how to retreive older chat conversations in teams

To retrieve older chat conversations in Microsoft Teams, you can use the Microsoft Graph API. Specifically, you can utilize the Get-MgChatRetainedMessage cmdlet from the Microsoft.Graph.Teams module to get all retained messages from all chats that a user is a participant in, including one-on-one chats, group chats, and meeting chats.

Here’s a brief overview of how to use it:

1. Install the Microsoft.Graph.Teams module if you haven't already.
2. Use the cmdlet Get-MgChatRetainedMessage to fetch the messages. You can specify parameters such as -Count, -Filter, -Sort, and others to refine your search.
3. Check the output to find the older messages you are looking for.

For more detailed instructions and examples, refer to the documentation on the cmdlet.

If you are using eDiscovery tools, they can also help find older Teams chat data for on-premises users, provided that the user’s identity has been synchronized with Microsoft Entra ID since January 31, 2018.

Make sure you have the necessary permissions and licenses to access the chat data you need.

Dear @Michelle Terry,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft 365 Q&A forum community. By default, Microsoft Teams stores chat history in the cloud, and it should remain accessible unless your organization has applied a retention policy. 

To help me narrow down the cause, could you please provide the following details?   

1. Are you an admin in your organization, or do you need permissions from someone else? 
2. Are you familiar with the Microsoft Purview admin center, or would you require guidance on accessing it? 
3. How far back do you need to retrieve your chat history? 

In the meantime, please try the following official troubleshooting steps which usually resolve issues with basic issues:   

Step 1: Search function 

Use the search bar at the top of Teams to find older messages by keywords, names, or file names. You can also apply filters like From or In to narrow results. 

Step 2: Retention policies: 

If older chats are missing, your organization may have configured a retention policy that limits how long messages are kept. Retention policies are managed in the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center. Please contact your IT administrator to confirm these settings. 

Learn more: Manage retention policies for Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn 

Step 3: Compliance & eDiscovery: 

Unfortunately, there's no built-in feature for end users to export chat data directly from the Teams client. If you need a full history for compliance or legal reasons, your Microsoft 365 administrator can use Content Search or eDiscovery tools in the Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal to retrieve older chats. 

For official guidance, you can refer to this Microsoft document: Learn about retention for Teams | Microsoft Learn 

Here’s a quick rundown on how to proceed: 

• Access Purview Admin Center: You’ll need to log in to the Microsoft Purview admin center. 
• Conduct Content Searches: Use the content search feature to extract the chats you need. You may also need to set permissions properly to ensure you can access the chat history. 

If you don’t have the necessary permissions or aren’t familiar with using the Purview admin center, you might want to reach out to your IT admin for assistance. 

Here's a reference to the relevant documentation for more detailed instructions: Finding content in Microsoft Teams in eDiscovery | Microsoft Learn 

If you’re not an admin, please share this information with your IT team so they can assist further. 

Please let me know if you have any further questions or if the problem persists after trying these solutions. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.  

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