Download skype from microsoft store. Why Microsoft is buying Skype for $8.5 billion

After Microsoft purchases Skype, all Skype accounts are automatically linked to Microsoft accounts. Not all users are satisfied with this state of affairs, and they are looking for a way to unlink one account from another. Let's figure out whether this can be done and in what ways.

As of today, there is no option to unlink your Skype account from your Microsoft account—the page where you could previously do this is no longer available. The only, but not always feasible, solution is to change the alias (email, not login) used for authorization. True, this is only possible if the Microsoft account is not associated with the applications of the Microsoft Office suite, the Xbox account and, of course, the Windows operating system, that is, its activation key is tied to the hardware (digital license or HardwareID) or to another account.

The account unlinking procedure that worked up to this point

Let's look at what you'll need to do to unlink your Skype account from your Microsoft account when this feature is available again.

It must be said right away that the ability to unlink one account from a second is provided only through the web interface on the Skype website. It cannot be done via Skype. Therefore, open any browser and go to skype.com.

On the page that opens, click on the “Login” sign, which is located in the upper right corner of the page. A drop-down list opens in which you need to select “My Account”.

Next, the Skype authorization procedure begins. On the next page where we go, you need to enter the login (mobile phone number, email address) of your Skype account. After entering the data, click on the “Next” button.

On the next page, enter the password for your Skype account and click on the “Login” button.

You are signed in to your Skype account.

A page with additional offers, such as the one below, may immediately open. But, since we are primarily interested in the procedure for unlinking one account from another, we simply click on the “Go to account” button.

Then, a page opens with your Skype account and credentials. Scroll it to the very bottom. There, in the “Account Information” parameter block, look for the “Account Settings” line. Let's follow this inscription.

The account settings window opens. As you can see, opposite the inscription “Microsoft Account” there is an attribute “Linked”. To break this connection, click on the “Cancel connection” sign.

After this, the unlinking procedure must be performed directly, and the connection between the Skype and Microsoft accounts will be broken.

As you can see, if you don’t know the entire algorithm for unlinking a Skype account from a Microsoft account, then using trial and error it is quite difficult to complete this procedure, since it cannot be called intuitive, and all the steps to navigate between sections of the website are obvious. In addition, at the moment the function of unlinking one account from another does not function at all, and in order to complete this procedure, we can only hope that Microsoft will launch it again in the near future.

The first version of Skype was released for Windows, so it is not surprising that most innovations concern the client specifically for this family of operating systems.

Installation instructions

From us you can download Skype for Windows in the following versions:

• Windows XP Although this operating system is no longer supported by Microsoft, the developers take into account the interests of owners of low-power or outdated computers. The only requirement for such systems is the third service pack (SP3), which must be installed for Skype to work correctly.
• Windows Vista. This system was not popular for long, as it was quickly replaced by the more advanced “Seven”. However, quite a lot of laptops and branded computers came with licensed Windows Vista, so it would be a mistake to write it off. Skype supports Windows Vista of any version, even without installed updates.
• Windows 7. One of the most famous Microsoft operating systems, of course, is supported first. You can always download this version of Skype for Windows on our website.
• Windows 8 and 8.1. The latest versions of Windows are very popular among adherents of the tiled interface and those who want to keep up with the times. The program works with them just as successfully as with other systems.

In addition to the Skype client itself, you will also need speakers (or headphones), a web camera and a microphone - in this case, you will be able to take advantage of all the functionality included in the program. When you first launch the program, you will have to go through a simple setup - you will need to set the desired volume and select the necessary devices. If you don’t have a webcam and microphone, then Skype will only work as a regular text messenger.

Updated at 9:00 Moscow time: Microsoft bought Skype for $8.5 billion. The deal closed a few hours ago. The Wall Street Journal confirmed the news after we first reported it yesterday. An official statement, according to various versions, should follow later today or tomorrow morning. Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's chief executive, is believed to be the man behind the deal, the largest in the company's history. In a few hours, Ballmer and Skype chief executive Tony Bates will hold a press conference.

Skype has already been offered for sale several times thanks to some very nervous investors. My sources say that both eBay and Silver Lake Partners were nervous about the delay in going public and were trying to initiate a sale of Skype. It was previously reported that negotiations were underway with Facebook and Google, and Microsoft appeared later and is now close to taking the main prize.

It wouldn't surprise me if Microsoft comes under heavy criticism for its decision to buy Skype - and the software company can always screw things up, as it has often done after buying other companies. The Skype development team is also full of employees who would rather look elsewhere than deal with Microsoft's notorious bureaucracy.

I also don't believe Facebook and Google were serious buyers. Google has a Google Voice product, so it doesn't really need Skype. Essentially, I feel like Microsoft was bargaining with itself. Even so, I personally think the purchase is worth the money spent, especially for a company that has been on the fringes for so long.

