Skype Logging

Logging enables you to capture certain information concerning a particular Skype session that can be crucial in diagnosing and correcting problems that you might encounter when using Skype.

Including the resulting log files when reporting problems enables us to track, understand, and solve your problem faster and quicker—especially if the problem only occurs intermittently, or appears to be configuration related, for example, when chatting with a particular Contact, connecting over Wi-Fi, or enabling video at a particular resolution.

Note: Log files do not contain any data that are strictly private, such as the actual text of any chat messages, or the audio of any recorded voice messages. Furthermore, since Skype encrypts its log files, the log files will appear as gibberish to anyone outside of Skype Support.

Logging is not available for Skype mobile clients (Windows Phone, Android, iOS, and so forth).

When running Skype with logging enabled, please be sure to use the latest available version of the Skype client, even if that is a beta version.

How do I create log files?

How you tell Skype to create log files—as well as which log files to attach to your issue report—depends on which platform you’re running on:

• Skype for Windows 8
• Skype for Windows desktop—Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8
• Skype for Linux
• Skype for Mac

In addition, the Skype for Windows clients support installation process-related logging and/or device configuration-related logging:

• Skype for Windows desktop Installer (Skype for Windows desktop only)
• DirectX Diagnostic Tool (Skype for Windows desktop and Skype for Windows 8)

Skype for Windows 8

Enable logging

To enable logging by the Skype for Windows 8 client:

1. If you haven’t already done so, download and extract the logging-related command files:
   
   

   Skype for Windows 8 client logging-related command files
   (2.0 KB – Updated February 27, 2013)

   
   
2. Open a console window, and navigate to the folder where you extracted the logging-related command files.
3. Run the skype-client-logging.cmd command file, specifying the enable argument to create and configure the Logging.ini file, overwriting any previous initialization file:
   
   

       skype-client-logging.cmd enable
   

Gather and submit the log files

To gather and submit your Skype for Windows 8 client log files when reporting an issue:

1. If you haven’t already done so, download and extract the logging-related command files.
2. Open a console window, and navigate to the folder where you extracted the logging-related command files.
3. Run the skype-client-logging.cmd command file, specifying the gather argument to gather all logging-related files into a single folder under the user’s local application data folder:
   
   

       skype-client-logging.cmd gather
   

4. Navigate to the resulting folder—the command file echoes its fully qualified path to the console—and archive its contents, for example, as a ZIP file.
5. Attach the log file archive to your issue report, and submit it to Skype.

Disable logging

If at some point you want to disable logging by the Skype for Windows 8 client:

1. If you haven’t already done so, download and extract the logging-related command files.
2. Open a console window, and navigate to the folder where you extracted the logging-related command files.
3. Run the skype-client-logging.cmd command file, specifying the disable argument to remove the Logging.ini file:
   
   

       skype-client-logging.cmd disable
   

To re-enable logging, simply follow the steps under Enabling logging

Skype for Windows desktop—Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8

Enable logging

To enable logging by the Skype for Windows desktop client:

1. Shutdown or otherwise ensure that the Skype client is not running.
2. If you haven’t already done so, download and extract the logging-related registry files:
   
   

   Skype for Windows desktop client logging-related registry files
   (1.0 KB – Updated February 27, 2013)

   
   
3. Open a console window, and navigate to the folder where you extracted the logging-related command files.
4. Run logging-on.reg to set the Skype logging-related Registry key.
5. Start the Skype client.

You can now proceed to replicate your issue. The Skype client will create log files in its application data folder. However, this folder is different depending on your Windows version and the user account you are using to sign into Windows:

• C:\Documents and Settings\WindowsUsername\Application Data\Skype—Windows XP with standard user account.
• C:\Users\WindowsUsername\AppData\Roaming\Skype—Windows Vista and Windows 7 with standard user account.
• C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone—Windows XP with administrator account; Windows Vista and Windows 7 with elevated administrator account (UAC off).

Gather and submit the log files

The Skype for Windows desktop client produces two log files—a “main” log file, which you submit with all issue reports, and a “trace” log file, which you submit when reporting an issue related to audio/video during a call only:

• “main” log file—debug-yyyymmdd-hhmmss.log
• “trace” log file—debug-yyyymmdd-hhmmss.trace.txt

For example, a particular session might produce files named debug-20130227-1152.log and debug-20130227-1152.trace.txt. Log files from the same Skype session will always have the same timestamp, which indicates when the session started.

