You may have noticed a folder named Conversation History in your Outlook folder list. This folder appears automatically for users of Skype for Business or Microsoft Teams. It stores records of your instant message conversations as email-like items. This article explains the purpose of this folder and provides clear steps to manage its contents or remove it entirely from your mailbox view.
Key Takeaways: Understanding the Conversation History Folder
- Skype for Business or Teams Integration: This folder is created by these applications to log your chat histories within Outlook for later reference.
- Right-click > Delete Folder: Removes the folder from your mailbox view but does not stop new conversation history from being saved.
- Teams or Skype for Business Settings: To prevent new items from appearing, you must disable the chat history save feature within the communication app itself.
Purpose and Origin of the Conversation History Folder
The Conversation History folder is a system folder created by Microsoft 365 communication apps. Its primary function is to save a copy of your instant message chats. When you use Skype for Business or the classic Microsoft Teams desktop app, these programs can be configured to send a record of each chat session to your Outlook mailbox. This creates a searchable archive of your conversations alongside your email.
The folder is typically located under your primary mailbox root, often at the same level as your Inbox and Sent Items. The items inside resemble emails with a subject line based on the chat topic and participants. They contain the full text of the conversation with timestamps. This integration allows you to search for past discussions using Outlook’s search tools, providing a unified record of your written communications.
Prerequisites for the Folder’s Appearance
You will only see this folder if you use or have used Skype for Business or the older Microsoft Teams client connected to Outlook. The modern, updated Microsoft Teams application does not use this Outlook folder method by default. If the folder is present, it means the chat history saving feature was enabled in one of those linked applications. The folder is managed by an Outlook add-in provided by the communication software.
How to Manage or Delete the Conversation History Folder
You can control this folder in two ways: by managing the items within it or by removing the folder itself from your view. Deleting the folder in Outlook is a client-side action that does not affect the underlying functionality in Teams or Skype for Business.
- Review and clean folder contents
Open the Conversation History folder in Outlook. You can select multiple items using Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click. Press the Delete key to move selected items to your Deleted Items folder. To empty the entire folder, you can right-click it and select Delete All. - Delete the folder from your mailbox view
Right-click the Conversation History folder in your folder list. Select the Delete Folder option from the context menu. Confirm the action when prompted. This removes the folder from your navigation pane but does not disable the underlying chat logging. - Disable chat history saving at the source
To stop new conversation items from being created, you must change settings in the originating app. In Skype for Business, go to Tools > Options > Personal. Uncheck the box for Save instant message conversations in my email Conversation History folder. In the classic Teams app, check settings under your profile picture for chat history.
Common Issues and Limitations to Understand
Folder Reappears After Deletion
If you delete the Conversation History folder and it returns later, this is normal. The folder is a system folder managed by an add-in. When the linked communication app saves a new chat, it often recreates the folder to store the item. The only way to prevent its return is to disable the chat history feature within Skype for Business or Teams as described in the steps above.
Search Finds Old Chat Items After Folder Deletion
Deleting the folder only removes it from your view. The actual email items that represent your chat history remain in your mailbox in a hidden state. Outlook Search may still return these items in results. To permanently remove them, you must use the Clean Up Items or Archive tools on the Folder tab while the folder is visible, or use Outlook’s advanced search to find and delete all items from the sender SYSTEM.
Modern Teams No Longer Uses This Folder
The current version of Microsoft Teams stores chat history within its own application and cloud service. It does not typically use the Outlook Conversation History folder. If you only use the new Teams, the folder may be a legacy artifact. You can safely delete it if you no longer use Skype for Business or the old Teams client.
Conversation History Management Options
| Item | Delete the Folder in Outlook | Disable Saving in Communication App |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Action | Removes folder from navigation pane | Stops new chat items from being created |
| Effect on Existing Items | Items become hidden but remain in mailbox | No effect on items already saved |
| Persistence | Folder may be recreated by add-in | Setting is saved per application |
| Search Impact | Hidden items may still appear in search | Future chats will not appear in Outlook search |
| Recommended Use | Cleaning up mailbox view | Permanently stopping the logging feature |
You can now control the Conversation History folder by deleting it or cleaning its contents. For a permanent solution, adjust the settings in Skype for Business or the classic Teams application. An advanced tip is to use Outlook’s Search Folders feature to create a dynamic view that isolates all SYSTEM sender items if you need to audit or bulk-delete them without the folder visible.