Unfortunately, skype is not available at the moment. Frequently asked questions and known issues regarding Skype

“Unfortunately, we were unable to connect to Skype” - such a message can confuse an inexperienced user. We will talk about how to solve this problem, where to start and what to pay attention to in this article.

The error "Sorry, we couldn't connect to Skype" usually appears for the following reasons:

  1. No Internet connection;
  2. The application is blocked by an antivirus;
  3. Outdated version of the messenger;
  4. Something is wrong with Internet Explorer.

Failed to connect to Skype: what to do?

If you see such a window, it means that first you need to figure out what happened, and most importantly, stop panicking. We will calmly check everything in order.

1. Diagnostics of network connection.

After thoroughly checking all the wires and contacts, see what's wrong with the connection settings. Go through the Control Panel to the “Network and Sharing Center...”.
If you have any difficulties, just call your provider and check whether there is a signal or not.

We talk about a similar failure in the material “” and help you find a way out.

2. Blocking by antivirus software.

Try turning off this security program, at least for the duration of authorization in the application. It often happens that it comes into conflict with Skype, especially if you use little-known software. Don't forget to also find out what's wrong with the Windows firewall, because it can also disrupt the normal course of business. Take a look at its settings and check if the messenger is blocked there.

3. Why does it still say “Unable to connect to Skype” if there are no problems with the Internet? You should update your messenger version. It's not difficult, and in the end you will get a more advanced version of the program for pleasant communication on the Internet. If so, read our article with recommendations on this topic.

4. Internet Explorer is buggy.

What does this have to do with it? It so happens that the parameters of these programs are interdependent. In addition to the fact that it is advisable to update your browser to a newer version, you must also disable the option to work offline in its settings. Path: File - Offline mode.

These are the main reasons why anyone might get the Skype error “Unable to connect to the Internet”. We hope that our solutions to it will be useful and effective for you.

Some Skype for Windows users complain that the Home page is not available when they launch the program. The error looks something like this:



The Skype home page is currently unavailable. Check back soon for news and notifications. Starting a conversation on Skype is very simple: select a contact and start talking. To call a landline or mobile phone or send an SMS. Just enter the number you need.


As I noticed, when faced with this problem, many users think that Skype has stopped working. But I hasten to please you - this is not so. In practice, this error does not affect the performance of Skype in any way, because you can still make calls, use chat and send files. To do this simply click on the name of the person you are talking to in the contact list and instead of the error page you will see the usual correspondence window.

Why is the Skype home page unavailable?

This can happen for various reasons:
  • Windows XP operating system installed
    The Skype home page uses a modern security certificate that is not supported by IE on Windows XP. For this reason, users of these systems cannot eliminate the error and the only thing they can do is simply ignore it.
  • There is a problem with the Skype server
    During critical problems with Skype servers, the home page may also be unavailable. As a rule, I write about all these errors on the blog, so check the latest news and check if there are no similar problems at the moment.
  • The latest version of Internet Explorer is not installed
    If you are running Windows Vista or higher, make sure you have the latest version of Internet Explorer installed:
    • Windows Vista: Internet Explorer 9
    • Windows 7 and above: Internet Explorer 11
  • Access to Skype server blocked
    To find out if this is the case, use the Skype access check service and make sure that the browser can successfully connect to the domain apps.skype.com(the main page is located on this domain).

If you have any questions, ask them in the comments, I will try to help as best I can. I will also be grateful for any comments and feedback.

The Skype home page is not accessible - this is a fairly common problem among users; many face a similar inconvenience. In this case, contacts and correspondence pages work correctly, but the main page itself is inaccessible, and a notification about lack of network access often appears.

In fact, this is rather a flaw in Skype itself, since too many users have the question “Why is the Skype home page inaccessible?” If you dig a little deeper, it turns out that the error is another stone in Internet Explorer's garden (often). Skype and IE work very closely together, and the browser helps load material onto the main page. If for some reason there are failures at this stage, we will see the message Skype home page is unavailable.”

According to the information received, it is necessary to make adjustments, first of all, in the browser. Despite the general dissatisfaction with IE, it will take a little patience to fix the problem.

The Skype home page is unavailable, what should I do?

Method 1: Setting up IE

The Skype home page is unavailable, what should I do? First you will need to configure IE. The setup itself is as simple as possible; you need to allow the browser to work autonomously, that is, without user interaction. This is somewhat bad, since it adds another process to the computer’s memory, especially since besides Skype, there is no other use for the browser.

