Applies ToLync 2013 for Office 365 Lync 2010 Lync 2010 for Office 365 Lync 2013 Lync Basic 2013

Have you ever wanted to go back and find a previous instant messaging (IM) conversation that contains a URL you’re looking for? Or see the history of your instant messages and calls? Or delete an old message? Lync lets you do this using conversation history. It’s an option if your company uses Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Outlook. For details, contact your workplace technical support.

Verify that your conversation history is being saved

Let’s start by seeing whether conversation history is available for you. If it is, we’ll explain how to find it.

  1. In the Lync main window, click the Options Screenshot of Lync Options buttonbutton, and then click Personal.

  2. In the Personal information manager section, look for a check box labeled Save IM conversations in my email Conversation History folder.

  3. If you don’t see this check box or if it’s dimmed (not operable), this means conversation history is not available at your company or for your account.

  4. If the check box is there and operable but clear, conversation history is available but not turned on. To turn it on, select this check box.

  5. If the check box is there and selected, your conversation history is being saved.

Important:  If you don’t want to save your conversation history, clear the Save IM conversations in my email Conversation History folder check box, and then click OK.

Look at your conversation history in Lync

If your conversation history is available, in the Lync main window, click the Conversations tab Conversations tab.

Your conversations are shown with the most recent at the top. Calls you’ve had are also shown in the Conversations list.

In addition to the ALL selection, you can click one of the other two tabs on the Conversations window:

  • MISSED Lists only your missed conversations and calls

  • CALLS Lists only your Lync calls (completed and missed)

There’s a selection at the bottom of the window called View More in Outlook that you can use if you use Outlook. Choosing it gives you a complete history.

You can delete any conversation (maybe it’s been around long enough) by right-clicking it, and selecting Delete.

Manage previous Lync conversations from Outlook

If you use Outlook, your Lync conversations are saved there, too, in the Conversation History folder. From this folder, you can:

  • Find all conversations with a certain person by typing their name in the search box

  • Find all conversations that include a certain keyword by typing the term in the search box

  • Email a conversation by clicking it and then, in the Respond group of the Home tab, using the appropriate option

Find a past conversation with a specific contact

  1. Open Lync, and in your Contacts list, right-click the contact whose previous conversation you want to view. Or, you can enter the name in the search box.

  2. Click Find Previous Conversations.

You’ll now see a listing of the contact’s conversations with you in the Outlook Conversation History folder. To track down a specific conversation, browse to the approximate date of the conversation. Or, type in a term that might have come up in the conversation in the search box at the top of the Outlook window.

Note:  This feature works only if you’re using Outlook and Exchange.

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