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Article Number: 000132430

How to Uninstall Skype on Your Dell Computer

Summary: This article provides information about how to remove Skype from a Dell personal computer with a Windows operating system.

This article may have been automatically translated. If you have any feedback regarding its quality, please let us know using the form at the bottom of this page.

Article Content

Symptoms

Table of Contents:

 

  1. How to uninstall Skype
  2. How to uninstall Skype for Business

 

Cause

How to uninstall Skype

This section guides you through uninstalling Skype on various versions of the Windows operating system.

NOTE: This section only deals with uninstalling Skype, not Skype for Business (formerly Lync). Skype for Business was part of the Microsoft Office Suite. See the section: How to uninstall Skype for Business for more information.

Windows 10

  1. Close Skype and ensure it is not running in the background.
  2. Tap or click the Windows Start Button and type appwiz.cpl.
  3. Tap or click the program to open it a new window.
  4. Hold down on or right-click Skype from the list and select either Remove or Uninstall.
  5. Reboot your computer and verify that the application is uninstalled.

Windows 8 and 8.1

Using a touch screen:

  1. Browse to the Start screen.
  2. Find and press the Skype applications icon.
  3. After a few seconds, pull down on the icon without releasing your finger. A little checkmark should appear in the corner of the icon.
  4. A bar should appear at the bottom of the screen with a button for uninstall. Press the button to uninstall the application.

Using a mouse and keyboard:

  1. Go to the Start screen.
  2. Find the Skype applications icon and right-click it.
  3. Select uninstall from the menu that appears.

Windows Vista and 7

NOTE: As of July 12, 2011, Microsoft has stopped supporting Microsoft Windows Vista in all its revisions.
  1. Go to your Start menu and open the Control Panel.
  2. In the Control Panel, ensure that Windows is set to View as - Small or Large icons.
  3. Scroll down to the Programs and Features icon and double-click it with your mouse.
  4. A list of all the programs that are installed on your computer generates. Once the list has generated, select Skype.
  5. With Skype selected, click the change/remove button to start the uninstall.
  6. Once the computer indicates that the uninstall is complete, restart your computer and ensure that the program has been removed.
NOTE: There have been reports of folders and hooks being left on your computer after uninstalling Skype on Windows 7. If this happens to you, you can perform either of the following actions:
  • Search online and use a specific uninstallation program such as Revo to completely remove the program.
  • Use the regedit utility to remove all mention of Skype from your registry.
Editing your registry is not recommended, as mistakes that are made in the registry can negatively affect your computer's ability to run or boot correctly.


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Resolution

 

How to uninstall Skype for Business

NOTE: Skype for Business is integrated into Office 365. It does not appear in the Programs and Features list. You cannot uninstall it without removing Office 365 or 2019 from your computer.
 
NOTE: Disabling Skype for Business on your computer requires administrator privileges.

 

  1. Open Skype for Business.

  2. Click the Options menu at the upper right side corner of your toolbar.

  3. Click Personal in the left side menu on the window that appears.

  4. Clear the check boxes next to:

    • Automatically start the app when I log in to windows

    • Start the app in the foreground

  5. Click OK, restart your personal computer and test.

  1. Stop the automatic Skype for Business startup:

    1. Open Skype for Business and click the tools icon and select tools > options from the drop down menu.

    2. In the Options window, choose Personal. Clear Automatically start the app when I log in to Windows. Then Start the app in the foreground and select OK.

    3. Click the tools icon and select File > Exit.
      Skype for Business is still on your personal computer, but it does not startup when you turn on your personal computer.

NOTE: You can only remove Skype for Business Basic from your personal computer. However, you cannot remove Skype for Business from Office 365 as it is an integrated unit of the Office suite.

  1. How to remove Skype for business from your personal computer (If Possible):

    1. Open Control Panel and go to Programs > Programs and Features > Uninstall or change a program.

    2. Choose Skype for Business > Uninstall.

    3. When the Ready to Uninstall window appears, choose Uninstall.

      NOTE: The Dialog box tells you that it is removing Office from your computer. It is not removing Office - it is only removing Skype for Business. You are asked to close any open Office applications while it removes Skype for Business and this can take several minutes to complete.

    4. When it is finished uninstalling, click Close and restart your personal computer.

    5. If this has not worked you can use the registry to remove the program as well, however we do not go over this in this guide. It is too easy to cause irreparable damage to your operating system changing your registry options.

  1. Stop the automatic Lync for Business startup:

    1. Open Lync for Business and click the tools icon and select tools > options from the drop down menu.

    2. In the Options window, choose Personal. Clear Automatically start the app when I log in to Windows. Then Start the app in the foreground and select OK.

    3. Click the tools icon and select File > Exit.
      Lync for Business is still on your personal computer, but it does not startup when you turn on your personal computer.

  2. How to remove Lync for business from your personal computer (If Possible):

    1. Open Control Panel and go to Programs > Programs and Features > Uninstall or change a program.

    2. Choose Lync for Business > Uninstall.

    3. When the Ready to Uninstall window appears, choose Uninstall.

      NOTE: The Dialog box tells you that it is removing Office from your computer, but it is not removing Office - it is only removing Lync for Business. You are asked to close any open Office applications while it removes Lync for Business and this can take several minutes to complete.

    4. When it is finished uninstalling, click Close and restart your personal computer.

    5. If this has not worked you can use the registry to remove the program as well, however we do not go over this in this guide. It is too easy to cause irreparable damage to your operating system changing your registry options.


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NOTE: Offers are only available for US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, China, and Japan personal computer customers. Server and Storage not applicable.

Article Properties

Affected Product

Desktops & All-in-Ones, Laptops, Inspiron, Latitude, Vostro, XPS, Fixed Workstations

Last Published Date

12 Apr 2022

Version

5

Article Type

Solution

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