Skype says there is no connection. Why doesn't Skype connect?

The error “Sorry, we couldn’t connect to Skype” can be seen by any Skype user of one of the variations of the seventh version of the program, as well as some others. Why this happens and what to do, you will find out if you read the information below.

Why do problems arise?

If an error occurs when loading the messenger, and the system writes: “Unfortunately, we were unable to connect to Skype. Check your connection", the problem may be as follows:

There is no connection to the Internet or the computer “does not see” the cable (unless you have a router).
Since last time Windows time XP with browser Internet Explorer(eighth version and lower) do not work, it is assumed that the problem is precisely that this version browser is outdated.
It is often impossible to connect Skype due to an outdated browser or an outdated version of Skype itself.
The antivirus program is blocking access.

Solutions options

To establish a connection to Skype when the error described above occurs, there are several solutions:

Check your internet connection.

If you have paid your next monthly payment to your provider, but there is still no connection, call hotline your Internet provider.

Try installing official version internet browser: eleventh Internet versions Explorer from the website of the real owner of the program using the following link: http://windows.microsoft.com/ru-ru/internet-explorer/download-ie.

If you have Skype version 7.16 IE, install the previous one - 7.15 or 7.14, since they (unlike the fifteenth variation) work. Since these versions are old, it is recommended to install the latest, newest one Skype versions.

If you use good old Internet Explorer as a browser, try a simple action: go to the “File” menu in this browser, uncheck “Offline mode” and restart Skype.

Try changing the operating system (this note mainly applies to those who have Windows 7 or XP, since Skype does not connect when working with such OS).

If you have Windows XP, it is recommended to install IE 8 to solve the problem; if Vista, you need the ninth version of the browser; if Windows 7, 8 or 10, only the eleventh version of IE will save you. Still unable to connect to Skype? Then move on to the next point.

Solution option using third party programs:

download the “reset settings for skype.hta” program from a safe, trusted resource on the Internet (for a correct search, replace the spaces between words with underscores),
launch it by double-clicking on it,
select your Skype login from the list that appears,
check the boxes next to sections such as Skype settings, user settings, “hosts” file and “Internet Explorer”,
click the "Run" button
in the next window select "Reset"
launch Skype.

Uninstall Skype completely using "Uninstall Programs" from the Start menu control panel, install new version:

go to the official website of the program skype.com,
select “Download...” – first tab – “More details...” – “Download” or “Upload”,
open double click file, click “Run” to install the program.

This is how many users managed to solve this problem. Still unable to connect? Read the next tip.

Disable your antivirus for a while and check the program again. To disable antivirus program, you need to find its icon in the tray (bottom right, all icons of running programs will appear near the clock, if you click on the arrow), click on it right click and then to “Exit” or select the “Turn off for...” option, if available, select shutdown for 15-30 minutes.
Reboot your device.
Try deleting the "shared.xml" file. To find it, use the search in Start.

If you are unable to connect to Skype and a corresponding message appears on the screen, try several solutions - one of them will definitely help!

“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:

No Internet connection;
The application is blocked by an antivirus;
Outdated version of the messenger;
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'll 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 the browser to a newer version, you must also disable the option to work in offline mode. 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.

Causes of errors with Skype connection to the server a lot: old version programs, incorrect operation of antiviruses and conflicts within the system. The error can appear on all versions of Windows - XP, 7, 10, Vista. There are several universal ways to solve the problem that help get rid of errors in 99% of cases.

What the error looks like:

Unfortunately, we were unable to connect to Skype. Check the connection.
Skype was unable to establish a connection.
Failed to connect to Skype.
Connection problems > There is a problem with the upper DNS system that is preventing you from connecting to Skype.
No connection to Skype > No connection to the Skype chat service (MSNP).

First, let's look at universal methods correcting the error, and then individual cases and preventive actions to prevent its reoccurrence.

How to fix the “Skype could not connect” error:

Reinstalling Skype with registration with Microsoft

Errors with connecting to Skype often appear after updating the program to a new version. There is also a version that Skype may conflict with the Internet Explorer browser, and new versions of Skype may require IE8 and higher.

Step by step solution:

Remove all versions of Skype installed on your computer.
Download and install the stable version of skype_7.14.0.106.exe.
After installation is complete, you need to exit the program or minimize the window.
Go to account.microsoft.com using any installed browser.
Use your Skype username and password to log in on account.microsoft.com.
Verify your Microsoft account using any mailbox.
Log out of Skype and log in again using your username and password.

This method helps not only when resetting or errors in account activation, but also when trying to launch Skype on a new computer for the first time.

Command line solution

If Skype failed to establish a connection due to problems with the Skype.exe file, a simple step-by-step setup will help get rid of the problem once and for all. The method has been tested and works on Windows 7, 8, 10, Vista and XP. If the problem is different, these actions still shouldn’t make things worse.

Sequencing:

Close the program completely: right-click on the Skype icon on the dashboard Windows panels and select “Quit Skype”.
Click "Start", then "Run".
Enter “%appdata%\skype” (without quotes) in the window that opens.
Click "OK".
In the window that opens, find the shared.xml file (or just shared if the extensions are not displayed).
Delete the file by right-clicking on it and selecting the appropriate item.

After this, you can start Skype again - the program should correctly establish a connection to the server. If this does not help, move on to the next solution.

Solution using /legacylogin

First you need to exit the program if it is open. Clicking on the “cross” in the corner only minimizes Skype, so right-click on the Skype icon on the dashboard and select “Quit Skype” or “Exit”.

