Why can't I connect to Skype on my computer? Skype "Connection failed." There is no connection to Skype, but the Internet works

Skype is a free program for communicating over the Internet. Without a network connection, you won't be able to send a message or start a call. If there is no connection on Skype, you can try to fix the problem yourself.

If you are using a proxy or VPN, try disabling them. Additionally, check whether your computer or smartphone has a network connection. Sometimes the problem can occur when the connection is too poor or slow.

Other reasons:

If you are using the mobile version, try to connect to the network via Wi-Fi, not 3G and vice versa.
Make sure your antivirus or firewall is not blocking the application from accessing the Internet. Try disabling them or adding Skype to exceptions.

Sometimes the problem may be on the Skype side, in which case it is enough to check the status of the servers. If the error continues after several hours, and there is no information about system failures, reinstall the program or follow the steps described below.

If you have disabled automatic checking for available updates in the program settings, the old version may stop working when a new version is released. In this case, Skype does not connect to the server and you cannot log into your account.

You can from the official website of the developer.

If the program starts but you cannot make a call, follow these steps:

If a new version is available, it will be downloaded automatically. Try launching the program and logging into your account.

Method 2: Connection Settings

After completing these steps, try again to make a call or send a message to your interlocutor. When doing this, make sure that the contact you are trying to contact is online.

An endless connection can occur not only due to errors, but also due to a slow or unstable Internet connection. In this case, the problem only appears when you try to make a call (via audio or video connection). If you cannot send text messages or log into your account, it makes sense to reinstall the program and check your connection settings.

Sometimes Skype users encounter such a problem that when starting the program, an error appears about there being no connection or the connection goes on forever. And at the same time, the Internet works on the computer, sites open in the browser, and so on.

Causes of the problem

Understanding the cause of this problem when Skype does not connect is extremely difficult. Most often, restarting the computer solves the problem. But in some cases it remains. The issue may be with Skype itself. For example, its data is damaged, or an old version is used. The failure may also be due to incorrect system configuration or blocking of the program by a firewall. Sometimes the essence of the error lies in the operation of the antivirus, which interrupts the connection.

We must also not forget that authentication in Skype occurs with the participation of the Internet Explorer browser. And if its settings are messed up, then various problems may arise.

The result of any of the described reasons is that the program cannot send login information to the server. Then an endless Skype connection occurs or connection errors appear.

Solving the problem

There are 3 simple ways to fix this problem: reinstalling, deleting Skype files and resetting Internet Explorer settings. One of them will definitely help restore communication.

But before you start trying to fix the problem, you should make sure that the problem is related to your computer. Sometimes, when there is no connection on Skype, it's all about the developer's servers. They can be disabled as a result of a failure or during maintenance work.

Use the resource Down right now. There, information about the servers is presented in the form of a graph. The current status is displayed on the right. Up - everything is normal. Down - servers are not working.

Also try disabling your antivirus and logging in to your account again. It can block communication with servers. In this case, you should add the program to the antivirus exceptions.

Method 1: Reinstallation

The most obvious reason for such a failure is an outdated version of Skype. It is initially set to auto-update, but the feature can be disabled. It can, of course, be reactivated. But the best solution would be a complete reinstallation.

Method 2: Reset Internet Explorer settings

You can also try reverting the Internet Explorer browser settings to their original state. To do this, open it and press the Alt key. A toolbar will open, click on “Service”. From the context menu, call the “Browser Options” element.

There you need to go to the “Advanced” section and activate the “Reset” option. A confirmation window will appear, click the “Reset” button again. All that remains is to restart the computer.

Method 3: Deleting program files

In a number of situations, the problem, although related to Skype itself, cannot be solved by a simple reinstallation. This happens because when you uninstall the program, some files are not erased, and the failure occurs precisely because of them. Accordingly, if the previous methods did not give the desired result, try the following:

Users are often disturbed by notifications about the impossibility of establishing a connection in Skype. This error appears if, when trying to authorize, the messenger was unable to “reach” the server, or simply did not receive a response from it.