So, if the Skype home page is unavailable, you need to do the following:

  1. Exit the application completely, and also check that there is no minimized program in the tray or notification window. It is better to further study the “Processes” tab in the “Task Manager”;
  2. Launch IE browser;
  3. Click on the “Service” tab;
  4. Select "Work offline" from the drop-down menu.

This is the first option why the Skype home page is unavailable, and it is also the key one. Thanks to these simple steps, you can return the correct processing of the program. Sometimes the procedure is not enough and should be performed together with the following instructions, although you can check the functionality at this stage.

Method 2: Update the master page file

The next method, if the main Skype page is unavailable, what to do is to update the file itself, which is responsible for this function. Of course, we will not create it manually, since this requires serious skills and preparation, but this is not required. We only need to delete the old file. Of course, you should first completely close the program itself.

  1. To clean the file, go to the system partition, usually C;
  2. Then select “Users” and go to the folder with the active account, it is called according to the nickname;
  3. Next, you need to select the “AppData” category, but it is hidden by default, so you need to configure your browser;

  1. Click on “Arrange”, the button is located at the top of the window, and select “Folder Options”;
  2. Check the boxes at the bottom of the list next to “Show hidden folders...”;

  1. Next, go to “Roaming”;
  2. Find items in the "Skype" group;

  1. Delete the xml file;

  1. Launch Skype again.

An alternative option that will help you get to the desired section a little faster is to press Win + R and enter %AppData%Skype in the line.

The point is that after deletion, Skype will independently check for the presence of the file; when it turns out that it is missing, the application will create it again, with new parameters that will probably work correctly.

The least tempting way to fix the problem is to completely reinstall Skype. The main disadvantage is that the correspondence history is completely deleted; it is this nuance that does not allow us to recommend the method everywhere.

To ensure that important personal data is not deleted, you should first save all this information. You can find it in the same place as the shared.xml file itself, we have already dealt with this earlier. Just copy the files from the folder to any other partition.

  1. Now go to “Control Panel” from Start;
  2. Select "Programs and Features";
  3. Find among the list of Skype elements;
  4. Click on the “Delete” button and follow the removal instructions;

  1. Download the file from the website https://www.skype.com/ru/download-skype/skype-for-computer/;
  2. Install the application.

An alternative and less radical option that can also help is updating. By going to the characteristic tab and checking to see if there are any updates available, you may not need to reinstall. The same should be done with the browser; quite often it is very old, since updates come along with Windows components. The update center itself is usually disabled and the browser is out of date, update it, the problem will probably go away.

Even taking into account that the main page does not carry an extremely important function in the life of Skype, it significantly intimidates many users. There is a high probability that some method will have a positive impact on the program. The only possible counterbalance is an antivirus, which includes Internet protection. Sometimes the hosts file settings block the connection. Disable active network protection in your antivirus and try restarting the program again. Also go to C:WindowsSystem32driversetc, run the hosts file through Notepad and make sure that there is no entry with a link to domains or subdomains of the program.

Proper organization and correct configuration of Skype allows you to use your time more fruitfully and not waste unnecessary nerves on all sorts of mistakes.

If you still have questions on the topic “Why is the Skype home page unavailable and how to fix the problem?”, you can ask them in the comments

Below you will find a list of errors (the list will be updated over time):

Registration data not recognized

The most common error is when a user tries to log into Skype and receives the error:
Sorry, the registration information you entered was not recognized. Check your Skype username and password and try again.
To get rid of this error, first you need. If the error is not related to the authorization data and the authorization was successful on the official website, but not in the program, this is most likely a Skype error and you will have to fix it using the following instructions:

Login and password combination not found

When trying to log in to Skype, the user receives an error:
This username and password combination was not found. Check the data and try again.
This error is exactly the same as the previous error - so follow the instructions above to resolve this issue. As a rule, instead of the above, this error appears when older versions of Skype are used.

Many failed connection attempts

If you enter an incorrect login or password too often, the following error appears:
Too many failed connection attempts, please wait 1 minute and try again.
One way or another, you'll have to wait a little. In the meantime, we need...

The Internet got tired and fell asleep

When Skype can't connect to the server, it returns a funny error:
The Internet, like a person, can get tired and fall asleep. Wait for him to wake up and try again.
In such cases, most likely the computer is not connected to the network, or the firewall is blocking Skype and does not allow it to connect to the server. Therefore, if you are sure that you have access to the Internet, you can temporarily try to disable the firewall or other antivirus programs.

