Skype has become in a basic tool for millions of people all over the world. Thanks to this application, which we can use on a computer and smartphone, we can be in contact with friends, family or work colleagues in a simple way. It allows us to have messaging chats, as well as calls and video calls. So it is an option of great interest.
For many people it is a new tool, whose first steps may not be easy. Here we show you how to take the first steps in Skype. So that you know how it works and the main functions that we have available in it. Thus, you will be able to get the most out of it.
Create an account on Skype
The first thing we have to do to be able to use this tool is create an account. If you have a Microsoft account, you can sign in to use Skype. Like a Hotmail or Outlook account, for example, so in this case it is very simple. In the event that you do not have an account, you will have to create one, which you can do directly when you download the program on your computer. We have already shown you how to create a skype account. You just have to follow these steps.
Configure profile
When we have already entered the account, we can configure our profile in Skype. This means that we can change the information that we want to show in it, so that the people who add us as contacts will see it. This is something that we can do in a simple way from the application itself on the computer.
At the top left of the screen, there is a three ellipsis icon. When we click on it, a couple of options appear, one of which is the configuration. A window opens as seen in the photo, where we can edit the profile. We can choose the username we want, in addition to completing with personal information about us. The username to choose is something important, but especially depending on the use we make of this application.
If we are going to use Skype professionallyThen it is important to use an appropriate profile name, which will not generate a bad image. These types of details are essential at all times, but we may forget about it on occasion.
Find and add contacts in Skype
In Skype we have the possibility to add people to our contacts. So that we will be able to be in contact with them whenever we want, either by sending messages, with calls or with video calls. On the left side of the screen we have a panel, where we can see that there is a search bar. It is the one that we can use to search for contacts in the application to add them.
When looking for contacts we can use several options. It is possible to enter your username, if we know it. You can also use your email account, or the name of this person and the city. With these search terms it is usually possible to have access to this profile, which we can then add at any time.
When we have found that person, We just have to click on your profile and we will get an option to say Hello. Click on it and this person will receive a message, so that they will be able to add us as a contact. Once this is received, we can be in contact with that person on Skype, sending messages or making calls.
Send messages
To send messages to one of our contacts, as if it were a chat conversation as in other applications, it is very easy. We have to click on the name of this contact in the contact list, on the left side of the screen. By doing this, the conversation will appear in the middle of the screen and we can start chatting. At the bottom of it we have the text box, where to write the message.
We can write the message normally. In addition, Skype allows us to add emojis, GIFs and others in these messages. If we want, we also have the possibility to send files in these chats, such as photos, documents or links. In this sense, it works like other messaging applications, so it is very comfortable in this case.
If someone else sends us files via Skype, they are usually downloaded in a special folder. A download folder is normally created on our computer, within the download folder, where we find all the files or photos that have been sent to us through the application.
Calls
Calls are one of the star features of Skype, one of the reasons that has helped its popularity over the years. If at a certain moment you intend to make a voice call with a person, it is very simple, as well as being free. You have to enter your profile in the application, as if you were going to have a chat. At the top of the screen you will see a phone icon. Click on this icon to start the call.
Then it will start when the other person accepts it. You normally wait about a minute for the other person to respond or not. In case of no response, it closes and you can try again. If it is another person who calls us, it will appear on the screen a window that announces that they are calling us, emitting a sound. We will then get a green phone icon to accept and a red phone icon if we want to reject the call, as in our smartphone.
The voice call can last as long as we want. It is important to have a good internet connection during it. Since in many occasions we can have interferences in it. At the end of the call, Skype usually asks us to give an assessment of its quality. So that more is known about it.
Video calls
Video calls are another of the functions that have elevated Skype. It is a function that allows us to be in contact with friends and family, although it is also widely used in the workplace. For easy remote business meetings. The operation is quite similar to that of calls in this case.
We have to enter the profile of that person and at the top we will see that there is an icon of a camera. We click on it so that it will start, although the video call does not start until the other person accepts. We will not see the other person until they have accepted the video call in the app.
When I have accepted it, we will see the other person on the screen from our computer or smartphone. We also appear on screen, in a different window, whose size we can adjust at any time. So if we want to see the other person better, we can modify the size of our window to our liking.