In this article, we explain various ways in which you can efficiently save, back up and archive conversations and data from Microsoft Teams. We compare Microsoft compliance archiving with modern third-party export solutions. While Microsoft's official method is often slow, cumbersome and not very flexible, our novalutions Teams Chat Exporter enables a fast, complete and uncomplicated export - perfect for entrepreneurs and agency owners who want to save time and resources.
Why saving team conversations is crucial today
Microsoft Teams is the backbone of internal communication for many companies. Whether for project coordination, customer meetings or coordination with partners - the most important information can often be found directly in the chat. However, as soon as legal requirements, internal audits or the simple restoration of conversations are required, backing up and exporting this data quickly becomes a challenge. Those who rely on a simple and reliable solution here gain a real competitive advantage.
Microsoft Compliance Archiving - an overview of the official method
Many companies rely on Microsoft Compliance Archiving when it comes to storing team conversations permanently and in a legally compliant manner. Detailed retention policies can be defined via the Microsoft Compliance Centre. This means that chats, messages and relevant data are automatically archived and can be managed centrally. This gives large organisations and companies with strict compliance requirements in particular the necessary security and control. Integration into the Microsoft ecosystem also ensures compliance with data protection regulations such as the GDPR.
At a glance: Advantages of Microsoft Compliance Archiving
- Legally compliant archiving and long-term storage of all team conversations and messages
- Centralised management via the Microsoft Compliance Center, ideal for companies with complex structures
- Automatic storage according to predefined guidelines - no manual reworking necessary
- GDPR and data protection-compliant solution, provided directly by Microsoft
At a glance: Disadvantages of Microsoft Compliance Archiving
- No fast or flexible export of individual team chats possible, which can be a problem, especially with short-term requirements or project-related proofs
- The administration and configuration of compliance tools is often complex and requires IT or compliance knowledge, which makes it difficult for normal team members to use them
- There is no option to select and export specific conversations - all data is saved centrally and often undifferentiated
- The export of data takes place outside the Teams app and is not very intuitive for many users
Conclusion:
Microsoft Compliance Archiving is a professional solution for large companies with clear compliance processes and specialised IT teams. However, for freelancers, agency owners and companies looking for a fast, flexible and user-friendly way to save and export individual team conversations, this solution is too complex and not suitable for everyday use.
Third-party export solution from novalutions: The Teams Chat Exporter for flexible and fast backup
For agency owners, freelancers and modern teams in particular, a flexible export solution is crucial if team chats and conversations are to be saved or exported in a legally compliant manner. This is where our tool comes into play: the novalutions Teams Chat Exporter. This tool has been specially developed for everyday use and enables conversations from Microsoft Teams to be exported easily, quickly and completely - including all attachments, images and documents in various file formats.
This is why more and more companies are opting for novalutions Teams Chat Exporter:
- Fast export: Individual or complete Teams chats are exported in just a few minutes - regardless of the chat size or number of attachments.
- Complete backup: Messages, files and media are backed up completely and in a structured manner so that nothing is lost.
- Easy to use: The tool is intuitive and can be used directly in Microsoft Teams without any IT knowledge.
- Flexible storage options: Export is possible both locally and in the cloud - depending on individual requirements.
- Legally compliant archiving: The entire export process is GDPR-compliant and is perfect for audits, backups and compliance purposes.
The export process is designed to be as simple as possible: Open the chat or channel in Microsoft Teams, start the export and download the complete file in just a few minutes. This leaves more time for the essentials - and your most important conversations are always archived in a legally compliant manner and ready to hand.
Alternative methods - why manual export will no longer be an option in 2025
Another way to save Microsoft Teams conversations is manually - for example by printing them as a PDF or copying individual messages. However, this method quickly reaches its limits: Attachments and media are not automatically transferred, the effort required for longer chat histories is enormous and the backup often remains incomplete. Manual saving is therefore not a real alternative for professional requirements such as audits, compliance or regular backups.
Conclusion - the right export solution for modern companies and agencies
For large organisations with complex compliance requirements, Microsoft Compliance Archiving offers a comprehensive but less flexible and user-friendly solution. Self-employed people, agency owners and modern teams, on the other hand, benefit from specialised export tools such as the novalutions Teams Chat ExporterFast, complete and uncomplicated export, maximum flexibility and a workflow that really fits into everyday working life. If you want to back up team conversations and data efficiently, legally compliant and without technical effort, a third-party export solution is a clear advantage.
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