Skype for Linux...just freezes?

[goemonburo]

Something's happened recently to my Skype for Linux. I'm running Ubuntu 16.06LTS. It used to work fine. Haven't upgraded hardware or anything like that but recently it just repeatedly hangs.

The process is exactly this:

1. I select "Skype" from the application menu.
2. It flashes a message saying "You've been signed out of Skype, launch the application to sign back in" (with a 'View' button).
3. The login screen appears.
Up to this, no worries.
But when I log in, nothing happens...the Skype window stays white, never loads any of the dial options or my chat messages, etc., and it just sits there.

I've installed and reinstalled via apt-get, and I've even tried to use the direct one from the Skype website. 8.15.0.4 They are the same.

I sleuthed around and don't see lots of people having this issue so perhaps I'm searching wrong or maybe it's just me. Anyone know what's going on?

Thank you!

[HermanAB]

MS changed the Skype protocol. You need to change to something else, e.g. Viber.

[goemonburo]

Wait, so Skype no longer works for Linux? At all? Did I miss a memo?

(Why do they still have it there on their site, then?)

Can Viber access my Skype account and so on? Or do I just plan on Skype on my Android phone from now on?

(Kind of surprised I haven't seen massive outcry about this if indeed they just axed the entire Skype for Linux...kinda thinking there's something else going on.)

[Autodave]

That actually happened a couple months ago and there were tons of posts about it.

[goemonburo]

Weird, as this worked fine until a week or two ago...seems like the major shift happened last fall?

[deadflowr]

Try the snap version.

sudo snap install skype --classic

More: https://insights.ubuntu.com/2018/02/...ce-with-snaps/

[ajgreeny]

Skypeforlinux still works fine but is now very different from the very old version 4 from a matter of only months ago.

Download the .deb file direct from the Microsoft site at https://go.skype.com/skypeforlinux-64.deb and install it with gdebi (or sudo dpkg -i) and it will add the repos tpo your software sources and keep it updated.

You may find, as I do, that selecting the start minimised to the panel opens an empty and inactive window which you can overcome by disabling the start minimised option, letting it start to an active window, then minimising to the panel.

[goemonburo]

@ajgreeny, thank you yes, it is opening a blank, inactive window. But I don't know how to get to the Settings -- they are greyed out when I'm in the initial signin page, as are most of the other options. Then after I log in, it's blank and the Preferences and other options (including even the Skype version) are greyed out. Going to the toolbar icon and selecting "Open Skype" doesn't do anything either. Can I access a config file perhaps and manually edit that setting?

[ajgreeny]

Try renaming the ~/.config/skypeforlinux folder in your home as a backup after first shutting down skype completely, then restart skype.

That will start skype with default settings which may get you back to something you can work with and change settings to what you now need.

[goemonburo]

Thanks @ajgreeny -- closed out of Skype, did ps aux | grep skype to make sure all processes were shut down, renamed the file, then restarted skype...

...and it was the same thing. A non-operational white window with most of the options grayed out, and a toolbar icon in the lower right corner that doesn't do anything.

Still scratching my head.