It will not be a discovery for anyone if we talk about the incredible importance of the Internet for modern man. We constantly go online, put “likes”, talk with our friends from all over the world. Precisely - we say! A few years ago, you could only dream about it, but today video calls are an everyday reality that no longer surprises anyone.
If you are a more or less experienced PC user, then almost certainly at least once used the Skype program. It appeared a long time ago, but the real peak of its popularity came precisely in recent years. This is largely due to the fact that high-quality and fast Internet is spreading all over the world.
That's just even the most reliable program can fail. The forums are full of topics like this: “I can’t log in to Skype - what should I do?” Of course, someone is answered, and some users immediately start calling technical support, but it takes a lot of time.
The problem is that malfunctions are not always typical, and wandering around hundreds of pages of thematic forums is a hobby. To make it easier for you to determine the cause of the problem, read our article. In it, we tried to collect and summarize the most common Skype failures that we most often encounter.
Features of Windows 8 / 8.1
In the new operating system from Microsoft, there is a great opportunity to set permission to access the Internet for each specific program. By default, all applications are allowed access to the Network, but there are exceptions. For example, users often change their settings themselves, and then ask: “Why can’t I go to Skype?”
Fortunately, helping this problem is extremely simple. First press the key combination “Win ​​+ I”. If you do not know, then the “Win” key is a button with the image of Microsoft's proprietary “window”. Located in the lower left corner of the standard keyboard. The settings menu opens, in which you must select the item "Change computer settings", which is located in the very bottom of the window that opens.
This is where inexperienced users most often climb up and create hundreds of topics “I can’t log in to Skype on Windows 8”, which appear daily on Microsoft forums.
A menu will open in the Metro-style, in which you need to left-click on the item "Privacy". In the window that opens, enable Skype access to the webcam and microphone by moving the appropriate sliders.
It often happens that the problem is with Microsoft itself. For example, due to problems with the central servers, sometimes thousands of users cannot access their accounts. However, sometimes the problems are caused by the fact that users have not updated the version of Skype for a long time. Older programs do not always support recently adopted standards, which makes normal communication simply impossible.
Delete the old application
In the latter case, you simply need to remove the old version of the program. In no case should you install a fresh release on top of the old one. Of course, recently this has been quite acceptable, but in this case no one can guarantee you no bugs. As practice shows, they often move into a new program.
The problem is solved quite simply: reinstall the application using standard Windows tools. To do this, first click on the "Start" button, and then look for the item "Control Panel" in the menu that opens.
In the dialog box that appears, there is a section "Programs and Features." Click on it with the left mouse button, after which the system will display a list of all the programs that are installed on your computer. You should find Skype in it, then click on it with the left mouse button and click on the Delete button, which is located at the top of the working window.
After that, the uninstaller will automatically start, which will completely remove the old version of the utility from the hard drive of your computer. As soon as the Wizard completes its work, download the new version of the application and install it. Unfortunately, problems like “I can’t log in to Skype”, which are constantly found on technical support forums, can be encountered even after that. What to do in this case?
Cleaning the registry is “our everything”
It may well be that the utility is not able to work due to some old libraries and traces in the registry, which often remain after the standard uninstall program. In order not to encounter this, we suggest you use the excellent utility Your Uninstaller. In the English-language segment of the Internet, it is the "No. 1 solution" in the event of any problems with removing applications from the computer.
Working with Your Uninstaller
Using the utility is extremely simple. Run the program, after which a window immediately appears before you with large icons of applications that are installed on your system. See the skype icon? Select it with the left mouse button, and then click on the "Delete" button, which is easy to find from the picture with the trash can. The Uninstall Wizard dialog box opens. Check once again whether you are going to “demolish” the program, and then click on the “Next” button.
The program will automatically scan the hard drive and registry, looking for all traces left from the application. Important! When starting a scan, it is best to choose the "average" research method, since with an in-depth method, the utility may very well remove something important.
By the way, who is most often faced with the problem “I can’t log in to Skype”? The answer is simple. Users who like to “delete” programs by simply erasing their folders from the hard drive. In this case, hoping for an adequate behavior of the system and programs is simply stupid, since a huge number of erroneous entries and fragments of system libraries remain in the registry and on the hard disk, which interfere with the start of Skype.
Microsoft Tips
If you tried all the methods described above, but there is no effect, you can use the instructions from the manufacturer. When it is not possible to log in to Skype, the application icon constantly hangs in the tray, but the main working window does not start. If you observe something similar in your case, right-click on the application icon, and then select the “Exit” item in the context menu that appears.
