Where to Get Skype for Business for Free Again

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How to use Skype

Stay in bear on with free voice and video calls

(Image: © Shutterstock)

Skype is one of the easiest ways to keep in touch on with friends and family around the world, and agree video conferences.

Video and voice calls to other Skype users are free – potentially saving you huge amounts of money on telephone bills. Y'all can likewise buy Skype credits enabling you to phone call mobile phones and landlines from the Skype app on your desktop or mobile device hands and cheaply.

Read on to find out how to go started and make apply of Skype's exciting features.

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• We've also curated the best business headsets on the market place

(Paradigm credit: Microsoft)

1. Download Skype for your device

Skype is included past default with all new Windows ten installations, and so you should be able to find it by merely typing 'Skype' into the search bar.

If you tin can't see information technology, or you're using macOS or Linux, you tin can download the desktop software free straight from Microsoft. Here, y'all'll also find an option to use Skype online, which is a nifty option if yous're using an enterprise device and don't accept permission to install software. At that place are also free Skype apps available for iPhone and Android.

In this guide nosotros'll be focusing on the desktop software, simply the principles are the aforementioned for all versions.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Skype is all about staying in affect with people, and to do that, you need to add contacts to Skype. The expert news is that calculation people to Skype is at present even easier. If you use the People app in Windows 10 as an address book, you should run across your contacts are already in Skype. You can use the search bar at the meridian of the app window to easily notice who you're looking for.

(Epitome credit: Microsoft)

If yous want to add someone to Skype, click 'Contacts', and so select the 'New contact' push at the top left. From here, yous can ship the person an invitation or enter their phone number. Using the invitation option will generate a unique link, which you tin ship in an email, SMS or social media message. The link will direct them to your contour, where they can choose to connect with you.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

four. Buy and use Skype credit

While you can brand video and text calls to other Skype users for free, calls to other landline and mobile numbers cost money. Luckily, you tin can utilise Skype Credit to brand these calls instead. Skype credits are cheap to top up and use, and price a lot less than making regular international calls. To buy Skype credit, click the currency icon only to the right of your name at the peak left and follow the instructions provided.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

5. Make a vocalisation or video call

To start a call with i of your contacts, it'southward a good idea to commencement by sending them a quick message to let them know you're about to contact them. Click their name in your contacts list and click the 'Say how-do-you-do' button to ship a waving emoji, then type whatever boosted information they should know before the call.

To start a video or voice call, click the webcam or microphone icon respectively in the top right. If you experience difficulty with the flick or sound, check out our troubleshooting guide at the bottom of this article.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

half-dozen. Beginning a group telephone call

Grouping calls are when ii or more people are involved on the same telephone call – making them ideal for virtual concern meetings, or large family reunions. Skype makes grouping calls fifty-fifty easier – and more than fun – than was the case previously. To add people to a grouping call, click on the icon of a person with a '+' sign next to them, then select who you want to join.

Alternatively, you can set upward a group call past clicking 'Contacts' and then choosing 'Meet now'. This will create a unique link that y'all can send to other people, which will let them to join the call immediately. When yous've send the link to your friends and family unit (using email, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or anything else), click 'Beginning call' and expect for them to join.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

7. Search your chats

Skype works brilliantly equally a free instant messaging program, enabling you to have text chats with contacts effectually the world. You can even exchange pictures, video and emoticons. For that reason, one of its newest features is a welcome one – the ability to search your letters. To practice that, click the Contempo Messages icon, so in the Search Skype box, type the phrase yous are looking for.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

8. Troubleshoot speaker problems

If you tin't hear any audio during a Skype call, first piece of work out whether the problem is with your organisation or the other person'due south microphone. Click the '...' menu icon to the right of your name and select 'Settings'. Click 'Audio and video' and gyre down to 'Examination audio'. Hear anything? If non, it's possible that Skype isn't configured properly, but don't worry, it's piece of cake to fix.

Type 'Sound' into Windows 10's search bar and open 'Sound settings'. Brand a notation of the device name listed nether 'Choose your output device'. Now return to Skype's audio and video settings and await at the device name to the right of 'Speakers'. If this doesn't friction match the device name from Windows, click it and select the correct pick. Click 'Test audio' to cheque everything is now working.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

9. Troubleshoot video problems

If there'southward no motion-picture show from your webcam, it probably ways that Skype doesn't have permission to employ information technology. Windows ten has pretty tight security settings on cameras to prevent anyone watching you without permission.

Hitting [Windows]+[I] on your keyboard to bring up the Windows settings command console, then click 'Privacy' and select 'Camera' from the card on the left. Scroll downward to 'Cull which Microsoft Shop apps can access this camera' and make sure the switch for Skype is toggled on.

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Senior Computing editor

Matt (Twitter) is TechRadar's Senior Calculating editor. Having written for a number of publications such every bit PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there'south no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate well-nigh, specially computing and PC gaming. If yous're encountering a problem or need some advice with your PC or Mac, drop him a line on Twitter.

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Source: https://www.techradar.com/how-to/skype

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