Updating the program brings with it not only new functions, but also various bugs. Installing a fresh client may cause freezing, problems with authorization, startup, etc. Therefore, many users are interested in how to return the old Skype that was before the update and worked properly? There are several ways to roll back the utility.
Reinstalling the program
The simplest method is to uninstall and install the old version of the utility. However, the method has a noticeable drawback. The user must have saved the installer of the previous Skype client. Only the latest application can be downloaded from the official resource; outdated software is removed. It is not recommended to download the installation file from unfamiliar resources.
To reinstall you need:
Older versions of Skype may not work correctly. Old utilities have glitches, performance deteriorates, etc.
System rollback
Old Skype clients attract users with a familiar interface, the absence of bugs and errors, simple and understandable settings, etc. After each update, thousands of users begin to “spit” and complain about changes in their favorite program. Some users are even ready to take drastic measures, such as rolling back the operating system.
What is needed to return your favorite version of the program?
To roll back the operating system you need:
If the rollback is successful, the user needs to erase the last backup file. After completing the procedure, you need to launch the messenger, enter your personal data and log in.
Skype is a universal program that provides stable voice, visual and text communication from anywhere in the world, originally created by Skype Technologies in 2003, but 8 years later it was successfully purchased by Microsoft for $8.5 billion.
After the purchase, Microsoft began to actively develop “its” program, delighting users with constant improvements in capabilities and the addition of new functionality. As a result, the company annually released a new version of the program. But do not forget that with each new update the utility changes not only visually, but also internally, thereby improving the level of protection, which significantly reduces the risk of hacking and leakage of your personal data.
Therefore, it is strongly recommended to always have the latest version, but there are times when updates do not arrive or a new version cannot be installed, often this happens due to an old or malfunctioning program, and in this article we will help you solve this problem by completely removing Skype from computer.
Uninstalling Skype
There are several ways to remove this utility, but first we will look at the simplest and fastest one. This method involves uninstalling Skype using the Control Panel.
- To begin, go to the start menu by hovering your mouse over the Windows icon in the lower left corner, then selecting ““.
- Note: On some versions of Windows, the location " Control panels" may differ; if difficulties arise, you can use the built-in search.
- You can also access programs using a command. To do this, open the dialog box using the keyboard shortcut Windows + R and enter appwiz.cpl.
- Next, in the window that opens, find the category “ Programs" and select " Uninstalling a program«.
- Then we look for Skype in the list of available utilities and delete it in accordance with the information shown in the screenshot.
- After you confirm your actions, deleting Skype takes a couple of minutes on average.
Problems with deletion
Often, some users have a problem: they simply cannot remove the old version of Skype. As usual, this error is discovered when installing a new version. Basically, the reason is hidden in the built-in uninstallers that are too “weak”; in fact, they do not completely remove the utility, thereby leaving a bunch of all kinds of “garbage”. The solution to this problem is manual step-by-step removal of the program, which we will now show you in detail.
- First you need to delete the folders Skype And SkypePM, if they exist, to do this, open the dialog box with the keyboard shortcut Windows + R and enter the command %appdata%.
- In the window that opens, look for the corresponding folder and delete it.
- Next, in order to completely make sure that the folder with the program is completely deleted, go to this path: Computer:\Local disk C:\Program Files(If you have Windows 8 or higher, then go to C:\Program Files (x86)) and perform a similar procedure.
- Also, in special cases, it is recommended to remove the program from the registry, but be careful, since if you change the registry incorrectly, serious problems can occur. To go to the registry, we also open the dialog box using Windows + R and enter the command regedit.
- Then in the registry that opens, in the upper left corner, select “Edit” and “Find.”
- In the search that opens, fill in all the selected parameters with checkboxes and click “Find Next.”
- We delete all found values.
After completely and correctly uninstalling Skype, you can easily install the latest version from the official website without any difficulties or errors.
Results
- If you are 100 percent sure that after a normal uninstallation you will be able to install the new version without any problems, then feel free to use the method described in detail at the beginning of the article.
- If you have problems installing a new version due to incomplete removal of the previous one, then for your consideration is the second method, which involves completely removing the program from the computer.
Most often it is required due to the need to manually update the client if it cannot be done automatically. But there are other reasons why it may be required. The easiest way is to uninstall Skype using standard Windows tools, but this is not always possible, in which case third-party programs come to the rescue.
Established funds
The Windows system allows you to remove any application if no complications arise in the process. To uninstall Skype, first go to your Control Panel. This is done in “Start” or by using the Win key combination (located between Alt and Ctrl on the left of the keyboard) + X. There, open the “Programs and Features” item. The name may differ depending on the operating system version. A window will open with a list of all programs.
