed documents that help meet regulatory compliance and guarantee data destruction beyond the scope of recovery.

Problem

When you try to sign in to Skype for Business Online (formerly Lync Online) by using Lync 2010 or Lync 2013 on a computer that's running Outlook, you may experience the following issues:

• Conversation history

  • Conversation history isn't saved to Outlook.
  • Conversation history tab is empty in Lync 2013.

• Office contact cards

  • Contact cards display incorrect information or nothing at all.
  • There's no availability or Free/Busy information in contact cards.
  • You can't open or view contact cards.

• Notifications

  • Out of Office messages aren't displayed.
  • You don't receive voice mail notifications.
  • You don't receive Missed Conversation notifications.

In the Lync client, you may receive one of the following error messages:

• Lync cannot connect to the Exchange server. Lync will attempt to retry the connection. History, voice mail and Outlook-related features will be unavailable.
• Cannot connect to Exchange Web Services to retrieve Calendar and Out of Office Information.
• Lync is in the process of determining the location of Exchange Web Services. This process may take a few minutes.
• Lync is experiencing connection issues with the Exchange server. Lync will attempt to repair the connection until it is fully restored. History, voice mail, and Outlook-related features might be unavailable or out of date until the connection is restored.

Solution

Solutions for Skype for Business Online users

Are you using the most up-to-date Lync client?

Make sure that you're using the most up-to-date Lync client. For more information, go to the following Microsoft websites:

Is Outlook running and configured to use the correct profile?

For the best experience, add your Exchange email account to Outlook and then set it as the default mail profile. Typically, your Exchange email address and Lync sign-in address will be the same, but in some cases they may be different. For help configuring your Outlook profile or contact your administrator, or go to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

2436962 'There was a problem connecting to Microsoft Office Outlook' error when you sign in to Skype for Business Online

Is Lync discovering the correct Exchange server?

1. Press and hold Ctrl, right-click the Lync icon in the notification area, and then click Configuration Information. Look for the Exchange Web Services (EWS) setting at EWS External URL.

2. Use the value that you found in the EWS External URL setting, and then change it so that it ends with Exchange.asmx. For example:

   1. Default EWS External URL: https://mail.outlook.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx/WSSecurity
   2. Changed EWS External URL: https://mail.outlook.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx

3. Enter the changed EWS External URL address into a browser. If you're prompted, enter your Exchange mailbox credentials. You should see the EWS XML document displayed in the web browser as shown in the following picture. This indicates that EWS can be accessed and that you shouldn't be experiencing any issues. If the page doesn't display or if you're denied access, contact your Support Team.

Stop Saving Conversations Skype

Are you entering the correct credentials to connect to Exchange?

If your Exchange email address and your Skype for Business Online sign in address are the same, and you typically don't have any problems, you shouldn't be prompted for additional credentials after you sign in to Lync. However, if Lync prompts you for additional credentials to connect to Exchange, make sure that you use the credentials for connecting to Exchange instead of your credentials to sign in to Skype for Business Online.

If your credentials aren't accepted, and you're continuously prompted for credentials, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

2298541 You're repeatedly prompted for Exchange credentials after you sign in to Lync

Can Outlook connect to the Free/Busy Service in EWS?

1. Open a command prompt. To do this, click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then press Enter.

2. Go to the Outlook installation folder:

   • Microsoft Office 2013: C:Program FilesMicrosoft Office 15rootoffice15
   • Microsoft Office 2010: C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice14
   • Microsoft Office 2007: C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice12

3. Type the following command, and then press Enter.

Is your system time accurate?

If the time on your computer differs from the time on the server that you're trying to sign in to, your attempt to sign in may fail. Set your computer's time as close to the correct local time as possible.

Solutions for Skype for Business Online Administrators in Office 365

Where are the users' mailboxes located?

Many of the deployment requirements for Exchange and Lync integration depend on where the user's mailbox is located.

The following articles cover deployment requirements. These include DNS configuration, Exchange Server configuration, and Lync Server configuration.

Is the user part of an on-premises Exchange Server organization, or are they in Office 365 Exchange Online?

Skype Conversation History Not Saving

• If the user's mailbox is located in Exchange Online, see How to integrate Exchange Server 2013 with Lync Server 2013, Skype for Business Online, or a Lync Server 2013 hybrid deployment.
• If the user's mailbox is homed on an on-premises Exchange server, see How to integrate Exchange Online with Skype for Business Online, Lync Server 2013, or a Lync Server 2013 hybrid deployment.

More Information

These issues occur when Lync can't determine the user's email address, can't locate the user's Exchange server, or can't connect to the user's Exchange server.

When the Lync client tries to discover the Exchange server of the Skype for Business Online user, the Lync client references the Active Directory WindowsEmailAddress attribute (or the MAIL attribute). Lync then tries to connect to the Exchange server through the Autodiscover process by using the domain suffix of the email address in the WindowsEmailAddress AD attribute. If the Skype for Business Online user doesn't have an Exchange Online mailbox, or if the necessary attributes aren't being synced from on-premises, Exchange integration with Lync fails.

After Lync determines where it should look for the Exchange server, it uses Autodiscover to find the user's mailbox server and connect to it. If the Autodiscover service on whichever Exchange server the user's mailbox resides is unavailable, the integration between Exchange and Lync fails.

As soon as Lync has the correct mailbox server to connect to, it tries to authenticate by using the Skype for Business Online user credentials first. If those credentials fail, Lync prompts for credentials after you sign in. If the wrong credentials are entered, or the user clicks cancel, the integration between Exchange and Lync fails.

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