In such a situation, he has no choice but to postpone the process of logging into Skype until better times. Why and what to do? You ask.

Here are some reasons for this application behavior:

You may be using an outdated version of the messenger.
The application is blocked by the firewall.
You are not connected to the Internet, or its settings are incorrect.
Your Internet service provider or administrator of the network you're on may have blocked access to Skype.
Critical disruption of the messenger itself.
For some reason, the application server may not be working, for example, technical work.

Let's delve into the essence of each problem and look for reliable solutions.

The most common cause of authorization errors lies in the use of an outdated version of the program. There is only one way to deal with it - update the old one or reinstall a new version of the application, preferably a recent release.
The second most popular problem of the inability to establish a connection is incorrect adjustment of Internet Explorer settings. This browser is the main browser for the operating system, so changing its settings affects the operation of other software, Skype is no exception. To improve the situation, reset your browser settings to their original settings.

If the first two options do not apply, you should think about the issue of limited access to Skype domain servers. To check this, use a special test program. If the test results are disappointing, disable the firewall, or if you are an experienced user, remove the restrictions in it. Retest. If this time you are denied access, you should contact your Internet service provider for help and clarification.
The error may also lie on the application server itself due to some technical work. It’s easy to check - you just need to go to one of the many services on the Internet and see if the Skype server is available. If the domain servers are in good condition, then the error occurs on your computer or gadget. Otherwise, you need to wait for the server to start working again, which often does not take much time.
Sometimes the culprits in access denial are corrupted files of the application itself. In this case, restarting the program will help. If the error persists, you will have to send the files “%appdata%\Skype\shared.lck” and “%appdata%\Skype\shared.xml” to the trash.

In addition to Windows itself, problems with Internet connection may occur in individual programs. So in the Skype program, the error “Unable to establish a connection” or “Unfortunately, unable to connect to Skype” very often appears. Obviously, these errors appear due to problems with your internet connection. But as is usually the case, the Internet on the computer is connected and working, but Skype still says that there is no connection and does not allow you to log into your account.

Despite the fact that now there are a huge number of different instant messengers that are better in functionality, stability and other parameters, many continue to use Skype for work or communicating with their loved ones and friends. I also use this messenger, and I have never had any special problems or errors with it. But that's when I had to set up other people's computers (install Windows and other programs), then after installing Skype a message appeared that the connection could not be established. Although the Internet was connected in other programs (including in the browser) he worked.

Since there can be many reasons that prevent you from logging into Skype, there is no one universal solution. But the problem is popular, the program is also popular, which means that basic and working solutions have already been found experimentally, which I will share with you. Some of them have been tested from our own experience. I will try to make the most simple and understandable instructions, with the help of which you can independently fix your Internet connection in Skype.

Why does Skype say that the connection could not be established?

It's very simple. Skype uses an Internet connection. Including logging into your account. When we enter our login (phone number, email) and password, the program sends this data to the server for verification. If everything is fine, then we log in to Skype. Or we receive a message that such an account does not exist, or the password is incorrect.

And if Skype cannot connect to the server, an error appears "Connection failed".

In newer versions of Skype, another error appears: . Check your Internet connection and try again.

Pay attention to the screenshot above. The program does not see an Internet connection, but the computer is connected to the Internet (I have it via Wi-Fi, you may have it via cable) and there are no connection restrictions. I have "without internet access" or something else.

And after updating to the newest version of Skype 8.25 (which was at the time of writing this article) the program, even without an Internet connection, after clicking on the “Sign in with a Microsoft account” button, simply tried to download something and this login button appeared again.

No errors or messages. Perhaps this will be fixed in future versions. And in the new version there is no longer access to connection settings (port, proxy). It will also not be possible to check for updates and view the version of Skype itself. (you can view it in the Add or Remove Programs window in Windows). Until the ports are logged in to your account.

What to do if Skype does not connect to the Internet?

The solutions you can see below should work for Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows XP. Of course, some settings may differ slightly depending on the operating system version. I will show the whole process using Windows 10 as an example, but I will give instructions if possible (links to other articles) for previous versions.

