Top 5 Ways to Disable Skype at Startup in Windows 10
When you start your Windows PC, several apps automatically start in the background, such as antivirus, Google Chrome, and even Skype. These apps impact system resources and also affect battery life. On top of that, one might not like the automatic execution of some apps. An application should only open when a user needs it. One of these applications is Skype. Many people want to prevent Skype from starting automatically in Windows 10. If you’re one of them, find out how.
You can install two Skype apps on Windows 10 – Skype for Windows (Classic Skype or Old Skype) and Skype for Windows 10 (Skype UWP or New Skype). The latter offers more features than the traditional one. Both can work on startup. No matter what type of Skype app you have, old or new, can be disabled on startup.
Let’s see how to achieve this in several ways.
1. Disconnecting from Skype
Suppose you are using Skype for Windows 10 (app version 15 and above) which you installed from Microsoft Store. In this case, you can prevent Skype from starting automatically by simply logging out of your account when you are finished using it. Next time, Skype won’t automatically start on startup as long as you log out before closing Windows.
To sign out of the Skype account, launch the Skype app. Click on your profile picture icon in the upper left corner. Click Logout from the menu.
Note: Signing out of the Skype account will not delete your contacts, chats, or Skype account.
2. Using Skype settings
As a general rule, the first method should be enough to prevent Skype from automatically running on startup. But if the method fails or you have classic Skype, you can also do it from Skype settings.
Here are the steps:
Step 1: Launch the Skype app and go to Skype settings. To do this, click on the three dots icon at the top of Skype and select Settings.
Pro tip: Use the Ctrl + comma keyboard shortcut to open Skype settings. Check out other useful Skype keyboard shortcuts.
2nd step: In Settings, go to General. You will find Automatically start Skype or Start Skype when I start Windows. Uncheck the box next to it or turn off the toggle, depending on the option available.
3. Using system settings
Another way to prevent Skype from starting automatically is to turn it off in the startup app settings. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Open Settings on your Windows 10 computer and go to Applications.
Pro tip: Use the Ctrl + I keyboard shortcut to quickly open Windows Settings from any screen.
2nd step: Click Start on the left sidebar. Search for Skype. Turn off the toggle next to it.
4. Using Windows Task Manager
You can also use Task Manager to stop Skype from loading when Windows starts. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Right-click on the Start menu icon or on the taskbar. A menu will appear. Click on Task Manager.
Pro tip: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager directly.
2nd step: Go to the Startup tab at the top. Search for Skype. Right click on it and select Disable from the menu or click the Disable button at the bottom.
Professional advice: The Task Manager is not working on your computer? Find out 8 ways to fix the problem of task manager not working properly.
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5. Using the Microsoft Registry Editor
Finally, if nothing works, you should try editing the Skype autostart file in Registry Editor.
Note: Follow the steps mentioned below and don’t change anything else. We suggest that you take a backup of your PC’s Windows registry before modifying anything to restore it if something goes wrong.
Here are the steps:
Step 1: Launch the Run dialog box using Windows key + R keyboard shortcut.
2nd step: Type Regedit and press Enter key on your keyboard or press OK button.
Step 3: The Registry Editor window opens. Copy the following code and paste it in the address box. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
Step 4: You will find a Skype registry file. Right click on it and tap on Delete option from menu. Restart your PC and Skype will not launch on startup.
How to uninstall Skype
Previously, Skype was one of the best video conferencing apps. Lately Zoom has given it tough competition and has managed to surpass its popularity. Even the Microsoft Teams app is often used. If you’ve upgraded to a new video calling app and you’re not using Skype, you need to uninstall it. You can always reinstall it whenever you need to.
To uninstall Skype for Windows 10, right click the Skype icon in the Start menu and tap Uninstall. For Classic Skype, go to Control Panel> Programs and Features. Search for Skype. Right click and tap on Uninstall option.
Bad decision
After disabling Skype on startup, if you think you’ve made a bad decision and want Skype to run on startup, don’t worry. Repeat the steps for methods 2, 3 and 4 and activate Skype on startup. Is there anything else that bothers you about Skype? Tell us in the comments below.
Then:
Thinking of saying goodbye to your Skype account? Find out what happens when you delete your Skype account from the following link.
Last updated August 13, 2020
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