Skype didn't work, what should I do? What to do if the updated version of Skype does not launch

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In the twenty-first century, it is difficult to imagine life without communication with the outside world. In order to keep in touch with your friends and loved ones at any time and anywhere, the Skype program was created. In this article we will find out what needs to be done if Skype does not open on the computer.

Program description

Skype - software, created to connect users who are far from each other. The application provides exchange text messages, voice and video communication via the Internet. File sharing is also available to users.

Slype can be installed on different operating systems:

computer or laptop;
telephone;
tablet.

Skype is available for free download and easy to use. Behind small fee you can access phone calls and sending SMS messages. Considering all these nuances, the program is very popular in the field of communications today.

Causes of malfunction

Let's look at the main reasons why Skype does not open on a computer:

Problems with the main server.
Perhaps the problem with launching the program is related to a malfunction of the main server, but the developers solve this problem very quickly. If after this Skype does not resume normal operation within 24 hours, then the problem is not with the servers.
Blocking by antiviruses or firewalls.
The application can also be blocked by a firewall, which controls all data transmitted over the network between computers, or by an antivirus. They mistake Skype for malware. Accordingly, you need to temporarily disable the firewall and check whether the application starts.
Virus infection of application files.
To find out whether malware is affecting the application, use an antivirus to scan and remove infected files.
Automatic update.
When the updates are installed, the program will not start, you need to wait for it complete update, then restart.

Correction

If Skype does not start, first restart your computer. If the problem has not been resolved, then proceed to further actions.

Deleting a file

The crash may be caused by a file located in the application folder. To resume operation, it must be removed.

This method of resuming Skype is suitable for operating systems Windows 7, 8, 10.

Reinstallation

Complete removal and subsequent installation of the latest version will solve the problem in 70% of cases.

If these steps do not help, try disabling the running antivirus and firewall on your computer. You will find how to do this in the article.

Skype is incredible popular program for communication, it is used both for personal purposes and for solving work issues. Skype does not open on the computer - what to do, what reasons lead to such a problem, and most importantly - how to fix the problem and prevent it from occurring in the future.

Useful information prepared for you on our website.

Causes

Late update installation. According to the same reason Skype It also does not open on a phone, tablet or any other device. The old version of the program will produce various kinds of errors until you install the latest update.
Installing the update. If you have started downloading the update package, you need to wait for some time. If Skype is updated, in most cases it will refuse to work. Additionally, once the process is complete, you must restart the program for the changes to take effect. Users often ask why it doesn’t open home page in Skype after the update. This happens when a login attempt occurs while the process is not yet completed, or the program has not been restarted.
The reason that Skype does not open on a computer or laptop running Windows 10 is often the update itself. operating system. If you have a “Ten”, you have encountered this process and know how the device reacts to it. Even the most undemanding programs work much slower, let alone Skype, for normal operation which it is desirable to close everything unnecessary applications and tabs.
The process is blocked by an antivirus or firewall. They mistake the program for malware and interfere with its operation. This is a fairly common answer to the question why Skype does not open on a laptop or computer when it starts. Here you can find out in two ways.
And the opposite situation is when there are already software Skype files suffered a viral attack.
Why doesn't Skype open on my computer yet? This is often caused by problems with the application servers. You can find out if this is so by asking technical support on the official website. Such problems are resolved very quickly; if a day has passed and the problem has not been resolved, then the problem is different. We'll tell you in another article.

Solutions

Here's what you need to do first if Skype won't open:

Reboot your device. Practice shows that this method works in most cases. Did not help? Read more
Add the messenger to the list of allowed programs for your antivirus or firewall. Or simply disable these programs for a while to determine if they are the reason why Skype does not open on your computer.
Scan your computer with an antivirus for malware

Open “Task Manager” (Ctrl+Alt+Delete)
Left-click on the Skype process and click “End”

Call command line keyboard shortcut Win+R
A window will appear where you need to enter the command %appdata%\skype and click “Ok”

A folder with program files will open
Here you need to find and delete “shared.xml”

And after that try to launch the messenger again

If this advice does not help achieve results, we recommend completely removing Skype from your computer, and then downloading and installing it again.

By the way, you can directly on our website.

Skype is a popular communication program for people all over the world. Thanks to the application, users make calls and conduct text correspondence with relatives and friends. With Skype, like others similar programs difficulties arise at work. Sometimes users are unable to run an application on a Windows computer. Let's take a closer look at the questions why the program does not start on the device? What actions should you take to quickly solve the problem?

