Listening to Skype Voicemail

by | Mar 7, 2012 | SkypeAlyzer

On a few occasions, I have been asked whether it is possible to listen to Skype Voicemails using SkypeAlyzer. The answer is no, at least not at the moment, however, it is relatively straight forward to do this if a little time consuming and fiddly. 

These are the requirements:

  • installation of Skype
  • an active Skype account
  • To record the message as an MP3 a tool such as “i-sound record”.

The basic steps are as follows:

  • Using your own skype installation identify an existing voice mail
  • Examine the voicemails in the skype voicemails folder and identify the greetings message, note the file name and delete the file
  • Copy each voicemail you want to listen to into the skype voicemails folder and rename with the filename obtained in 2
  • Listen to the voicemail using Skype.

Using your own skype installation identify an existing voice mail

Open Skype (Instructions are for Skype on Windows)and on the “View” menu select “Voicemail”

Note the date and time that the voicemail was recorded from the dialogue above (in this case 7 March 2011 at 22:31)

Examine the voicemails in the skype voicemails folder and identify the voicemail message, note the file name and delete the file

Navigate to the Skype voicemail folder, on my Windows 7 box it is at the following URL

Code:

C:\Users\Paul\AppData\Roaming\Skype\r3scue193\voicemail
Identify the voicemail message via the date noted above and make a note of the file name (tip cut and paste the filename into a text file). If you are creating your own test message to use as a base to listen to a suspects message it is worth noting that the recorded voicemail will only be copied to your computer when you choose to listen to it

Delete your message (or do as I do and rename the file by inserting the word template before the Skype filename). There are two messages in the folder below one with the date and time of the test message I recorded for myself, the other message is a copy of my voicemail greetings message.

My placeholder or template message is V1331159474M1M1000000486D2568798973.dat

Copy each voicemail you want to listen to into the skype voicemails folder and rename with the filename obtained in 2

This can be a little laborious with many voicemails but it can be made easier if you open two explorer windows side by side and drag files from your source folder to the Skype voicemail folder. You can then cut and paste the voicemail greeting filename saved in the text file as you rename the file you want to listen to.

Listen to the voicemail using skype

Using Skype play the suspect voicemail back, to do this you would play back the template message you identified in step one (i..e the message at 7 March 2011 at 22:31). Note that the duration of the message and the date of the message will display incorrectly (it will still be the date and duration of your original message) but the message will play in full.