One of the first applications a gamer downloads into any new PC is Steam, and for good reason – it offers a vast library of games combined with social networking features. However, due to the 2-week chat storage limit, it can be annoying when you lose access to old messages.
Hi, I’m Devansh. Being a PC enthusiast and gamer, I often use Steam to manage my game library and communicate with teammates and fellow gamers. Having used it for years, I know it like the back of my hand and have experience dealing with various technical issues.
In this article, I’ll first list two official methods with which you can recover old messages; if that doesn’t work for you, I’ll also list three third-party chat loggers for creating a backup. Then I’ll answer some FAQs, like how to change Steam Chat UI, how to see your login history, and more.
If you have any lost Steam chats you’d like to recover for the sake of nostalgia or something else, keep reading!
Contents
Method 1: Use Steam Friend Chat Messages Tool
This is one of the main tools you can use that comes from Steam itself. Logging in after clicking this link will allow you to see the latest messages sorted according to sender and recipient along with time.
Unfortunately, this tool is still limited by the two-week chat storage limit from Steam. So, any chats before that point won’t be available to you. If you want to view chats older than two weeks, try out the next method.
Method 2: Use the Steam Android or iOS App
One of the special features of Steam compared to other game launchers is that it’s also available on Android and iOS. Unfortunately, on the web client and the PC client, losing your Internet connection or closing the tab or window can often lead to losing the chat permanently.
However, since the smartphone apps can fetch data from the servers as well as on-board storage, you can still access those chats there. Simply go to the main Chat page, tap on a particular friend or group’s name, and voilà, you can browse the Steam chat history!
The only downside to this is that you need to keep the phone app active during the duration in which you want to save your chats so that they can sync properly.
Method 3: Use Chat Loggers to Create Backup
As they say, where there’s a will, there’s a way. If the above two official methods don’t work for you, there are third-party chat loggers out there worth checking out. Although these won’t recover lost chats, they’ll make sure that you don’t have to worry about the pesky two-week limit again.
Why are they useful? Once activated, these chat loggers will ‘log’ every message you send or receive on your Steam account. Once they’re saved, you can view and sort those messages according to date and time. You can also save them on a storage drive.
As most gamers will tell you, you need to be careful when choosing a third-party chat logger. In some cases, if downloaded from an unsafe website, it could come bundled with malware. I’ve handpicked these three because they’re secure and trusted by the community.
1. SteamTimeIdler
This is a web-based dashboard with a user-friendly interface. Approved by Steam, it will log all your chats without any input on your part while you’re idle on the network. No need to even keep Steam open on your PC, it’s all automatic.
Overall, this is the best chat logger you can get right now, although it’s not free. There’s a 1-game, 6-hour trial available for you to test the waters, but after that, you’ll have to choose from various tailor-made plans ranging from $3 to $7 per month.
2. ChatLogger.JS
ChatLogger.JS is a Node.JS script that can be installed and kept running in your system to save chat logs automatically. The installation process is explained in the above link itself.
Granted, it requires a bit of programming experience and technical knowledge to get up and running. But after it’s installed, it’ll keep your chat logs safe and secure to be accessed at any time, unaffected by Steam’s two-week limit.
3. Sp0ok3r
Sp0ok3r’s chat logger isn’t much different from ChatLogger.JS, although it’s written using C#. It has a user-friendly interface too and offers various settings like changing the save folder and the ability to work with multiple Steam accounts.
The installation process is also fairly simple. Once you’ve downloaded the ZIP file, extracted it, and run the ChatLogger.exe file, all you have to do is add your Steam account. After that, you can adjust various settings to make it work best for you, and you’re good to go!
FAQs
Steam is a complex platform with a lot of moving parts, so it can often be tricky to completely wrap your head around it. Those who have used it for a while still struggle with certain aspects of it. With that being said, here are four common FAQs you might find useful.
Is it Possible to Change Steam Chat UI?
Yes. If you want the old one back, find where the Steam.exe file is located, then add “-nofriendsui” at the end of the shortcut’s location. After that, restart Steam and open it again using the shortcut. You can also check out LaserFlask for custom skins.
How Long does Steam Store Chat Logs?
As per the current policy, they store chats for two weeks. This applies to both personal and group chats. This is much lower compared to platforms like Ubisoft Connect, which store chat logs for at least three months. But, as we discussed above, there are ways to get around this limitation.
How to Delete Steam Chat History?
Unfortunately, Steam doesn’t provide a direct way to delete chats. However, as the above FAQ states, they are automatically deleted after two weeks. So, if you don’t have a backup to save them, they’ll be gone after that time period anyway.
How to See Steam Login History?
You can check it using this link. Of course, you need to log in first to be able to check the data. In addition to login and logoff times, it also shows which OS was used, country, state, and city of origin. Be sure to bookmark this since it could come in handy when facing security-related issues.
Conclusion
To make a long story short, although Steam keeps chat history for around two weeks, there are ways to get around that limitation and access the chats you want for as long as you wish. In most cases, the first two methods will work out. If they don’t work out, you can always create a backup.
Do you have an extra method you’d like to share to recover old Steam messages? Please share it with me in the comments!
