How to restore contacts on Skype if they are deleted? Recover lost Skype contacts.

Contacts are very convenient tool For fast communication with other users in Skype. They are not stored on the computer, like, for example, chat messages, but on the Skype server. Thus, the user, even logging into his account from someone else’s computer, will have access to contacts. Unfortunately, there are situations when for one reason or another they disappear. Let's figure out what to do if the user accidentally deleted contacts, or they disappeared for some other reason. Let's look at the main recovery methods.

It should be noted right away that contacts may disappear due to the fact that they were simply hidden or completely deleted. Next we will look at the procedure for both of these cases. Let's start studying the algorithm of actions using Skype 8 as an example.

Method 1: Recover Hidden Contacts

Quite often situations arise when contacts did not disappear, but were simply hidden by settings and special filters. For example, in this way you can hide the contacts of those users who are currently offline or simply have not provided their contact information. To display them in Skype 8, just perform a simple manipulation.

Another option for displaying hidden contact information involves the following algorithm.

Method 2: Recover Deleted Contacts

Even if the contacts were not just hidden, but completely deleted, it is still possible to restore them. But, of course, no one can give a 100% guarantee of success. To restore, you need to reset your desktop settings Skype versions so that data about the interlocutors is “pulled up” from the server again. In this case, for Skype 8 you need to follow the algorithm of actions described in detail below.

First of all, if Skype is currently running, you need to log out of it. To do this, click the left mouse button ( LMB) By Skype icon in the notification area. Select the option from the list that appears "Quit Skype".

After the exit is complete, type on the keyboard Win+R. In the window that opens "Run" enter the following address:
%appdata%\Microsoft\

After entering, click "OK".

The directory will open "Microsoft" V "Explorer". We are looking for a folder in it « Skype for Desktop". Click on it LMB and select an item from the list "Rename".

After that, rename the folder to any convenient option, For example "Skype for Desktop old".

The settings will now be reset. Let's start Skype again. Will be generated automatically new profile in a folder "Skype for Desktop". And if the desktop version of the program did not have time to synchronize with the server before, after deleting contacts, then in this case, when creating a profile, those contact data that you want to restore will also be loaded. If the restored elements are displayed normally, we check the presence of all other important information. If something is missing, then it is possible to drag the corresponding objects from old folder profile "Skype for Desktop old" to a new one "Skype for Desktop".

If, after turning on Skype, the deleted contacts are not displayed, then nothing can be done about it. They have been permanently deleted. Then we exit Skype again and delete new folder "Skype for Desktop" and rename the old profile directory back, giving it the original name. Thus, although we will not return the deleted contact information, we will restore the previous settings.

Recovering contacts in Skype 7 and below

Skype 7 has the ability to not only display hidden contacts or restore deleted ones, but also play it safe by first creating them backup copy. Next we will talk about all these situations in more detail.

Method 1: Recovering hidden contact information

As in newer versions of the program, in Skype 7 contacts can simply be hidden.

Method 2: Move your Skype folder

If you are convinced that the contacts are still missing, then we will try to return them. We will do this by renaming or moving the folder from Skype data to another location on your hard drive. The point is that after we move this folder, the program will start requesting data from the server, and perhaps pull up your contacts if they are still stored on the server. But, the folder needs to be moved or renamed, and not deleted, since your correspondence and other valuable information are stored in it.

If this method does not help, then you can still contact Skype support. They may be able to extract your contacts from their databases.

Method 3: Backup

Of course, most users begin to look for an answer to how to recover deleted contacts when they have already disappeared, and they have to solve the problem using the methods described above. But, there is an opportunity to protect yourself from the risk of losing contacts by performing a backup. In this case, even if the contacts disappear, you can easily restore them from a backup copy.

As you can see, it’s much easier to play it safe and create a backup copy of your contacts than to search for them later if they disappear from your account. all sorts of ways recovery. Moreover, none of the methods, except restoring from a backup copy, can provide a complete guarantee of the return of lost data. Even contacting Skype support cannot guarantee this.

Since version 1.2, a list with contacts of each Skype user, is saved on Skype servers. Thus, the lists do not disappear, regardless of which files we erase from our computer. By logging in from anywhere, contacts are downloaded and charged automatically.

Unfortunately, this is not enough to ensure full protection our contact list. On the Internet we constantly meet people whose contacts have been lost. This is usually due to an error in the program and is most often observed after installation or Skype updates. For this reason, I advise everyone who has not yet lost their contacts to make a backup copy.