Skype login is not an email address. mail

Users who use a Microsoft account and choose the Skype login method receive the following error:
Error. Your Skype login is not an email address. mail. Try again or choose a different Skype sign-in method.
To resolve this issue, click the "Sign in with a different account" link and select the "Microsoft Account" method. By the way, this error is also received by users who, out of habit, enter an email address instead of their Skype login. In this case, you need to remember that the Skype login is not an email address and can only contain Latin characters, numbers, a period, a hyphen and an underscore.

Data transmission error

Depending on the operating system, users may receive the following errors:
Login is not possible due to a data transmission error. Try restarting Skype. If the problem persists, contact Skype Customer Service.
Try restarting Skype. If the problem persists, please contact our customer support page for assistance.
This error seems to occur when files are corrupted. To solve it:

An error has occurred. Try again.

Sometimes, when trying to log in, an error appears:
Unfortunately, an error occurred. Try again.
As a rule, simple things save you from it. If this does not help, you need to do this after this.

System unavailable

Quite a rare error:
Skype can't start because your system is unavailable. Restart your computer and try again.
If restarting your computer doesn't help, .

Database Error

Another rare, but also harmful error:
Database Error. Close Skype and sign in again.
Harmful because to eliminate it you will have to delete all chat messages and other data. If you are ready to part with all this, then:

Account suspended

If someone hacked the account or Skype rules were violated, the user receives an error:
The login attempt failed. For security reasons, your account has been temporarily suspended. For more information click here.
If you really haven’t violated anything, then in order to resume your account you need to fill out a special form on the page support.skype.com/ru/account-recovery

Already in Skype on this computer

When, due to inattention, the user tries to re-open Skype, he receives the following error:
Can't open Skype. You are already in Skype on this computer. Quit Skype and try again.
To solve this problem you need to run the program again.

Failed to establish connection

Sometimes you may encounter this error:
The connection could not be established.
Detailed information about why this error occurs and how to resolve this error can be found on the next page

You are too young

There are two “interesting” errors in Skype that prevent young users from logging into Skype:
Unfortunately, you cannot sign in to Skype using your Microsoft account information because you are not yet of the legal age to use Skype in your country.
Unfortunately, you cannot sign in to Skype using your Facebook account information because you are not yet of the legal age to use Skype in your country.
In this case, nothing can be done. Well, maybe change your year of birth on the page secure.skype.com/portal/profile and try logging into Skype again.

Your password has been changed

Errors that tell us that the password has been changed:
Your password has been changed. To continue using Skype, you must sign in with a new password. This security measure is taken to protect your Skype Account.
You have signed out of Skype. Perhaps the reason is a connection error, or you changed the password on another computer. Sign in to Skype again.
If you changed your password, it’s okay, you just need to re-enter your login and new password. However, if you did not change it, most likely someone has hacked your account and you need to immediately contact support.

Attention!

Below are answers to various questions that will help you solve various problems with authorization. However, first you need to follow the recommendations above and, depending on the error, perform certain actions. Please note that in some cases you may lose important data. Therefore, you must carefully study and be aware of what you will be doing. If you doubt something or there are unclear points, it is better to ask about it.

How to make sure that the login and password are correct?

Sometimes, users encounter authorization errors due to the fact that they use an incorrect login or password. Most likely, many of these cases occur because the password is not shown to the user, but is hidden behind symbols... which replace our password. To avoid such mistakes, you need to:
  1. Make sure that the upper case of the keyboard (Caps Lock key) is not turned on. The fact is that if uppercase is enabled, the password may be entered incorrectly. For example, if the password "moi_parol_007" is entered with Caps Lock enabled, we will get "MOI_PAROL_007", which is different from the first one and Skype will not accept it. Therefore, before entering your password, make sure that upper case is disabled, and if not, then press the Caps Lock key to switch to lower case.
  2. Check and make sure that the keyboard layout is switched to the desired language. For example, if the password “moi_parol_007” is entered using a Russian keyboard, we will get “ьшшш_зфкшд_007”. That is why, when logging in, you need to make sure that the desired keyboard layout language has been selected. On Windows and Linux, the layout is changed using the combination Alt + Shift, and on Mac OS X - Cmd + Space.
  3. Select the correct account type. The fact is that Skype allows you to log in using your “Skype Login”, “Microsoft Account” and “Facebook”. But each of them has completely different authorization data. Therefore, if you see a different login form, click on the “Log in with a different account” link and select the correct one.
  4. If everything is in order with points 1, 2 and 3, then you need to find out what the problem is: is it an incorrect password, or something else? To do this, go to the page login.skype.com/login and enter your username and password - if you get an error there too "Identification error. Please check your login and enter your password again" This means that the login or password is indeed incorrect and you will have to restore access to your account.