• Skype gives Microsoft a boost in the enterprise collaboration software market with voice and video services, especially in competition with Cisco and Google.
• Microsoft is also gaining access to telecom operators, many of which are seeking partnerships with Skype in light of the transition to LTE networks.
• Microsoft is getting a very popular application and service that will add popularity to future versions of the Windows Mobile operating system.
• However, the most important reason to buy Skype is Windows Phone 7 (mobile OS) and Nokia. The software giant definitely needs to offer something competitive with Google Voice and Apple Facetime.

Facebook needs Skype critically. Among other things, they need to use the Skype peer-to-peer network to transmit video and voice in the built-in Facebook Chat. If the company tried to use traditional methods to organize such a multimedia service for its 600+ million users, then the cost of maintaining the infrastructure would be prohibitive.

Facebook could also help Skype expand the number of users of its paid SkypeOut service, and people could pay with the internal currency Facebook Credits to pay for minutes. Skype and Facebook are already working on a joint statement, and you can expect it soon.

Why did Skype want to sell?
Skype had filed for an IPO, was about to raise billions of dollars on the public market, and was on its way to profitability. So why sell? Both major investors - Silver Lake and eBay - were already losing patience and were eager to lock in their profits as quickly as possible. Other sources also claim that Skype's revenue has stopped growing.

The company is betting a lot on its video conferencing service. The premium version of this service was supposed to be a way for Skype to increase its average revenue per subscriber and enter the enterprise market. However, given Skype's reputation as a free Internet product for the masses, the difficulties here were not surprising.

Who earned how much?

Microsoft has decided to withdraw the Highlights feature from Skype, which is an analogue of Instagram stories, and simplify the application interface. This statement was made by Peter Skillman, Skype design director. According to him, the innovation did not find sufficient popularity among users, which means that its further presence makes no sense.

“When working on Skype, our team strived to be as responsive as possible to the needs of users,” says Skillman. — We studied exactly how people use the application to make interaction with it even more effective. To do this, we created a site called UserVoice, where everyone could tell us what to focus on.”

Skype - update

Killing the Highlights feature, Skillman believes, will simplify the application's interface, allowing users to focus on its core functions. And since Skype is primarily a service for making calls and exchanging messages, the developers’ attention will now be focused on this.

The forced downgrade will occur on September 30 this year. It is then that an update should be released that will remove some unused functions from the Skype interface. Until then, users will still be able to download all posts that were published as part of the Highlights feature.

In 2011, Microsoft bought the rights to the Skype messenger. Account.live.com on Microsoft.com is now not just access to all the services of this corporation, it is also a Skype account.

What is a Microsoft account in Skype? This is a single access that can be used to log into the video messenger and to log in to other services, such as Outlook.com, OneDrive, Windows Phone and Xbox LIVE. In fact, this is very convenient, because you thus get access to all your files, photos, games, settings on any device.
Your Microsoft Skype account name is the phone number or email address you provided when you signed up. If you have recently become a Skype user, then you already have a Microsoft account; these two profiles are inextricably linked. And the opposite situation is when you register a Microsoft account, you automatically receive a new Skype account.

If you are not satisfied with this situation, then you can search, otherwise, let's move on.

How to sign into Skype using a Microsoft account? There is nothing simpler - enter your username and password for your account in the windows provided for this - and the system will recognize you.
Many people, trying to log in to the video messenger using their account, are faced with the fact that Skype requires a Microsoft account. What should such users do? There are three options:

• You can use Microsoft and subsequently log into Skype through it
• Or upgrade your Skype profile so that it can be considered an account
• Is it possible to combine these two accounts if you already have both?

With our instructions you can.

Create an account

• In order to create a new account, you need to go to the Microsoft website and click on the “Login” line in the upper right corner.

• A window will open in which, under the line for entering your login, you will be asked to create a new account. Click on this line

• You will be offered three options as a login - a phone number, a current email address or a new address - @outlook.com

• Select the desired option
• Create a password (at least 8 characters, you can use numbers, symbols and English letters)

• Click "Next"
• Now you need to add information about yourself - first and last name, date of birth and region of residence

• To prove to the system that you are not a robot, enter the captcha
• That's all, with the data specified during registration you can log in to Skype

How to merge Skype and Microsoft accounts

• Go to https://www.microsoft.com
• Click on the word “Login” in the upper right corner

• Enter your login and password information from Skype in the fields for entering your login and password.

• If your profile has not been updated, you will receive a notification that you need to do so.
• Click "Next"
• The system will prompt you to add a valid email address or create a new one - @outlook.com

• Do this and confirm your address
• You managed to merge your Skype account and Microsoft services

We connect two ultrasounds

If you have an account in both services, you can link them. Here's how to link Skype to your Microsoft account:

• Go to https://account.microsoft.com.
• If you are logged in, click “Log out”

• Enter your login in the login window Skype ID and confirm with password
• You will immediately receive a notification that this data can be used as an account for the services of this site
• Click "Next"
• A window will open where you will be asked to enter the email address that is already used as a Microsoft account
• Enter the required data
• Confirm that you are the owner of this profile (you will receive an email with a confirmation link)
• Click "Next". The system will display a window for entering your account password.
• Enter it and click “Login”

You did it, now the two profiles are combined. Look in another article.