How To Clear Skype Chat History on Ubuntu

In this article, we will discuss several methods to clear Skype chat history on Ubuntu. This can be useful for maintaining privacy or simply decluttering your chat interface. Please note that some of these methods may not completely remove the chat history or prevent Skype from reloading it from the internet. It’s always recommended to backup important data before attempting any changes.

Method 1: Disable History Option

The first method involves disabling the chat history option in Skype settings. Here are the steps:

1. Open Skype and navigate to Options -> Privacy.
2. Set “Keep chat history for..” to Disable History.
3. Sign out and sign back in to apply the changes.

Note: This method may not work for everyone and may only prevent future recording of chat history.

Method 2: Delete main.db File

The second method involves deleting the main.db file, which stores your chat history. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Terminal.
2. Navigate to the directory $HOME/.Skype/my_skype_name/ by typing cd $HOME/.Skype/my_skype_name/.
3. Delete the file named main.db by typing rm main.db.
4. Sign out and sign back in to apply the changes.

Note: This method may delete your chat history, recently contacted list, and contacts. Use with caution.

Method 3: Backup and Remove .Skype Directory

The third method involves backing up and removing the .Skype directory. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Terminal.
2. Create a backup of the .Skype directory by running the command cp -r ~/.Skype ~/skype.bk. This command copies the entire .Skype directory to a backup directory named skype.bk in your home directory.
3. Remove the .Skype directory by running the command rm -r ~/.Skype. This command removes the entire .Skype directory along with its contents.

Note: This method will only remove the local copy of the history, which may be restored by Skype upon sign-in.

Method 4: Rename Databases.db (for skypeforlinux)

The fourth method is specifically for skypeforlinux users and involves renaming the Databases.db file. Here’s how to do it:

1. Quit the Skype application.
2. Open Terminal.
3. Navigate to the directory ~/.config/skypeforlinux/databases/ by typing cd ~/.config/skypeforlinux/databases/.
4. Rename the file Databases.db by typing mv Databases.db Databases.db.bak.
5. Restart Skype to apply the changes.

Method 5: Delete Messages from SQLite Database

The fifth method involves deleting all messages from the SQLite database. Here’s how to do it:

1. Install sqlite3 if not already installed by running sudo apt-get install sqlite3. This command installs the sqlite3 package which provides a command-line interface for managing SQLite databases.
2. Quit Skype to unlock the database.
3. Open Terminal.
4. Execute the command sqlite3 ~/.Skype/[username]/main.db "delete from messages;". This command opens the main.db SQLite database and deletes all records from the messages table.

Note: This method may only delete the chat history on your local computer and may not prevent Skype from reloading it from the internet.

Method 6: Delete Specific Person’s Messages from SQLite Database

The sixth method involves deleting messages from a specific person. Here’s how to do it:

1. Logout of Skype.
2. Install sqlite3 if not already installed by running sudo apt-get install sqlite3.
3. Open Terminal.
4. Execute the command sqlite3 ~/.Skype/[your-skype-username]/main.db "delete from messages where dialog_partner='nafis.ahmad';". This command opens the main.db SQLite database and deletes all records from the messages table where the dialog_partner field is equal to ‘nafis.ahmad’.

Note: This method is specifically for deleting messages from a specific person.

In conclusion, there are several methods to clear Skype chat history on Ubuntu. Choose the method that best suits your needs and always remember to backup important data before making any changes.