Activate Skype in Outlook.com

Skype has been integrated with the cloud version of the Outlook.com email client for some time now, starting in the United States and having already reached practically all the rest of the countries today.

This adds the ability to carry out audiovisual communications from the web application itself to the online mail client - just as Google has done in Gmail.

In this tutorial, I'm going to activate this new service in my Outlook.com step by step.

With four clicks and an authorization

The first thing I have to do is access the page where I request to register for the service, and where I am informed that I am going to download and install a Skype add-on. Another way to get to this page is to try to launch a video conference without having the plugin installed, which opens a popup with the request page.

I select the download option, indicating where on my computer I want to store the executable.

When the download has finished, the system asks me for permission to proceed to install the add-on, to which I accept and finish the process.

Now, if we go into our Outlook in the cloud, we will find an icon on the top right, next to the settings wheel, which is a square speech bubble with a smile inside.

Clicking on the icon opens a side space on the left that is similar to what I can see on the desktop Skype client. Where the last ones with whom I have communicated appear, and with whom I can immediately start a chat session, or a voice call or video conference.

In the latter case, a pop-up window will open where the conference will take place, based on the plugin I installed previously, and that it is very similar to a normal Skype conversation.

To the right of these two icons, I have access to a small drop-down menu where I can hide or block the selected user, or choose which platform (Skype, Messenger, etc.) to communicate against.

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To be able to access the list of people with whom I can communicate via Skype (or messenger, facebook, etc.), I simply have to click on the text box that indicates Start a new conversation>"

To change my status, I have to go to my account image and get the drop-down menu that is where I can modify it for both Skype and all those associated networks (such as Facebook).

Finally, if I click on the name of a contact, the online contact management opens which is very convenient for access or edit the information of the person with whom I want or have established the connection.

Real operation

The operation is excellente, on a par with Skype on the desktop or the Windows Store. If anything I would like to be able to do advanced things that Google Hang Out already offers me, such as being able to schedule them in the calendar, or that I could make video conferences with multiple participants.

But I definitely find a very useful addition and saves me from having to have two applications open at the same time.

More information | Skype for Outlook.com In Xatakawindows | Skype for Outlook.com Expands Globally Including Support for HD Video Calling, Skype in Outlook.com