Telephony in the modern world is one of the most important technologies, and the situation when Skype won't open can confuse many users. There can be several reasons for an application to fail - from the program itself to a problem in the operating system. In any case, it is always possible to restore its correct operation.

Skype does not open on the computer due to a variety of reasons - from easy-to-solve problems to problems that require reinstalling the system. The article does not imply that there are communication problems in the program, only an error at startup, lack of response when clicking on a shortcut, or startup with an empty window.

Common causes of Skype crashes:

• a failure occurred due to user settings;
• the disruption occurred due to a glitch in Internet Explorer, which is responsible for displaying many program elements;
• problem in system settings;
• driver or program conflict;
• the presence of a failure after updating a program or Windows.

Before any manipulations, it is worth checking, probably the problem is observed among many users and there are malfunctions on the server. If this is the true reason, it is enough to wait for the program to be restored; the developers are responsible for this.

Skype settings crash

Skype won't open, what should I do first? – It is worth checking the serviceability of the program in the settings area. Sometimes user data creates errors and prevents quality use.

To fix the problem, you need to perform a simple manipulation:

1. Most often, even an inactive program has a working process; to close it, you should press Ctrl + Alt + Del and go to the “Processes” section. Here it is worth closing the process from the Skype manufacturer.
2. Now you should press Win + R and enter the text %appdata%\skype and Enter into the line - this command will transfer to the section with user data.
3. A folder will open in a new window in which you need to locate the shared.xml file and delete it.

By deleting the configuration file, a reset should occur and there is a high probability of restoring the program. If the method does not lead to the expected result, you can use another algorithm, in which the first step is similar, and then follows:

1. Win + R paste %appdata% into the line, then press Enter.
2. In the catalog, find the “Skype” and RMB section.
3. Select the “Rename” option and add any number to the end of the name.

The disadvantage of the manipulation is deleting conversations and chats; the program should start as new, although the contacts are stored on the server and, accordingly, will be saved.

Reset system and Skype settings

Special programs have been developed that detect and eliminate all temporary and useless files. All actions can be performed manually, but there is a risk of forgetting about some section and this will take a lot of time. The best program that will help you cope with this task efficiently is CCleaner.

Let's look at the algorithm of actions using CCleaner:

1. Download the application - https://ccleaner.org.ua/download/.
2. On the first “Cleaner” tab, you need to launch the scanning algorithm using the “Analyze” button, having previously selected the applications that need to be checked.
3. After the analysis, you need to click on the “Run Cleaner” button.

1. A window with a suggestion will appear (it is advisable to do this).
2. Then go to the “Registry” section and run registry analysis.

1. After the search, the number of errors found will be shown and you will be able to start troubleshooting.

Performing this manipulation will in some cases allow you to restore Skype and speed up the performance of the entire Windows system.

Complete reinstallation of the program

Often, to restore the launch of Skype, reinstalling the program is used. An important condition for effectiveness is the complete removal of the previous version, otherwise the method may be useless. There are special programs for this, for example, iObit Uninstaller.

Complete removal of Skype:

1. Download the program https://ru.iobit.com/advanceduninstaller/ and then install;
2. In the main application window, find Skype and click on the delete button;

1. After standard uninstallation, you will be asked to delete traces of the application on your PC in all storage areas; you must agree and create a restore point.

After the procedure, you will need to download the new version of Skype and install it.

Problem in Internet Explorer

A similar problem has existed for a long time, back to the release of version 5.5, when Skype was tied to IE. When you enter the program, authorization occurs, which activates ActiveX and some JavaScript frameworks located in IE. If browser settings are changed due to manipulation by the user or other programs, Skype may stop working. This error is characterized by difficulties in adding new contacts.

For most popular systems before Windows 8, a special fix can be used, which was made by the developer themselves. For some users, just updating the browser is enough.

