Skype skype.db

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File Format
Name Skype skype.db
Ontology
Extension(s) .db
Released 2017[1]

Starting from some time in late 2017, the VoIP + chat program Skype's "Skype for Windows 10" client (see #Applicable Software) stored its message history in a SQLite database named skype.db. This database is purportedly very similar to its predecessor, main.db, which is still created in the filesystem after the update, but does not hold any substantial data. There does not seem to be any publicly-available software (except for Skype itself) able to read skype.db; thus, the best way to get its contents is to presumably examine it in a generic SQLite viewer, although if the layout of main.db is any indication, this should be easy to do.

Applicable Software

It seems that some time in late 2017, client-side development of Skype was internally split into two separate programs: "Skype on Desktop, Mac and Linux" (also known by various permutations of this name), a continuation of the old client, and "Skype for Windows 10" (or "Skype UWP"), apparently a new client[2]; these are confusingly referred to as versions 8.* and 12.* of the same version space, as if they were different versions the same software. Little information is available about the split, but it appears that "Skype for Windows 10" was created as part of an effort within the company to switch to a UI toolkit called "Universal Windows Platform".[3]. It seems likely that skype.db is only used by the new version and not the old one.[4][1].

Links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/forum/skype_win10-skype_messms-skype_instamessms/where-is-the-maindb-file-for-new-skype/b4d3f263-a97e-496e-aa28-e1dbb63e7687
  2. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/forum/skype_win10-skype_messms-skype_instamessms/skype-versions-12-v-8/419d97cd-06df-4d16-ae7e-1ff3986b6640
  3. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/03/24/microsoft_introduces_yet_another_skype_for_windows_10/; https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/forum/skype_win10-skype_messms-skype_instamessms/where-is-the-maindb-file-for-new-skype/b4d3f263-a97e-496e-aa28-e1dbb63e7687 confirms that "Skype UWP" is "Skype for Windows 10" is Skype 12.*
  4. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/forum/skype_win10-skype_messms-skype_instamessms/how-do-i-export-my-chat-history/20849b44-d68a-40f4-8cb8-6a2dc88e9e7e → second reply by "Ruwim.B"
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