Next, you need to click on the "Start" button, find the "Run" field, and then enter the following command there:% APPDATA% \ Skype. After that, you can press the Enter button. A folder with files opens, among which you need to find the shared.xml document. It contains all the parameters that affect the launch of the application. Remove it. Since the program will not be able to find the settings that were previously set, it starts with default parameters.
If you cannot find the hidden file
Many people can’t access Skype just because they simply don’t see the above file. This is due to the fact that under normal conditions it is hidden, and therefore not visible to users.
How to find him in this case? Nothing is easier! In this case, you need to enable the display of hidden files. To do this, click on the "Start" button, select "Control Panel" there. Carefully look at the list that opens in front of you, then left-click on the "Folder Options" link. In the dialog box that opens, click on the “View” tab, and then select the checkbox next to the option “Show hidden files, folders and drives”. You can click on "OK". All, nothing more will be required.
After that, you can repeat the entire procedure described above. Feel free to erase it from the hard drive, and then again try to log into Skype. Alas, even after that indignant exclamations are often heard: “I can’t go to Skype !!!” What to do in this case?
Advice from experienced users
As you know, many solutions to even complex problems are sometimes found spontaneously, empirically. The case is not an exception when a certain user tormented by thoughts like: “Why can’t I go to Skype?” - I tried all conceivable and inconceivable methods of solving this problem.
Oddly enough, the creation of a new user account in Windows turned out to be a suitable way. Important! It was experimentally established that it is best to make a new "Guest". Oddly enough, but often, under a new Skype account, it starts to work exemplary. Users say that the most effective such policy is in the case of Windows XP.
The author of the article agrees with the latest statement. In exactly the same way, in due time it was possible to launch the Half-Life game in those ancient times when the disks were exclusively pirated.
Experience all the benefits of mobility!
If you are still using Windows XP, then Skype may not start due to incompatibility with some older versions of libraries on this system. The only working solution in this case may be to use a portable version of the program. You should not think that you can run it only from a flash drive: portable programs also start fine from directories on your hard drive.
By the way. If, after a virus attack, the important kernel32.dll library does not appear in the system, otherwise you simply cannot launch Skype. Most of all its working modules will not work, and therefore, communication with friends will definitely not work.
Program file corruption
Very often, problems begin after the Skype update. “I can’t go into it,” users write. In this case, the errors are due to the fact that the “crooked” steady update blocked some program module. Most often, this is only allowed after reinstalling the application, but sometimes it is possible to get by with "little blood."
Go to this address: "C: \ Documents and Settings \ Your Windows Account Name \ Application Data \ Skype \ Your Skype Account Name \". Delete the directory at the end of this path. It contains the main parameters that govern the launch of the program. As a rule, after this the application manages to start normally.
But we would still advise you to roll back to the old version (if you have the installation kit) or try reinstalling the utility. This is more reliable, and problems with unexpected application errors are guaranteed to be avoided.
Viruses or trojans?
Many users who have the patience to read the article before this headline will surely frown annoyingly. Indeed, in recent years it has become fashionable to push all the problems with programs for the intrigue of malicious viruses, even if they have nothing to do with it.
But underestimate the likelihood of a computer being infected is also not worth it. Check the system with a normal anti-virus scanner by running it from a flash drive or CD. There will definitely not be any harm from this, but you will ensure the safety of your data.
Antivirus programs themselves
Because of what else can such user complaints appear: “I can’t log in to Skype”? A data transfer error occurs relatively often through the fault of the antivirus and firewall itself, which simply block the application’s access to the Internet. Very often this happens after updating the program, after which its main files change. Antivirus may decide that the utility has been injected with malicious code, blocking it for “preventive purposes”.
In this case, add the application executable to the exceptions. Since there are hundreds of antivirus applications today, it’s not possible to talk about this in detail. You yourself will have to look for instructions on the software manufacturer's website. The same goes for the firewall. Very often it helps to selectively open ports that are used by Skype for data transfer. First of all, open port 8080.
Even after that, some user may object: “I can’t log in to Skype!” The blue screen is the only evidence that the program is running at all! ” Well, you have to look for alternative solutions to problems.
A little bit about commonplace
So we have examined the most fundamental reasons for the incorrect behavior of Skype. But as practice shows, the application often does not work due to the most common human carelessness. What do you think, because of what users write: “I can’t log in to Skype”? Failed to establish a connection - this is the first reason for not being able to talk with friends!
In 80% of cases, this is caused either by problems with your ISP, or by problems with the router (if you use it). It happens that users corny forget to check the status of the network cable, which children or pets like to pull out.
Now you know why it’s impossible to log in to Skype.