Resetting settings in IE helps in many cases, for this you should:

1. Close all IE windows and other tabs in Explorer.
2. Relaunch IE browser.
3. Using the “Service” section, go to the “Properties” item. You can open a window with a section by clicking on the gear.
4. Next, go to the “Advanced” section and click on “Reset”.
5. It is important to put a highlight next to the “Delete personal data” item: visited pages, cookies, hash, etc.

1. In the new window, you should confirm the action by clicking on the “Reset” button.
2. After completing the manipulation, you should close the program.

When the steps are completed, it is worth checking that Skype is working properly; the program should work again.

If you still have questions on the topic “What to do if Skype does not open?”, you can ask them in the comments

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Does this happen? What to do in this case? Understanding all this is not as easy as it seems. After all, problems with computer software can happen for a variety of reasons. And it is extremely difficult to predict them. No one is immune from the problem being studied. As a rule, users usually go through all possible options and try to correct the situation. What could be the reasons why Skype refused to launch?

"Curve" installation

The first scenario is far from the most dangerous. This is an incorrect installation of the application. It is after this that Skype does not open. Or it starts to malfunction. This type of initialization is also called "curve". Why is this happening? Even minor glitches and malfunctions that occurred during installation of the application can lead to this problem. As a result, Skype will not start. Or it will start to glitch. The situation can be corrected easily and simply - just uninstall the program and reinstall it. It is recommended that you do not perform any activities on the computer during initialization. Skype still won't open? Then the reasons may be different.

Old version

For example, the fact that the user installed an old and basically non-working version of the application. Usually, only the latest software builds are posted on the official Skype website. Sometimes users use existing installers that were downloaded a long time ago. Hence the problem. As a rule, in this case, the application will issue a warning that it is necessary to update due to the lack of support for the previously installed version of the program. Skype won't open on your computer? What to do? Listen to the recommendations that the operating system gives and update the application. There are no other options. It is not necessary to install the latest version. You just need to pay attention to the fact that the initialized software is supported in principle.

After update

What else should you pay attention to? Skype is an application that often malfunctions. And users should know how to deal with this or that problem when dealing with software. Sometimes it happens that the Skype window does not open immediately after the update. Here users are offered several solutions. Which one will be the most effective cannot be said with certainty.

First, you can simply restart your computer. Sometimes this technique works. Typically, after any initialization or update, you need to restart the operating system. Secondly, you can try to completely remove the program, then manually reinstall it. Often, automatic updates cause problems in Skype. Therefore, many do not recommend using this too often.

Thirdly, one tricky trick is proposed. We are talking about deleting your account from the application system. Often this step solves the problem with starting the program. Skype won't open? Then you will have to find the %Appdata%/Skype folder. There you need to select the folder with the name of the user account and click on the delete button. Now all that remains is to launch the program and enter your username and password in the appropriate fields.

Drivers

Skype won't open? Gives an error message? Or does the user experience this problem? Then you can try to reinstall the drivers. Especially if you were able to see what exactly caused the problem. This information is encrypted on the “blue screen of death”.

Reinstalling drivers is the key to success when launching most programs. You can simply update to the latest versions. It is also recommended to install or update ActiveX, JavaScript and DirectX. After this, you can restart your computer (this is important), and then try to start Skype. Most likely the problem will go away. Especially if on the “blue screen of death” it was possible to identify the equipment that required Skype still won’t open? What to do? There are not as many of the most common options left as it seems!

Viruses

The next reason for the problem is infection of the operating system with viruses. The most common scenario. It is because of some viruses that computer software refuses to work fully. Skype may not start or work intermittently. What should I do? It is enough to cure the computer and the problem will go away by itself. You will need to perform a deep scan of the system with antivirus programs. Then everyone is treated (there is a special button in antiviruses for this purpose). And what cannot be corrected is deleted.

Don't forget to scan your computer for spyware. They can also sometimes harm the system and also cause Skype to stop working. By analogy with viruses, spyware is removed or dangerous objects are treated. Now you can try to launch Skype. It is recommended to reinstall the application. The computer installed the program. Skype still won't open? Then you should try one more small trick. It doesn't work as often as we'd like, but it's worth taking into account.