Find Skype there. Right-click on the name and select “Delete/Change”. You can also just double-click on the name. The uninstallation process is activated. Follow the prompts on the screen and wait until it ends.
Third party programs
When you cannot remove the old version of Skype using standard means and various errors occur, you can use third-party software.
Microsoft Fix It
Microsoft Fix It is a utility from Microsoft that not only removes programs, but also eliminates possible errors associated with them. You can download it link. It does not need to be installed; use begins immediately after launching the distribution.
CCleaner
CCleaner is a powerful utility designed to clean your computer. It perfectly replaces the built-in program removal service. You can download it from site. Choose the free version on the page. After launching the utility, go to the “Registry” section.
There, click on “Search for problems - Fix.” Agree to save the backup. Now go to the “Service” section and select the desired program to remove. Here is another option on how to delete old Skype.
Or installing its newest version requires removing the old one from your computer. And at this stage, some users have problems: they Can't uninstall an earlier versionSkype. Most often, this is detected already during the installation of a new version, when the installation suddenly stops with error code 1603.
Cause
The reason why it is not possible to completely remove the old version, as a rule, lies in the fact that standard operating system tools perform uninstallation too “carefully”. At the same time, the “tails” of already deleted applications often remain in the system in the form of configuration files, registry entries, account information and other “garbage”. Over time, all this accumulates on the hard drive and can significantly slow down the system.
Solution
In general, there are three main ways to remove any application:
- uninstallation using standard means of the operating system itself;
- removal using uninstallers built into the application;
- applications from third party developers.
If Skype cannot be removed using traditional methods, third-party programs and utilities can come to the rescue. For example, the utility from Microsoft Microsoft Fix it. It allows you not only to completely delete an unnecessary file, but also to empty the Recycle Bin (it happens that files from there categorically refuse to be erased), and also to automatically search for some errors in the operating system. Unfortunately, the utility is not supported on Windows 10.
Another useful tool is Revo Uninstaller. It helps remove unnecessary “remnants” of uninstalled applications.
And, of course, the famous CCleaner is a time-tested utility. It not only removes junk files, but also cleans the registry automatically.
Judging by the reviews of active Skype users, one of the common problems they encounter is the inability to remove this software from their computer. All difficulties are related to the design of the software itself. The developers were clearly interested in this. So that you stay with them as long as possible! So, what to do if the old version of Skype is not deleted?
Getting ready for removal. Clearing history
Skype does not have a feature to automatically delete chat history. Therefore, when installing a new version, you may encounter the fact that all old and unnecessary data will be transferred there, without our knowledge. Therefore, first you need to have other data from it, and then delete Skype itself. How to do it? It's actually very simple, try the following:
- Sign in to Skype.
- Find the Tools tab.
- Select settings in the drop-down window.
- A new tab opens, look for the security icon.
- After clicking on it, on the left side of the window that opens, approximately in the middle, find the clear history button and click on it.
All! The program is now fully prepared for removal. You can proceed directly to permanently removing it from your computer.
Attention! The developers assure that if you do not use a registered account, it will be completely deleted from the registry within 72 hours. Therefore, if you delete your old Skype correctly, you can completely get rid of it!
Further more - delete the old Skype completely!
We continue to describe a step-by-step plan of what to do if old skype is not deleted. If you have already deleted the old correspondence, all that remains is to uninstall the software itself. This is done as follows:
- Close the program. The saving red cross will not help in this case. The software is configured to simply minimize Skype and leave it running. To exit, you will need to find the program icon on the screen. Right-click on it and in the window that appears, select the “exit Skype” button. We confirm that we really want to do this.
- Now let's take advantage of the installed operating system. In the Start panel, look for the “Control Panel” window, there we select the “Programs and Features” column. Click on it and look for Skype in the list that opens.
- Select it and click delete.
- We wait for the process to complete and restart the computer.
All old Skype can be completely removed.
Alternative ways to solve the problem
If all of the above did not help. And this happens! You can use software specifically designed to remove unnecessary programs and other system junk. One such program is Revo Uninstaller. It allows you to completely destroy all existing files. By the way, it would be useful to check the presence of old Skype folders with its help. A friend can also come to help. It also checks all files and cleans up any garbage remaining after the program runs. If this does not help, then you can go another way. Instead of the first step described above. We do the following:
- Open the start menu.
- We are looking for the address C:\Documents and settings\windows_username\Application data\Skype\.
- We delete all found folders. This should help.
All account information is ultimately stored on your computer, so after uninstalling the necessary files, the old Skype will be completely deleted.
Important! In order for the user to be able to delete the necessary folders, he must have administrator rights. You will also need to enable the show hidden files feature.