Open the task manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del) and make sure that there is no skype.exe worker process.
If the skype.exe process is still active, you need to right-click and select “End process”.
Open on local disk folder C:\Program Files\ or C:\Program Files x86\ (for 64-bit versions of the system).
Find and open the Skype folder, find and open the Phone folder in it.
Right-click on the Skype.exe file and select “Send to Desktop (create shortcut)” or “Send to Desktop”.
Open the desktop, find the created shortcut, right-click on it and go to the “properties” section.
In the “Properties” folder, select the “Shortcut” folder.
In the shortcut folder there will be a field ""C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" or "C:\Program FilesX86\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" for 64-bit versions of Windows.
You need to click on this field and add /legacylogin with a space after the quotes.

The finished result should look like this: in the Target field there will be "C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /legacylogin. If everything is so, you need to click “OK” to save the changes. After this, Skype should start normally from the newly created shortcut.

No internet connection

The most simple problem, which is the easiest to solve. There may be no Internet for the following reasons:

The tariff has ended. Pay for your provider's services.
Moved away network cable from a PC or router. Check if everything is connected completely. If not, that's why Skype won't connect. Reconnect the cables if necessary.
The router is frozen. Turn it off for a few minutes and then turn it back on. The connection should resume.
If your computer is connected via Wi-Fi, try connecting it via a wired connection. Maybe, wireless network heavily loaded or has low throughput due to the router or interference due to other access points in neighboring apartments. In this case, there is internet, but it is very weak, and Skype either won’t connect at all or takes a very long time to connect.
The wireless network on the laptop is disabled by hardware. Many laptops have a special key or combination that, when pressed, turns Wi-Fi on or off. If you accidentally press this button, then most likely the network has disconnected. Press the key again to turn the network back on. Usually this is one of function keys F2-F It shows an antenna-shaped icon.
The ISP cable is damaged. In this case, you should contact technical support your provider and leave a request for cable restoration.

As a rule, in all of the above cases there is no Internet connection at all. But what if Skype does not see the Internet? Everything else works, but Skype itself does not work, although the Internet is constantly connected and works properly? In this case, the problem is with the client itself.

Outdated version of Skype

If you were unable to log into the network and you haven't updated Skype for a long time, then this could be one of the reasons why Skype won't connect to the Internet. The legacy client simply does not pass verification for Microsoft servers due to incompatibility or discontinuation of support for some components and displays an error when trying to log in. In this case, installing the latest version will help. However, we recommend that you completely remove the old one first. To do this, launch Control Panel and open Programs and Features.

Find in the list Skype programs, select it and click the “Delete” button. The program will be removed from your PC.

Now you need to clean the registry, because if you don't do this, an error may occur during installation. This can be done using the CCleaner program.

Next, you need to download the current version to your computer. This can be done by following the link https://www.skype.com/ru/download-skype/skype-for-computer/. Click the "Download Skype for Windows" button and save the installation package. Open it and follow the installer's instructions. After this, Skype should work normally.

Note: In many cases complete removal and then reinstalling can solve this problem. Even if you have installed current version programs.

If you are still unable to connect to Skype after this, proceed to the next step.

Internet Explorer browser configuration is incorrect

The problem with client performance can also occur due to a glitch in IE. Therefore, the Skype connection settings to the Internet may be incorrect. To fix this, you need to reset your browser settings to factory settings. This is the simplest and most effective option. To reset:

Launch IE and open the main settings (Internet Options).

In the "Advanced" tab, click the "Reset" button.

Check the box to remove personal data and click Reset.

Restart your browser.

After this, Internet Explorer settings will be set to default. Try logging into Skype again. If after this you are still unable to log into the network, proceed to the next step.

DNS settings failure

The DNS service allows the operating system to use DNS names (readable website addresses) and places them in a cache. If the cache is full or does not work correctly, then name translation will not be performed when loading any page. That's why you couldn't connect to Skype. The error “Server not found” will be displayed. Resetting the DNS cache helps solve the problem. To do this, press the “Win+R” key combination and enter “ipconfig /flushdns” in the “Run” console line. Press enter and then you will see a window command line with a message about successful cleaning. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect and try logging into Skype again.

Skype is blocked by a proxy server

Most often this happens when Skype is used on work computers connected to a business or office network. In such networks, security is given great importance, so all incoming and outgoing connections are made and filtered through a special computer with a configured proxy server. Accordingly, without knowing correct settings, the user cannot use any program unless authorized by the administrator. To allow Skype to connect to your network, you will need to obtain proxy settings from your network administrator or ISP.

Now you know what to do if Skype says “the connection could not be established.” The above tips in most cases completely solve the problem. However, if you still cannot connect to Skype, then the problem may lie in the operating system itself. In this case, you should think about reinstalling it.

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 into 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, a user has to create a huge number of accounts - social media, 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: Skype login and password are also account Microsoft. In the Windows 10 operating system, by default, to log into your account you need to enter the password from Microsoft 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 supports Skype program up to date, 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 an operating system installed on your computer Windows system 10, do not disable updates and always keep it up to date. If you are using an earlier Windows version, 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 above do not resolve your Skype login issues, try reinstalling latest version program to your computer by downloading it from the official Microsoft website.

Remember that there are various alternative clients that allow users to communicate with their account Skype recording. 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, distinctive feature What is different from the original Skype is the ability to use several accounts at once, which can be useful in a number of situations.