How to sign out of Skype?

Some users mistakenly believe that they have closed Skype by minimizing or closing the main program window. In fact, to close Skype you need to right-click on the system tray icon and select “Quit Skype”.

To make sure that the Skype program has been completely closed, open the “Task Manager” by pressing the key combination Ctrl + Shift + Esc and try to find the “Skype.exe” or “SkypePM.exe” process in the list of processes. If it is not there, then the program was successfully closed. And if such a process has been found, right-click on it and select “End process tree”.

How to install the latest version of Skype?

To avoid errors and use the latest Skype features, it is recommended to install the latest version. On our blog, all the links necessary to install the latest version are collected together and lead only to official sources. Therefore, to install the latest version of Skype:
  1. Go to the Latest version of Skype page
  2. Select your operating system from the list
  3. Download and install Skype

How to change the disk serial number?

Sometimes changing the hard drive serial number (HWID) can help resolve authorization issues, especially when your device has been locked. To change the hard drive serial number:
  1. Download the free program (it does not require installation)
  2. Run the file with administrator rights (right click → run as administrator)
  3. Select your system drive (most likely C:) from the “Disk (Hard/Floppy)” list
  4. In the “Serial Number” field, change a couple of numbers or Latin letters
  5. Click the Change button and restart your computer

How to remove problematic files?

Skype has a couple of files, the deletion of which, in some cases, can bring the program back to life. To remove them:

Despite the great popularity of various messengers - Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber and others, Skype remains the most famous and widespread. The application is installed by default with Windows, and it can also be downloaded separately from the website of Microsoft, which owns the rights to the program. To log into Skype, just install the program, launch it and enter your Microsoft account username/password to log in. If you can't log into Skype, read our instructions, where we looked at the most common reasons why problems arise.

Why can't I sign into Skype?

There are 3 main reasons why you can’t log in to the messenger:

  • Forgot your username and password to log into your account. The most common reason;
  • Incompatible version of the program with the installed Windows operating system. Despite the fact that Windows and Skype are Microsoft products, there may be incompatibility between them;
  • There is a problem with the application.

What to do if you can't sign in to Skype

Let's look at how to solve each of the problems described above in order to log in to Skype.

Incorrect login or password

On the Internet, the user has to create a huge number of accounts - social networks, mail, various sites and much more. Not surprisingly, there is a high probability of forgetting the password for Skype or any other account. If you see the error “sorry, the login information you entered is not recognized by Skype” when you try to sign in to Skype, you will need to reset your password:


Please note: Your Skype login and password is also a Microsoft account. In the Windows 10 operating system, by default, you need to enter your Microsoft account password to log into your account. Accordingly, we recommend that you try entering your computer password to log into your Skype account before attempting to recover your password.

Installing a compatible version of Skype

Microsoft keeps Skype up to date by constantly releasing new versions of the application, eliminating various bugs and adding new features. It is possible that after one of these updates, Skype simply stops working on your computer or refuses to authorize you, even if you entered your account data correctly. In such a situation, there are 2 ways to solve the problem:


Recommendation: If you already have the Windows 10 operating system installed on your computer, do not disable updates and always keep it up to date. If you are using an earlier version of Windows, try to upgrade to Windows 10 as soon as possible to avoid compatibility issues with other programs in the future.

Solving a problem with Skype

As with any program, Skype can malfunction. Most often this can be resolved in the following way:


Please note: If the steps described above did not help solve problems logging into Skype, try reinstalling the latest version of the program on your computer by downloading it from the official Microsoft website.

Remember that there are various alternative clients that allow users to communicate with their Skype account. Such clients can be a solution to the problem if the official application does not want to work on the computer at all. One of the most famous alternative clients is Skype Launcher, a distinctive feature of which from the original Skype is the ability to use several accounts at once, which can be useful in a number of situations.