How to Download Old Chat Threads on AIM

AOL announced today that their instant messenger service is shutting down for good. Effective December 17 you will no longer be able to use the service. So, can you save those incredibly awkward conversations you had with all your friends?

The answer is yes as long as you or your buddy never disabled the option to save a copy of your chats. You also need to be able to sign in to your old account. All chat threads must be saved before December 15, 2017.

Here’s how to save them:

Note that images and files are not saved with the chat logs and must be manually saved.

For Windows users:

1. Click the search box located in the bottom left corner of your screen next to your Start button.
2. Type AIM Logs and press the Enter key on your keyboard once the results are displayed.
3. When the folder opens, double click on your screen name.
4. Here you’ll see a saved file for each of the screen names or group names from your Buddy List. Double click the one you’d like to view and it will open. All files will continue to be available in this log until you delete them.

For Mac users:

1. Click on the spotlight icon on the menu bar in the top right corner of your desktop.
2. Type AIM Logs in the search bar.
3. Double click to open the folder.
4. Double click on the folder with your screen name.
5. Here you’ll see a saved file for each of the screen names or group names from your Buddy List. Double click the one you’d like to view and it will open. All files will continue to be available in this log until you delete them.

In a statement released on tumblr by Michael Albers, the VP of Communications Product at Oath, the company reminisced on old times while looking forward to new ones.

If you were a 90’s kid, chances are there was a point in time when AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) was a huge part of your life. You likely remember the CD, your first screenname, your carefully curated away messages, and how you organized your buddy lists. Right now you might be reminiscing about how you had to compete for time on the home computer in order to chat with friends outside of school. You might also remember how characters throughout pop culture from “You’ve Got Mail” to “Sex and the City” used AIM to help navigate their relationships. In the late 1990’s, the world had never seen anything like it. And it captivated all of us.

All your data associated with AIM will be deleted on December 15, 2017. This will include your Buddy List from chat and any files that were uploaded through the services.

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