Registry

We are talking about cleaning the system registry. If you do not carry out this procedure from time to time, the operating system will begin to fail. As a result, sooner or later many programs will refuse to work. And Skype is no exception. It is recommended to use an application called CCleaner. It will help you automatically check your computer's registry and then clean it of unnecessary accumulated files. After this, try again to start Skype. After scanning, you can send your computer to reboot. Usually, after cleaning the system registry, the operation of the operating system improves. And Skype begins to work fully.

Incompatibility

But that's not all. Skype won't open? Gives an error message? If all of the above problems did not occur, then you should make sure that the program is compatible with the operating system. Skype often refuses to work on Windows 10. The situation can only be corrected by reinstalling Windows to an older version. Fortunately, incompatibility does not often become the reason for Skype to refuse to work.

Skype is one of the most popular instant messengers in the world. The program was developed by Microsoft and is distributed free of charge. Despite the large number of bugs and errors associated with the application, millions of people still use it. In this article you will learn all the most common reasons why Skype does not start and how to fix it.

Types of reasons

First of all, let's look at the main types of reasons that may cause problems with the performance of the described messenger. They can be divided into the following categories:

• Software problem (crazy update, deleted files, software incompatibility, etc.).
• Hardware problem.

If you have just installed Skype on your computer and could not launch it, then first check the compatibility of your gadget according to the official system requirements. If the reason is related to hardware, then you will not be able to solve the launch problem using software changes - try using Skype on a mobile device or another PC.

PC requirements

Although the messenger is not too demanding on hardware, like modern games, for example, it is still recommended to check the system requirements. This may be one of the reasons why Skype does not start. For stable operation of the program you need:

• Operating system Windows XP or later.
• Processor with a frequency of 1 GHz or higher.
• Minimum 512 MB of RAM.
• DirectX 9.

If your computer meets the system requirements, but the messenger still does not work, then proceed to the following reasons.

Reinstallation

First of all, try reinstalling. Sometimes it happens that a program may stop working due to incorrect installation or due to virus infection. This is the most common reason why Skype does not start on a computer.

First you need to remove the old version of the program. To do this, go to the "Control Panel" and go to the "Uninstall programs" section. Next in the list, find Skype and delete it.

To download the new version and install it, you must follow these steps:

• Go to the official Skype website.
• On the main page, click the "Download Skype" button.
• Select the Computer tab and click Download.
• Wait until the installation file is downloaded.
• Run the file and follow the instructions that appear.

Now try launching the program again through “Start” or “Desktop”. Log in to your account and check its functionality.

Rolling back updates

Developers often release new versions of updates that are extremely unstable on PCs. Over time, patches appear that correct all errors. Until a stable version of the messenger is released, you can roll back to the previous one. To do this, you need to find the archive with the previous update and install it on your PC. On software sites you can find almost any Skype update of different years and versions. The main thing is to download the Skype that is compatible with the architecture of your operating system, so that there are no problems with launch and operation.

Another option that can solve the problem is a portable version of the messenger. Portable doesn't need to be installed - you download the exe file and just run it. Next, open the file and log in with your account.

Virus check

If the methods described above did not help you, then be sure to scan your computer for viruses. You can do this using standard Windows Defender if you use eight or ten. To do this, go to “Settings” and click on the “Update and Security” section. Open the Windows Defender tab and then click the Scan Now button.

If you use Windows XP or Vista, you will have to use third-party antivirus software. On the Internet you can find a number of free antiviruses to choose from.

Now let's look at the reasons why Skype does not start, which are associated with individual generations of the Windows operating system.

For Windows XP, Vista and 7

The developers have released a special patch that you can download to your computer. If this option does not help to start the program, then you need to update or uninstall Internet Explorer.

The fact is that in version 5.5, Skype is tied to the IE browser in the Windows XP and 7 operating systems. When launched, the messenger accesses scripts that are located in IE. Since the user can make changes to the browser settings (viruses can also do this), a problem arises in launching and authorizing the messenger. We figured out why Skype won't launch on Windows XP. Now we need to fix this problem.