Disable logging

If at some point you want to disable logging by the Skype for Windows desktop client:

1. Shutdown or otherwise ensure that the Skype client is not running.
2. If you haven’t already done so, download and extract the logging-related command files.
3. Open a console window, and navigate to the folder where you extracted the logging-related command files.
4. Run logging-off.reg to clear the Skype logging-related Registry key.
5. Start the Skype client.

To re-enable logging, simply follow the steps under Enabling logging

Skype for Windows desktop—Installer

The Skype for Windows desktop installer can optionally create an installation-specific log file, which you can attach when reporting installation-specific issues. To run the installer with logging enabled:

• Open a console window, and navigate to the folder containing your installer’s executable.
• Run the installer, specifying the logging option:

SkypeSetup.exe /log

The installer creates a log file named install-YearMonthDate.log in the current folder, with the timestamp indicating when the install started. Attach this file to your issue report.

Skype for Linux

Enable logging

To enable logging by the Skype for Linux client:

1. Navigate to the Skype client’s application data directory, ~/.Skype/
2. Create a directory named Logs
3. (Re-)start the Skype client

You can now proceed to replicate your issue. The Skype client will create the log file in ~/.Skype/Logs, and will name it skype_yyyy-mm-dd-hhmmss, where the timestamp portion of the filename indicates when the session started.

Gather and submit the log files

To gather and submit your Skype for Linux client log files when reporting an issue:

1. Submit the log file in ~/.Skype/Logs for the problem session with all issue reports.

Disable logging

If at some point you want to disable logging by the Skype for Linux client:

1. Shutdown or otherwise ensure that the Skype client is not running.
2. Navigate to the Skype client’s application data directory, ~/.Skype/
3. Optionally archive any existing log files to some other directory
4. Delete the Logs directory and all of its contents.
5. (Re-)start the Skype client.

To re-enable logging, simply follow the steps under Enabling logging

Skype for Mac

Enable logging

To enable logging by the Skype for Mac client:

1. Navigate to MacUsername −> Library −> Application Support −> Skype
   Depending on your OS version, you might need to press the ALT key to make the Library entry visible in the Finder’s Go menu.
2. Open the shared.xml file in a text editor.
3. Locate the Localnode sub-tree.
4. Add the following sub-tree immediately after the Localnode sub-tree:
   
   

   <UI>
     <General>
       <Logging>SkypeDebug2003</Logging>
     </General>
   </UI>
   

5. Save your changes.
6. Open a Terminal window, and type the following command string:
   
   

   defaults write com.skype.skype SKDebug YES
   

7. (Re-)start the Skype client.

You can now proceed to replicate your issue. The Skype client will create the following log files in:
    MacUsername −> Library −> Logs −> Skype:

• skydebug.log
• skydebug.trace.txt
• skydebug.ui.log

In addition, the Skype client will create the following log files in:
    MacUsername −> Library −> Logs −> CrashReporter:

• console.log
• Skype.crash.log

Gather and submit the log files

To gather and submit your Skype for Mac client log files when reporting an issue:

• skydebug.log—always include.
• skydebug.trace.txt—include when reporting an issue related to audio/video during a call only.
• skydebug.ui.log—include when reporting an issue related to client’s UI only.
• console.log—always include.
• Skype.crash.log—include when reporting a crash only.

Disable logging

If at some point you want to disable logging by the Skype for Mac client:

1. Navigate to MacUsername −> Library −> Application Support −> Skype
   Depending on your OS version, you might need to press the ALT key to make the Library entry visible in the Finder’s Go menu.
2. Open the shared.xml file in a text editor.
3. Locate and remove the UI.General.Logging sub-tree.
4. Save your changes.
5. (Re-)start the Skype client.

To re-enable logging, simply follow the steps under Enabling logging

Skype for Windows desktop and Skype for Windows 8—DirectX Diagnostics

The DirectX Diagnostics Tool provides you with an overview of your system’s hardware configuration and device driver versions. This information is often useful in diagnosing severe audio/video-related issues, such as when the Skype client does not recognize a camera, microphone, headset, or other A/V device. Should it be needed, we will typically ask you to provide it.

To create this file:

1. Open a console window, type dxdiag, and press ENTER.
2. Click Save All Information…
3. When the Save As dialog appears, specify where to save the file.
4. Attach this file to your issue report.

Need help?

Please contact Skype Developer Support.