Check if you have internet

Before launching Skype on the device, users forget to check the Internet. When the program is not responding, try checking for network availability. To do this, launch any browser on your desktop. If the pages load, then you need to look for the cause of the problem elsewhere. Next you need to check the connection network cable or router. The cable may be damaged and will need to be replaced. The reason for the lack of Internet may be technical work provider, so call him and find out the reasons for the lack of communication.

Check that your login and password are entered correctly

When logging into your account, Skype may display a login and password error. Therefore, the user needs to check whether the nickname and password data are entered correctly. The device keyboard must be set to English language. The reason for the problem logging into the application may be on the keyboard active button Caps Lock, so it needs to be disabled. If the user has entered all the data correctly, but there is no connection to the program, then look for another source of difficulties. If the user has forgotten his password and login, he will need to go through the data recovery procedure or re-create an account.

Make sure you have the latest version of Skype

Another reason that causes difficulties connecting to Skype is the use of an outdated version of the application. To solve the problem, you will need to delete the old version of the application and download a new one from the official website of the program. But first, you should check which version of Skype your device is using. To do this you will need to do the following:

Go to the program and find the Help section.
Then click the cursor on the item Availability of updates.
In the window that opens, the user will be able to see information about installed version Skype.

Why Skype doesn't work on Windows XP

IN 2014 Skype stopped working with Windows platform XP, so the difficulties with the operation of the OS and the program are understandable. However, some users continue to use an outdated version of the operating system Windows systems and at the same time use the functions of the Skype application.

The main reasons for difficulties logging into Skype on Windows XP are:

Internet problems. Installation on device old version programs.
Need to update drivers.
Using a legacy option Adobe Flash Player.

Deleting the shared.xml file and reinstalling the program

In the event that the Skype program categorically does not want to open on a device with the OS Windows user you can start radical method solution to this problem - removal configuration file and reinstalling Skype. To carry out this procedure, follow these sequential steps:

On the bottom left of your computer desktop, go to Start and in the Search bar, enter the word Hidden.
You will need to click Show hidden files and folders.
In the window that opens, at the bottom of the list, check the box to show hidden folders.
Next, you should re-enter Start and search for %appdata%/Skype.
In the Explorer window, find the shared.xml file and delete it. Don't forget to close Skype application before performing these manipulations.
When you enter the program, the shared.xml file will be re-created automatically.

To remove a program Skype user necessary:

Go to Start and select Programs and Features.
Find Skype in the list that appears and delete it.
Then go to the official website of the program, download the updated version of the application and install it on your computer.

Many Internet users use Skype for work. But very often you can encounter situations when Skype does not start or a white field pops up. Many people attribute this to the Skype “bug”. Our article will tell you how to get out of this situation.

Let's say right away that Skype is completely related to work. Internet browser Explorer. That is, it must be installed on your computer. Wherein Internet settings Explorer must be installed in the right way. If Skype does not start for you, then refer to the methods for solving the problem, which will be described below.

First way

If this action does not help, then move on to the second method.

Second way

With this action you will be able to log into Skype. But this is a temporary solution - only for authorization.

Third way

Exit the program completely (read how to do this above).
Open " My computer», drive C, « Program Files", folder Skype and go to the folder " Phone».
Click on Skype and then right click mice: Send to – desktop (create shortcut). A second shortcut will be created on the desktop.
Click on the created shortcut, and then right-click on " Properties" In the window that appears, in the line “ C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe", write with a space next command /legacylogin. After that, click on the button below “ Apply».
Now you can log into Skype by launching the program through the newly created shortcut. Skype will launch in the old window (version of Skype), and no settings will be required Internet Explorer.

If the above methods did not help, then download the Skype program from the official website of the program and install it again.

The modern world is unthinkable without the Internet. In many ways we have become dependent on it because World Wide Web offers us opportunities for communication that we simply did not know before. Could anyone even imagine a few years ago that you could not only talk at a distance, but also see your interlocutor at the same time?

If you have ever dealt with a computer, you probably understand that we are talking about Skype program. She gained incredible popularity in last years. No modern user can imagine life without this wonderful application.

Unfortunately, even with the most reliable programs, there are various unpleasant surprises. What will you do if Skype won't launch?

Most users will call the service technical support or look for a solution on various thematic forums. Unfortunately, they don’t always help there, and not everyone has time to look through hundreds of pages of messages, sifting out the “wheat from the chaff.”

To help you in this difficult situation, we have prepared this article.

What could have happened?