To resolve the issue, follow these steps:

• Close all programs and browser.
• Now restart IE.
• Using the "Service" button (like a gear in the upper corner of the window) open the menu.
• Select "Internet Options" from the menu.
• In properties, go to "Advanced" and click on "Reset".
• In the menu that opens, select the "Delete personal settings" option.
• Close your browser and restart. The next time you turn on the browser, the settings will be restored.

Now try launching Skype again and check if it works. If this method does not help, then follow these steps:

• open "Task Manager" and close the running skype.exe process;
• go to the system partition of the hard drive and open the Program Files folder;
• in this directory, find the Skype folder;
• right-click on the skype.exe file and click “Create a shortcut on the desktop”;
• now go to the shortcut properties via RMB;
• go to the “Shortcut” tab;
• in the “Object” field, add the command /legacylogin to the written line;
• save the changes and launch the Skype shortcut.

Why doesn't Skype launch on Windows 7?

On the Windows 7 operating system, problems often arise with the performance of Skype after downloading updates. To fix this problem, you need to do the following:

• Open the Run window via the Start menu or the Win+R key combination.
• Copy the command %LOCALAPPDATA%\Skype\Apps\ into the line and press Enter.
• In the folder that opens, find the directory with the name of your login and delete all the files in it.
• Now launch Skype again.

Why doesn't Skype launch on Windows 10?

The Windows 10 operating system comes with a new version of Skype that runs by default. Many users respond negatively to this experiment, preferring the classic version. Go to the messenger website and click the "Download" button. On the page that opens, you will see a note stating that you already have a new Skype. Scroll down the page and select the “Download” button where it offers to install the classic version of the program.

Web version

If none of the methods described in the article helped, but you urgently need to go to the messenger and start communicating, then use the online version of the service. Log in to your account using your login, email or phone number. After entering the data, click the “Login” button. The only disadvantage of this version is that you will have to keep your browser open all the time. On weak computers, this solution can be a problem.

Bottom line

We have considered all troubleshooting options that are suitable for all operating systems and the main OS separately. If you are unable to resolve the problem, please contact support. You can find the form to fill out on the official Microsoft website. The company's employees will try to sort out this issue as quickly as possible and give you practical advice on launching Skype.

“Skype doesn’t work” - these words can describe a whole range of problems that lead to the application either not starting or not functioning correctly. Let's see what's what and try to figure it out together.

Why Skype doesn't work: main points

An application can crash for a variety of reasons. If it doesn't work at all, check these points:

1. You are using an outdated version of the messenger. The recommendation here is simple - completely remove it and download a new one. Most often, many problems disappear on their own.
2. Poor Internet signal or its settings have gone wrong. This can be solved by calling your provider: what if they have some kind of massive failure on the line or are undergoing repairs on your site.
3. Rarely, but nevertheless, it happens that the error lies within Skype itself. Either there was a widespread critical failure, or the developer’s official server was broken.
4. If Skype does not work on a Windows computer, it is probably being hampered by malware, accidentally picked up viruses, or the operating system itself, which has become “buggy.” It is necessary to “cure” it if possible, and if it does not help, you will have to reinstall it.
5. The application is blocked by programs such as antivirus or firewall. To try to resolve their conflict, turn them off for a while, and then start the messenger again.
6. If the messenger is installed on your work computer in the office, then keep in mind that quite often the management of IT specialists restricts employees’ access to software that interferes with the work process. In such a situation, nothing can be done.

Another problem is if, - and we talk about this in our other article.

What to do if Skype does not work, but the Internet works?

There is one way - try changing your password.

Why doesn't Skype work on Windows?

There is another original hack - resetting Internet Explorer settings. It would seem, what does the browser have to do with it? However, it and the messenger are interdependent software.

Proceed like this:

What to do if Skype doesn’t work: it says “no connection”

This is a very common problem, and it occurs to the user when the Internet is turned on and working properly. The help is as follows:

Every time you uninstall an application, you need to clean the registry using utilities like CCleaner.
This is a simple process that won’t take much time: you launch an advanced scan, and the program itself will remove remnants and unnecessary fragments of Skype.

