Turbo Mode & Settings: Customize Your Teams Backup
Not every backup needs to be perfect. Sometimes you just need the text, fast. Teams Chat Backup offers flexible settings to customize how your backups work—whether you want lightning-fast text extraction or perfectly formatted PDFs with screenshots. Version 2.5 introduced the Settings Panel, putting you in control.
The Settings Panel
The Settings Panel is accessible from the main popup:
- Click the Teams Chat Backup extension icon
- Click the gear icon in the top-right
- Adjust settings to your preference
- Settings are saved automatically and persist across sessions
Available Settings
| Setting | Options | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Turbo Mode | ON/OFF | Skip PDF generation, text-only extraction |
| Long Chat Mode | ON/OFF | Extended waits for very old chats |
| Capture Speed | Very Slow to Very Fast | Screenshot interval (if not Turbo Mode) |
| Cover Page | ON/OFF | Add branding cover page to PDF (Pro only) |
Turbo Mode: Speed vs. Completeness
What is Turbo Mode?
Turbo Mode is a text-only extraction mode that skips screenshot capture and PDF generation. It's designed for quick backups when you don't need visual formatting.
How It Works
Normal Mode:
- Scroll through chat
- Extract text messages
- Capture screenshots at intervals
- Generate PDF with screenshots
- Save text + PDF
Turbo Mode:
- Scroll through chat (faster)
- Extract text messages
- Skip screenshots entirely
- Skip PDF generation
- Save text only
Speed Comparison
| Chat Size | Normal Mode | Turbo Mode | Speed Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 messages | ~1 minute | ~20 seconds | 3x faster |
| 500 messages | ~4 minutes | ~1 minute | 4x faster |
| 1,000 messages | ~9 minutes | ~2 minutes | 4.5x faster |
When to Use Turbo Mode
| Scenario | Recommended Mode |
|---|---|
| Quick search reference | Turbo Mode |
| Legal documentation | Normal Mode (for PDF) |
| Personal archive | Turbo Mode |
| Sharing with others | Normal Mode (professional PDF) |
| Large chat, text-only needed | Turbo Mode |
| Visual formatting important | Normal Mode |
| Free tier users | Turbo Mode (default) |
What Turbo Mode Includes
Even without PDFs, Turbo Mode captures everything important:
- Text messages - Yes
- Sender names - Yes
- Timestamps - Yes
- Images (embedded) - Yes
- File attachments - Yes
- Screenshots - No
- PDF generation - No
- Visual formatting - No
Capture Speed Slider
The Capture Speed slider controls how often screenshots are taken during normal (non-Turbo) mode backups.
Speed Options
| Setting | Screenshot Interval | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Very Slow | 5 seconds | Chats with many images, complex formatting |
| Slow | 3 seconds | Chats with mixed content |
| Normal | 2 seconds | General use (default) |
| Fast | 1.5 seconds | Mostly text chats |
| Very Fast | 1 second | Text-heavy, fast scrolling |
Choosing the Right Speed
Use Very Slow (5s) when:
- Chat has many images and emojis
- Important to capture every visual element
- Quality is more important than speed
Use Normal (2s) when:
- Standard mix of text and images
- Balanced quality and speed (recommended for most)
Use Very Fast (1s) when:
- Chat is mostly text
- You want faster backup
- Minor visual gaps are acceptable
Settings Interactions
Some settings affect others:
- Turbo Mode + Long Chat Mode: Long Chat Mode takes priority (text-only)
- Turbo Mode ON: Capture Speed is disabled (no screenshots)
- Long Chat Mode ON: Turbo Mode is disabled, Capture Speed disabled
- Free tier: Turbo Mode is ON by default (can't turn off)
- Pro tier: All settings available
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I change settings during a backup?
A: No. Settings are locked when backup starts. Choose settings before clicking "Start Backup".
Q: Do settings affect existing backups?
A: No. Settings only apply to new backups. Existing backups remain unchanged.
Q: What's the best setting for most users?
A: For Pro users: Turbo Mode OFF, Capture Speed Normal. For Free users: Turbo Mode ON (default).
Q: Why is Turbo Mode forced for free users?
A: To provide faster backups within the free tier's 7-second preview limit.
Q: Do settings sync across my computers?
A: Settings are stored locally per browser profile, not synced across devices.
Customize Your Teams Backup Experience
Choose the perfect balance of speed, format, and quality for your needs