If you have used the mentioned program since its appearance, then you probably remember that in those days Skype was extremely stable, and no one had ever heard of its “glitches”. Unfortunately, over time, the program was overbought shortly after which problems began.

Perhaps these events are not interconnected in any way, but the fact remains: Skype has not started up quite often in recent years. Often the problem is related to some kind of violation on the company’s servers. But even more often it happens that the new version turns out to be simply incompatible with some new standards, once again adopted by the leadership of the notorious Microsoft.

Uninstalling the previous version

Often the problem can be solved quite simply. To do this, you need to uninstall and reinstall the program. This can be done in two ways. The first is to use the standard “Taskbar”. How to do it?

Click on the “Start” button and look for the “Control Panel” item there. A dialog box appears in which you should find the “Programs and Features” option. Click on the link, after which a list of all utilities installed on your computer opens. Find Skype there and click on the “Delete” button, which is located at the top of the working window.

The standard “Uninstall Wizard” starts, which will help you for video calls from your computer. After this you can download installation package new version and reinstall the utility.

What if Skype doesn’t start even after that? Most likely, the whole point is a bad uninstallation, after which traces of the program remained on the hard drive and in the registry. To prevent this from happening, we recommend that you use a wonderful utility Revo Uninstaller Pro.

We use the removal utility

It is intended precisely for those cases when some program does not want to be removed normally from your OS. How to use it? Everything is extremely simple.

Launch Revo Uninstaller Pro, after which you look through the list of programs, which is presented at the bottom of the working window. Look for “Skype” there and select it by clicking the left mouse button. After that look at top part working window: there is a “Delete” icon that you should click on.

Will open first standard program for uninstallation. After this, a dialog box appears with Revo Uninstaller itself, in which you need to select a scanning method hard drive. We recommend that you choose “Advanced”, since in this mode the program searches for a larger number of “traces” remaining from the utility. Select the “Select All” option, and then click “Delete”.

What, Skype does not start even after this kind of operation? Then we will use the solution from Microsoft itself, although it is not particularly elegant.

Microsoft method

Before following these instructions, we strongly advise you to reinstall the program using the instructions above. If Skype does not start, Windows 8 (like other operating systems of this family) may display its icon in the tray, but the application does not launch further.

Do you see this picture? Click on it with the right mouse button, and select “Exit” from the drop-down menu. After that, click the “Start” button, look for the “Run” field there, and then enter the command there: % APPDATA% \ Skype. Click "OK".

Now you need to find and delete small file shared.xml. It contains information about setting up the application. If you remove it, the configuration will be reset to default, after which it will be possible to launch the program. How to find him? Simply enter the name in the “Run” field and press Enter.

The computer doesn't find anything? Then perform a simple operation. You should find the “Control Panel” again. In the dialog box there is a “Folder Options” item. Open the “View” tab, and then check the box next to “Show hidden files, folders and disks." Click "OK".

Search for the file again. We delete it and try to launch it again. What if Skype doesn’t start after the update? After all, the version is already the newest!?

The most original method

Oddly enough, sometimes even novice users find ways to solve a problem that would hardly occur to their more experienced colleagues. It's about about creating a new account on Windows. It is advisable to create it with “Guest” rights.

Very often, after logging into the newly created “Account”, it turns out that Skype starts working normally. This technique is especially effective in Windows case HR.

Antivirus?

It sometimes happens that after an update antivirus program it suddenly starts thinking Skype files are malicious and then deletes them. In any case, such excesses happened to users AVG programs old versions.

What to do? Try turning it off temporarily, reinstalling Skype and trying to start it again. Much the same symptoms can occur if your firewall is blocking it from accessing the Internet. In this case, you need to deal with opening ports. Try allowing all connections via This usually helps.

Skype won't launch? Is a white window the only sign of its presence on the computer? Something different is at issue here.

Install the portable version

On old ones Windows versions it happens that latest versions“Skype” turns out to be simply incompatible due to some problems with updates or system files. In this case the only way out- use portable version applications. It can be run from either a hard drive or removable media.

This method works ideally when for some reason your system is missing the important kernel32.dll library. Skype does not start due to the fact that some of its modules are simply not activated.

Database problem

Another common reason why correct work program turns out to be impossible. In this case, you need to close the application by right-clicking on its tray icon and selecting “Exit”.

Then go to your profile, which is located at: “C:\Documents and Settings\Your Windows account name\Application Data\Skype\Your Skype account name\”. The path we specified should contain a folder, after deleting which the program will work.

So you know what to do. Skype does not start for many reasons, but almost all of them can be eliminated with your own efforts.