Main reasons and solutions:

There is no internet connection. You need to make sure that the Internet on your computer is working.
You have an outdated version of Skype installed on your computer. You need to update, or download and install a new version of the program. True, it is often the other way around - the older version works.
There have been cases when Skype did not work due to an outdated version of Internet Explorer. You need to update your browser.
Something with Windows network settings, proxy settings, Internet Explorer browser settings, or Skype itself. There may also be a problem in the hosts file. All these settings need to be checked/cleared.
Skype cannot connect to the Internet due to a firewall or antivirus that is blocking the program. Temporarily disable the antivirus and check the firewall settings.
Connection problems due to VPN. If you have a VPN connection configured, you need to disable it.
Temporary problems on the server side, so the connection in Skype cannot be established.

Let's now look at these solutions in more detail.

Checking your Internet connection

Perhaps a slightly stupid decision, and in the comments you will write something like: “how is the Internet not working, and how did I get to this site?!”, but still. I don’t have the opportunity to look at your computer, so I recommend that the first thing you do is make sure that you have an active Internet connection.

It doesn't matter how your computer or laptop is connected to the Internet. This can be a wireless WI-FI network, a 3G/4G USB modem, or a cable connection. View connection status (by clicking on the tray icon). Also pay attention to this icon to see if there is a yellow exclamation mark next to it.

Open any program that uses the Internet and check if the connection is working. Well, launch your browser and try to open any website.

If you have connection problems, errors in your browser or other programs, then these articles may be useful to you:

Well, if the Internet works, but Skype does not connect, then see other solutions below.

Updating or reinstalling Skype

If you still have the seventh version of Skype, then click on “Help” and select “Check for updates”.

If the program can connect to the server and check for updates, and if there is a new version, a message will appear asking you to download and install it - we agree.

Perhaps after installing the update everything will work.

But an error may appear: “There was a problem downloading the Skype update,” or the new version will not be detected. In this case, you must first completely remove the program from your computer, download the new version from the official website and install it.

Go to "Add or Remove Programs" (in Windows 10 can be found through search), or in “This PC” open “Uninstall and change a program”. In Windows 7, this tool can also be launched from “My Computer” or through the Control Panel. Find Skype and delete it.

You can also use the CCleaner utility to remove it. It would be a good idea to clean up unnecessary files and the registry after removal using the same utility.

Before installing the new version, you can delete the user folder at: Username/AppData/Roaming/Skype.

Press Win+R and enter %appdata% and click Ok. A folder will open containing the “Skype” folder with the necessary files.

Just in case, create a backup copy of this folder. For example, correspondence history is stored there.

Download Skype from the official page - https://www.skype.com/ru/. Save the installation file to your computer, run it and follow the installation instructions.

After installation, try to log into your account. If that doesn't work, you can install an older version. For example, 6.22. Especially if you have Windows XP or Windows Vista.

Updating Internet Explorer

Skype works with Internet Explorer. And if you have an old version of the browser installed, then Skype may not be able to connect to the Internet. You need to download and install the latest version of Internet Explorer that is available for your Windows operating system.

You can download from the official website - https://support.microsoft.com/ru-ru/help/17621/internet-explorer-downloads

Reset Internet Explorer settings

Judging by the reviews, this solution very often helps to get rid of the “Unable to connect” error in Skype.

Launch Internet Explorer, in the "Tools" menu (or by clicking on the gear icon) you need to select "Internet Options". Next, on the “Advanced” tab, click on the “Reset” button.

And press the reset button again. Then try logging into Skype. You can also restart your computer, or close and open the program again.

Firewall and antivirus may be blocking your connection to Skype

If you have an antivirus installed, then disable it for a while. It may have blocked the connection and Skype is not connecting to the Internet for this very reason. Typically, you can disable an antivirus in the settings, or by right-clicking on its icon. I’ll show you using ESET as an example.

Go to "Control Panel" and select "System and Security" there. Next select "Windows Firewall". Or find these settings through search in Windows 10, it’s faster.