If your Skype contacts are also lost, follow these steps:

1. Did they really disappear?

1.1 Maybe you are logging in under a different Skype name

Sometimes it seems that contacts are lost, but in reality this is not the case. For example, if you have two different Skypes user and you accidentally entered this one, which you do not use often. At first you will get confused and think that more Your contacts are gone.

For example, some people don't know the Skype name they use in at the moment, because we configured Skype to automatic start. Over time, they forget and after reinstallation they may get confused and log in under their other, older name.

1.2 Some of your contacts may be hidden by Skype settings

Sometimes some or even all contacts are hidden due to incorrect settings. To show the entire list of contacts, do the following:

For Skype 5.10 and newer:

Go to the menu: Contacts -> Lists -> All.
In the menu: Contacts ->
Go to the menu: View -> Contacts.

For Skype 4 or Skype 5(up to 5.9 inclusive):

Open Skype and log in using your username and password.
In the menu: Contacts -> Contact Categories, remove the View all contact categories checkbox (if it is checked).
In the menu: Contacts -> Hide those who, remove the tags (if any).
Go to the menu: View -> Contacts.

For Skype 3.8:

Open Skype and log in using your username and password.
In the menu: View -> Contact groups, remove the Sort contacts by groups checkbox (if it is checked).
In the menu: View -> Hide contacts, remove the labels (if any).
Make sure you clicked on the section called Contacts. Only then will you see all your contacts. The remaining sections are called: SkypeFind, History, Dialing and On Air.

2. Restoring a backup copy

If you have ever backed up your contacts, you can restore them as follows:

Open Skype and log in using your username and password.
Go to the menu: Contacts (for Skype 3.8 it is in the Tools menu) -> Advanced -> Recover contacts using a file...
Find your backup, label it, and click Open.

3. Move the %appdata%\Skype folder

If your Skype contacts really disappeared and there is no backup copy, then first we will try to move one folder in which Skype stores various data. Maybe this action will force him to download your contact list again.

Close Skype completely and open a random folder. In the address strip, write %appdata% and press Enter. Take Skype folder and move to a safe place ( DO NOT wash it, we will need it if this method does not work). It may not be there when you log into %appdata%, but you may have it somewhere else. Now log back into Skype and see if your contacts can be restored.

Keep in mind that the folder you moved stores the chat history and settings of all users on your computer. So if moving it doesn't help, it would be good to return it to old place. In this case, you can try to reinstall Skype or install a newer version.

4. Tool to recover missing Skype contacts

If you still don't see your list of contacts, then you can use the following tool to get a list of their Skype names. After that, you need to add them manually - one by one. For the tool to work, you need to get the file config.xml, which is located in the folder we saved in the previous step. Log in to this folder named Skype and then to the folder with your Skype login. There is a file there that needs to be downloaded through the tool below.

First, click on Browse… (or Select file or Browse…) at the bottom, find the file and click on Open (or Open). Click on the Load button. If everything goes as expected, you will see a list with your contacts on the right.

How to restore contacts

Skype is one of the most popular programs For free communication with anyone, no matter where the interlocutors are located, all you need is an Internet connection.

However, like any other program, it has its drawbacks and glitches. One of the most unpleasant failures is the loss of contacts. This often happens after an update or after reinstalling a program. You need to know what to do in order to restore contacts on Skype.

User account

Quite often, this problem occurs not due to a program failure, but due to careless user actions.

First, you should check whether you were logged into the correct account. In this case, you need to click on the “Skype", and then select "Log out of account". After that, log in to the desired account.

Hidden contacts

It often happens that the user decides to update or reinstall the program. And it is after reinstallation or update that the contacts disappear. This does not mean at all that the program deleted the contacts, most likely it simply hid them, and this is quite easy to fix. But with every update, some part of the interface changes.

For Skype 4 and 5

For older versions of Skype 4 or 5, up to and including version 5.9, you must:

Log in to the desired account.
Contacts – Contact categories, uncheck the “Sort contacts by groups” checkbox.
Contacts – hide those who, remove all tags, if any.
View - Contacts.

For Skype 5.10 and other versions

If the user has more new version program, you should do the following:

Log in to the required account.
“Contacts” tab, then “Lists” - “All”.
Contacts – hide those who (a menu will appear on the right), remove all tags that are available.
View - Contacts.

Backup

In order not to be alarmed by the fact that all contacts on Skype have disappeared, you need to make a backup. If you constantly use this function, then return desired contact will not be a difficult action. To make a backup, you just need to look into the settings. Namely, open Skype and find the “Contacts” tab, the “Advanced” section and now click “Make a backup”.

