How to Download and Install Skype
Downloading and installing Skype is easy, and it’s free! You can download and install your Skype connection in a matter of minutes, and then the fun begins.
The Web pages on www.skype.com are constantly being enhanced. So, they may change from time to time. Don't be surprised if the Web pages you're looking at don't exactly match the screen shots provided here.
Downloading Skype
Ready to get started? First, pick up the latest version of Skype:
With your Internet browser open, enter www.skype.com in the address line to open the Home page of the Skype Web site.
Click the Download button on the Skype home page to open the Download page.
Skype will begin the download to your computer. It will automatically determine the operating system and the Web browser that you are using. This screen will tell you what to do after the program downloads.
If the download doesn’t start automatically, you will be able to start it manually by clicking on Start Download Again.
After you click to download the program, you may be prompted to save or open the program SkypeSetup.exe. Always choose to save the file to your hard drive. Do not open or run the program during the download process.
Skype sometimes posts two types of downloads, the general public version and the next new beta version. If you are just starting out, it's best to download the general public version because it’s more stable. In time, the beta version will become the public version, and you can upgrade.
Select Save to Disk.
Choose an easy-to-remember location, such as the Windows Desktop, and click OK. Remember this location so that you can double-click the file after it is saved.
Installing Skype
When your download is complete and the program is saved to disk, follow these steps to install the program:
Double-click the SkypeSetup program that you just saved or just click Run if you have that option. If a User Account Control windows pops up asking you for permission, just click Continue.
When the installer program launches, it asks you to choose a language; select it from a drop-down list.
The installer program then asks you to read and accept the End User License Agreement. You need to accept this to continue the installation. The program may also ask if you want to install certain other programs or browser add-ons. You are under no obligation to install these. If you don’t want the extras, just uncheck the box and click on Next.
Click the Options button.
On this page you have the choice to launch Skype as soon as the installation is complete. This box is already checked. If you don't want Skype to start up right away, deselect the box by clicking it. You also have the option to update the Skype Extras Manager and to install a Skype Plugin for the web browser (s) that you have installed on the computer.
Click I agree -- Install.
Skype asks you to set up an account by entering a Name, a Skype Name, and Password. The next screen asks for your e-mail address, country, and city. If the Skype name you specified is already in use, you will get a chance to choose another name. Once you complete this, Skype is installed and automatically launches itself (unless you deselected the Launch Skype check box on the Options screen).
Skype Glossary
account
1. (noun) The formal establishment of a relationship between the user and a software product that lets the user make use of the technology. 2. (noun) The representation of the details of the user’s relationship with the software, particularly showing what services of the software the reader can use.
Skype Glossary
beta version
An early version of software that is not in its final release form. Consequently, beta software is sometimes prone to quirks and bugs.
Skype Glossary
Bluetooth
A short-range technology used for transferring data wirelessly. It is commonly used for wireless mice, keyboards, and other consumer products.
Skype Glossary
call history
The record of an individual’s Skype calls.
Skype Glossary
case sensitive
An indication that software differentiates uppercase from lowercase capitalization. For example, if JohnDoe123 is a case-sensitive password, typing in JOHNDOE123 will fail.
Skype Glossary
conferencing
Hosting or participating in calls with multiple contacts using Skype, which can also extend to landline and mobile phone calls.
Skype Glossary
CrazyTalk
A program that allows you to create animated faces that are synchronized to move as you speak.
Skype Glossary
credit
The method by which you purchase time in advance and later spend it when using various Skype features.
Skype Glossary
End User License Agreement
Sometimes referred to by the acronym EULA, the contract a user agrees to in order to be able to use a specific software. This contract, or license agreement, defines the rights and restrictions of the user regarding the software.
Skype Glossary
firewall
A security program or machine that enables users to use a computer or network while also preventing unauthorized access from other parties over the Internet.
Skype Glossary
GMT zone
The GMT — or Greenwich Mean Time — is the system by which the majority of the world sets time according to global lines of longitude, starting with 0 being the meridian that runs between the poles through Greenwich, England and all other time zones being +/- hours in relationship to the 0 meridian.
Skype Glossary
GSM
Global System for Mobile Communications are the most widely used communications standard for mobile phones in the world.
Skype Glossary
IM
Instant messaging is a form of real-time typed communication between two or more people over the Internet or another network.
Skype Glossary
PayPal
1. (noun) The service that is used to securely make financial transactions over the Internet. 2. (noun) The company that provides the service.
Skype Glossary
profile
Your online Skype identity, including information that is private, shared with your contacts, or shared with the world.
Skype Glossary
proxy settings
The settings used to connect to other computers through the Internet or another network by using a proxy server, as in a networked business environment.
Skype Glossary
Skylook
An add-in that allows you to use Skype seamlessly with Outlook.
Skype Glossary
Skype Global Rate
A single low rate that applies equally to a set of more than 30 popularly called countries, as opposed to the individual county-by country rates that are otherwise charged.
Skype Glossary
Skype Name
Your unique name on Skype that you use to sign in and that others use to contact you.
Skype Glossary
SkypeIn
Your personal Skype online number that people use to call your computer.
Skype Glossary
SkypeOut
Calls made from Skype to mobile and landline phones.
Skype Glossary
SMS
Short Message System is a communication service that allows you to send text messages to and from cell phones and other devices.
Skype Glossary
USB
1. (noun) A rectangular port — universal serial bus — on a device that enables you to connect another device to it. 2. (noun) A cable that connects devices using a USB port. 3. (noun) The technology by which the connection is accomplished.
Skype Glossary
VAT
The Value Added Tax applied in European countries to goods and services.
Skype Glossary
VoIP
The Voice over Internet Protocol technology that allows you to send voice communication over the Internet.
Skype Glossary
voucher
A certificate or number, either purchased or provided as a free promotion with phones or other devices, that can be exchanged for Skype credit.
Skype Glossary
XML
A tag-based markup language that is widely used to create documents and Web services.
Skype Glossary
ZIP files
Files that have been compressed to reduce their size, thereby making file transfer and storage faster and easier.