In the firewall settings, you need to click on "Turn Windows Firewall on or off" and temporarily disable it for private and public networks.

If after these steps everything in the messenger says that unfortunately it was not possible to connect to Skype, then turn the firewall back on and try other solutions.

Network settings, DNS, VPN, proxy and hosts file

I hope my tips helped you revive Skype, and it was able to establish a connection to the server without any problems. Perhaps the recommendations in this article did not help you, but you found another solution to this problem. I would be grateful if you share your solution in the comments. There you can leave your question on the topic of this article.

How often do users encounter this problem when trying to log into Skype for communication: “The connection could not be established”! Especially recently, when manufacturers have disabled the ability to work with older versions of software, this problem has begun to bother many users.

Why can't Skype connect?

If, when you try to log into your Skype account, it turns out that for unknown reasons the program cannot connect to the server, the most difficult thing is to understand the reasons for this, because otherwise you will not be able to log into the program.

The global and main reason is not receiving a response from the server. This means that when you register in the system, Skype sends a corresponding request with information about the entered login and password to the server to receive an answer to the question: “Is there such a user and did he enter his password correctly?” If such a connection is interrupted or your device simply failed to establish a connection, a similar error appears.

Reasons why Skype does not start:

The device you are using has an older version of Skype installed.
The program is not allowed through (blocked) by an antivirus or firewall.
There was a problem with the Internet (the connection was interrupted) or with the Internet settings.
Your ISP does not allow you to use Skype.
A critical failure (error) occurred in the program.
Malfunctions in the official developer's server, where all user data is sent.
Virus programs, malfunctioning operating system.
There is no connection to the Internet.
Old data interferes with work.

To check this version, just go to any website in your Internet browser. If this option is confirmed, call your provider.

How to fix the connection when logging into Skype?

All of these reasons can appear one at a time or act together. What to do if the connection could not be established?

Ways to establish a connection:
1. To solve the first problem with the old version of the program, you need to download the latest existing one. To do this, go to the official Skype website (skype.com) and download it for free.

2. If you are using the program from a computer and have a new antivirus, check whether it is blocking your program. Disable protection for a while and try to log in again.

If blocked by a firewall - the built-in Windows Defender - disabling it will also help determine this.

To do this, go to the “Control Panel”, then – “Windows Firewall” (“Firewall”) – “Turn the firewall on or off” – “Turn off the Windows Firewall”.

3. If your browser is Internet Explorer, try resetting its settings. You need to do it like this:

Close all programs, files and folders.
Launch your browser.
Press the "Alt" key on your keyboard.
Select Tools from the menu bar.
Find the "Internet Options" item.
In the "Advanced" tab, click the "Reset" button.
Check the box next to “Delete personal settings” and click reset again.

4. If you use Skype not at home, but in an office or enterprise, be aware that IT specialists may, as part of company policy, limit the ability of their employees to use certain applications not related to work. This program is often among them. Here you have no right to change anything except work.

You can also check for restrictions on use (whether from the employer or your firewall) using this link: http://www.skaip.su/proverit-dostup-k-skaypu. Here you can find out whether the program can log in. Even if nothing works from that site, the problem is not in closed access. If you have access to at least one of the servers, the problem does not lie in this area.

5. If you suspect that the program has crashed or a critical error has occurred, turn off the device, reboot it and try again. If it doesn't work, reinstall the messenger.

6. In case of problems with the server of the developers and owners of Skype, you can only find out by checking all the previous options for possible breakdowns. However, there are some third-party services that will help you perform such a check. Here is one of them: http://www.skaip.su/status-serverov-skayp. By going to this link, you can check the health of the servers and finally understand what the problem is and why the connection could not be established. If such information is confirmed, you will not be able to do anything until the program servers are fixed.

7. Another solution could be to delete the following files: “%appdata%\Skype\shared.lck” or “%appdata%\Skype\shared.xml”. This will help if some files are damaged (for example, configuration or database files). These objects are located in the folder with the installed program. In most cases, it is located in the directory with program files on drive C.