However, it is intended remote contact return to your list can only be done manually, that is, find the address of the person you are interested in and add him to yourself. It is also very convenient if the user lost smartphone. Backup from the cloud will help the process of restoring contacts, regardless of the smartphone OS, be it iPhone, Android or Windows.

Imagine you opened Skype messenger to contact someone, and was surprised to find that the friends list was empty. Contacts on Skype have disappeared – you will find out what to do in this situation and whether it is possible to recover the information you need by reading this article.

Why did all my contacts disappear on Skype? Versions may vary from system error, up to accidental deletion. But whatever the answer, the problem requires a solution. Let's look at how you can recover information.

Method No. 1

In this case, the solution to the problem is based on the fact that you have created a backup copy of your friends list in advance. In this case, everything is solved very simply. So, if contacts are not displayed in Skype:

Open the menu and find the “Contacts” tab
Here we need the “Advanced” section. Open it.
Click the "Restore list from" button backup file" Your problem is solved.

Unfortunately, not everyone creates a backup copy in advance, and this, as you understand, is very useful feature. Just in case, we’ll tell you what you need to do so that you don’t have to think about how to restore data if all your contacts have disappeared on Skype:

Open the same tab as in the previous instructions
Select "Make backups"

The system will prompt you to create separate folder, in which your information will be stored.

For everything to work out, follow the assistant's prompts.

Method No. 2

If all contacts have disappeared after updating Skype, the problem may be due to broken settings. To reset properly, do this:

Go to the same tab as in the previous instructions
But this time select the “Lists” section
And click on the "All" button
After the settings are set in this way, all subscribers, as a rule, return to their place

Method No. 3

Sometimes the reason why the contact list disappears after reinstalling Skype is damaged sectors. Then the following instructions will help:

Open up command line keyboard shortcut Win+R
Enter the command %appdata%

Find the Skype folder and move it to any other location

Restart messenger

If you move a folder, the program starts searching for it when it starts and automatically restores all damaged files.

Method number 4

If contacts are lost after Skype updates, check that the folder in which all profile information is stored on your device is still there.

Write %appdata%\skype in the command line

Open the folder with your login name
The boring file for you is called main.db

If it is in place, it means it has been preserved necessary information. In some cases, reinstalling the program helps.
If missing (for example, deleted as a result of a system error), we can only recommend rolling back the system to previous point conservation

What can you do if, you will find out by reading another of our articles.

Worldwide famous program Skype is becoming more and more popular and in demand. At the same time, the number of questions that are incomprehensible to one or another user is also increasing. Questions can be of a different nature, starting with how, in fact, to download the program and ending with how to restore a recently deleted contact or several contacts. I mentioned the last question not in vain, because it is precisely this question that will be devoted to this article. So, this time I propose to talk about how to restore contacts on Skype.

Deleting and restoring a contact

I would like to start with what a contact list is. Roughly speaking, this is a list of people with whom you wish to communicate. In order to be included in this list, you must have accepted the application for addition, or perhaps you did not send this application, and your pen pal confirmed it. It goes without saying that the contact list may contain different people: friends, family, colleagues, just acquaintances.

Sometimes it happens that correspondence with a person stops, and you want to remove the contact from your list. This is done easily and quickly, just two mouse clicks will be enough for a certain login to disappear from your list.

It seems to me that everyone is familiar with the situation when you delete a contact, and suddenly it turns out that you urgently need it? Or another turn of events: your contact list is literally bursting at the seams, you delete some people, but then realize that you accidentally deleted the wrong one. What to do in such a situation?

The fact is that for some time Skype stores the information that contacts exchanged with each other, and it is this information that will help you restore a deleted contact on Skype. To do this, go to the “View” tab and in the list that opens after that, select the “Recent” line.

Next, a list of all your interlocutors for the last week will open. If you're looking for someone you chatted with, say, months ago, click on "Show Older Messages." Find the one you need by clicking on his login with the left mouse button, and add him back to your friends.

Backups

In general, so that one day you don’t find out that all your contacts have disappeared and you don’t have to rack your brains about how to restore your contact list, make it a rule to make backup copies of your contact list from time to time. To do this, go to the “Contacts” tab – “Advanced” – “Back up your contact list”. That's all, the entire list will be saved in one file.

Of course, I hope that these tips are useful to you and that everything will be fine with your Skype contacts. However, it is better to know what to do if such trouble suddenly overtakes you.