You will find instructions on what to do if this happens in our thematic material.

Skype does not work after update: errors appeared

If Skype does not work after the update, pay attention to these errors - perhaps one of them will be relevant to you.

"msvcp140 dll is missing"

You may encounter this error not only in Skype, so just keep in mind that it pops up due to the fact that:

• This file is not on the system;
• It is damaged: a virus intervened, or another program changed it;
• Skype settings are wrong.

You need to reinstall it.

"Error 0xc000007b"

Occurs for the following reasons:

After the update, Skype does not work: no sound, no video image

Most often, this disgrace occurs when the webcam or microphone (headset) drivers are not updated. If the problem appears on your computer, you probably have very old hardware. It's probably time to splurge and buy a new, good and fast laptop or PC.

You can learn more about when and why from our other material.

The optimal solution for all even hopeless situations is the web version of the messenger (go to web.skype.com and try it yourself). This option does not require installation, is very easy to use, and is a great help when you urgently need to get in touch.

Why Skype doesn't work on Android

If Skype does not work on your phone, the steps will be almost the same as in the case of a PC:

• Check the quality of your Internet connection
• Try updating the program
• Or reinstall again
• Make sure your device supports the latest version of the program

The popular Skype messenger is used by a large number of people in all corners of the planet. Not long ago, the program became the property of a Microsoft program, which gave hope that shortcomings in some versions of the application, due to which it did not always work correctly, would be eliminated. However, it cannot be said that Skype has been greatly improved. Therefore, such a problem as Skype not working continues to appear among users. We will look at how we can solve it.

Reasons for the error

Skype may stop working for several reasons. Only by determining what exactly caused the failure can you find the right solution to fix the problem. Therefore, those who ask “Skype doesn’t work, what should I do” need to pay attention to how the program behaves. If you have problems with devices such as or, then you should go to the application settings. But we will consider more serious cases.

Conventionally, there are several reasons why Skype does not work. As a result of the error, we can get the following:

• Skype won't open at all.
• After starting the program, a blank window appears.

If your messenger behaves like this, then the problem is most likely a bug in the Internet Explorer browser. The fact is that Microsoft “tied” the application to the Internet browser and the WSE programming language. Every time Skype starts and logs in, it needs access to scripts located in IE. Therefore, when changing Internet browser settings, a crash may occur. There are situations when Skype works but the browser does not, which is most likely due to a virus that infected the computer.

How to fix the situation

In order to return the program to functionality, we determine the cause of the problem. If the browser is still at fault, then update it to the latest version. If this solution does not help and Skype still does not start, remove Internet Explorer and download it again.

Note! Internet Explorer is the default browser built into Windows OS. Therefore, even if you delete it in the standard way through Programs and Features, the Internet browser will leave some of its folders on the system. It is not recommended to remove them yourself, especially if you are new to IT technologies.

Let's look at other ways to restore Skype. If the problem occurred after updating the program, you need to reset its settings. To do this, simply delete the configuration file. This is done as follows:

If these steps do not help, then try cleaning the program’s service folder. To do this, we also use the search bar in the system.

1. Enter the command %appdata%.
2. Find the Skype folder.
3. Right-click on it and rename or delete it.
4. Open the program, after which it will create a new folder with default settings.

Note! After completing the actions, not only the parameters will be deleted, but also the message history. If you need to save it, then do not delete the old folder and then copy the desired file from it, in which the necessary information will be saved.

Now let's look at how to check the operation of Skype. It's actually very simple. If you used any of the above methods, then you need to see whether it helped or not. To do this, launch the messenger and try to make a call. If you do not want to disturb any of your contacts, then use a special verification service (Echo contact, which will appear in the list immediately after registering your account).

As an additional way to solve the problem of Skype, we can advise you to start using an alternative messenger, of which there are quite a few nowadays. However, today there is no ideal program for making audio and video calls, so problems may also arise in their operation.