8. If you are critically short of time and there is no way to check each version of possible errors, simply use the browser program at this link: https://web.skype.com/.

9. If the problem is a virus invasion, clean everything with a good antivirus.

10. If the operating system does not work correctly, you will have to reinstall it.

11. There is also a possibility that the computer writes about the impossibility of logging in when your Internet router is not configured correctly or the settings are lost. Why this happened is unclear, but you can try reconfiguring it. To do this, go to any browser except Opera and enter your address in the address bar (it is written in the documents for the router or on the device itself).

Enter your username and password, click “login”. Next, you need to find the items “Firewall” - “Virtual Servers” and click “Add” (the names of the items may be slightly different for different routers). Next you will need to enter the name - “Skype” or any other. And in the “External” port field you need to enter the number of the new port, for example, 4960. Save the entered data by clicking on the appropriate button (for example, “change”, “save” or “Ok”).

Open Skype, “Tools” menu, sub-item “Connection problems”. In the port usage field, write the port previously specified in the router settings.

In this case, enter "4960". After saving the new settings, try to see if you can enter the program again.

12. If the problem is a build-up of old data that is preventing the program from working, you need to clear the hard drive of it. To do this:

Go to Start.
Click “Run” or instead of both items, you can press the key combination “Win + R”.
Next, in the window that appears, enter “%appdata%\skype”.
When the computer shows the results found, delete all files from the found folder. It is usually called “Skype” and is located in the “Roaming” folder, and this folder, in turn, is in “AppData” (“Application Data”).

If you don’t want to delete all the files, you can cut out only this “shared” one.

Log out of Skype: click its icon in the tray and then “Sign Out” or “Exit”.
Make sure you get out. To do this, you need to open Task Manager or Task Manager and look to see if “Skype.exe” is in the processes. If the process is active, terminate it.
In the folder on drive C “Program Files”, find the “Skype” folder and create a shortcut to the “Skype.exe” file on your desktop.
Right-click on the created shortcut and select “Properties” - “Shortcut” tab.
After the text opposite the word “Shortcut” the path will be indicated in quotes. After them write “/legacylogin”.
Click "Ok" and go through this shortcut.

If you use the Linux operating system, one of its versions - OpenSUSE, Skype also often does not connect. The solution is the same as in other cases. Updating to the latest available version should help.

How to remove a program

If you still decide to try to uninstall Skype, you can do this through “Control Panel” - “Uninstall Programs”, but better - using special utilities. For example, CCleaner or Revo Uninstaller.

When using these programs, you will be absolutely sure that there will be no residual files on your computer after saying goodbye to Skype. Just download one of the utilities listed above. Next, you need to install it like any other program. Next, you will need to run a scan, analysis, or cleaning itself and wait a little. Only after this can you begin installing the new version of Skype.

How to install a new program

Anyone can install Skype after uninstalling its previous version. To do this, you just need to go to the company’s official website or immediately follow this link: www.skype.com/ru/download-skype/skype-for-windows/.

This process won't take much time, and it's completely free. Everything else is simple. Find the fully downloaded file in the downloads and run it by double-clicking on it and the installation will begin. Don't forget to set the language to Russian.

The same can be done by going to “Help” in the Skype window, and then selecting “About Skype”. There you can see the versions.

In the window that opens, you need to find the year of the program version that you have installed. If the year is not current, the version is out of date.

Unfortunately, the latest version is not always functional on a particular device. Therefore, if unsuccessful, download another one. According to user reviews, the successful one on the Internet today is “7.14.0.106”.

How to clean from viruses

Any working antivirus program can usually clean your device of viruses. One of the latest recommended free utilities is Dr.WebCureit.

After downloading from the official free resource, run the installer (click the executable file “...exe”) by double clicking and start working after the process is completed. When opening a new program, click the “Start Scan” button.

To get rid of the problem with access to a well-known messenger, you will have to check the possibility of problems one by one, since it will not be possible to say for sure right away what exactly the problem is.