Should I remove Skype?
What percent of users and experts removed it?
5% remove it95% keep it
What do people think about it?
(click star to rate)
How common is it?
Global Rank #8,737
United States Rank #7,728
Reach 0.0444%
Lifespan of installation (until removal)
< 17.22 days
507.99 days >
Average installed length: 266.91 days
Versions
| Version | Distribution |
| 5.6.110 |
92.69% |
|
| 5.6.105 |
5.71% |
|
| 5.6.101 |
0.11% |
|
| 5.6.0.105 |
1.49% |
|
Other programs by Skype Technologies
Rankings
- #8,732 CCFinder by Abelssoft GmbH
- #8,733 Quick Startup 2.9.0.823 by Glarysoft Ltd
- #8,734 USB Safely Remove 5.1
- #8,735 Orcs Must Die! by Robot Entertainment
- #8,736 Sublime Text Build 3047
- #8,737 Skype 5.6
- #8,738 Reflector by Squirrels
- #8,739 ABBYY FineReader for ScanSnap 5.0
- #8,740 DoNotSpy10 by pXc-coding.com
- #8,741 Juniper Networks Network Connect 7.0.0
- #8,742 Shank 2 by Klei Entertainment
Skype 5.6
What is Skype?
Skype is a proprietary Voice over IP service and software application. The service allows users to communicate with peers by voice using a microphone, video by using a webcam, and instant messaging over the Internet. Phone calls may be placed to recipients on the traditional telephone networks. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free of charge, while calls to landline telephones and mobile phones are charged via a debit-based user account system. Unlike most other VoIP services, Skype is a hybrid peer-to-peer and client–server system. It makes use of background processing on computers running Skype software. Skype's original proposed name (Sky Peer-to-Peer) reflects this fact. Skype is claimed to be a secure communication; encryption cannot be disabled, and is invisible to the user.
About (from Skype Technologies)
You can make Skype calls to people who have emailed you and even call phones and mobile around the world with pretty cheap rates. Why just talk when you can see each other face-to-face? Video call your family in Australia, your friends in Spain or your colleagues in Japan, for free. It’s the next best thing to being th... Read more
Overview
- Automatically starts with Windows
- Integrates into the web browser
- Installs a Windows Service
Program details
URL: www.skype.com
Help link: ui.skype.com/ui/0/5.6.0.110/en/help
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\Skype\
Uninstaller: MsiExec.exe /X{AA59DDE4-B672-4621-A016-4C248204957A}
(The Windows Installer is used for the installation, maintenance, and removal.)
Estimated size: 16.94 MB
Language: English (United States)
Files installed by Skype 5.6
| Program executable: | skype.exe |
| Path: | C:\Program Files\skype\phone\skype.exe |
| MD5: | 3249cb7b601b17bda4c479e0de680ea8 |
Additional files:
-
SkypeBrowserOptions.dll - Skype Toolbars (Skype plug-in settings dialog)
-
skypeieplugin.dll - Skype Click to Call for Internet Explorer
-
SkypeIEPluginBroker.exe - Skype broker for IE add-on
-
SkypePnr.dll - Skype Phone Number Recognizer
-
Updater.dll - Skype (Skype Updater Library)
-
Updater.exe - Skype Updater Service
Behaviors exhibited
Internet Explorer BHO
- skypeieplugin.dll is installed in Internet Explorer as a BHO (Browser Helper Object) under the name 'Skype Browser Helper' with the class of {AE805869-2E5C-4ED4-8F7B-F1F7851A4497} (SkypeIEPluginBHO).
Internet Explorer Extension
- skypeieplugin.dll is installed as an Internet Explorer extension as 'Skype Browser Helper' with a class of {898EA8C8-E7FF-479B-8935-AEC46303B9E5}.
Scheduled Task
- Skype.exe is scheduled as a task with the class '{0FA2C0BB-4356-4F90-8DDD-9141D50BC9F5}' (runs on registration).
Service
- Updater.exe runs as a service named 'SkypeUpdate' (SkypeUpdate) "Enables the detection, download and installation of updates for Skype.".
Startup File (User Run)
- Skype.exe is loaded in the current user (HKCU) registry as an auto-starting executable named 'Skype' and executes as "C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /nosplash /minimized.
Windows Firewall Allowed Program
- Skype.exe is added as a firewall exception for 'C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe'.
Resource utilization averages
Show technical details
| Skype.exe |
| Memory: | 101.53 MB | |
| Total CPU: | 0.0139741998% | |
| Kernel CPU: | 0.00620400% | |
| User CPU: | 0.00777020% | |
| CPU cycles/sec: | 26,938,913 | |
| Switches/sec: | 148 | |
| I/O reads/min: | 10.79 KB | |
| I/O writes/min: | 24.52 KB | |
How do I remove Skype?
You can uninstall Skype from your computer by using the Add/Remove Program feature in the Window's Control Panel.
- On the Start menu (for Windows 8, right-click the screen's bottom-left corner), click Control Panel, and then, under Programs, do one of the following:
- Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall a Program.
- Windows XP: Click Add or Remove Programs.
- When you find the program Skype™ 5.6, click it, and then do one of the following:
- Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall.
- Windows XP: Click the Remove or Change/Remove tab (to the right of the program).
- Follow the prompts. A progress bar shows you how long it will take to remove Skype.
How do I reset my web browser?
If your web browser homepage and search settings have been modfied by Skype 5.6 you can restore them to their previous default settings.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Open Internet Explorer and click the Tools button, and then click Internet options.
- Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset. Select the Delete personal settings check box if you would also like to remove search providers, Accelerators and home pages. When Internet Explorer finishes applying default settings, click Close, and then click OK.
- The changes will take effect the next time you open IE.
Mozilla Firefox
- At the top of the Firefox window, click the Firefox button, go over to the Help sub-menu and select Troubleshooting Information.
- To continue, click Reset Firefox in the confirmation window that opens. It will close and be reset.
- When it's done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click Finish and Firefox will open.
Google Chrome
- Open Chrome and click the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar.
- Select Settings. In the "Search" section, click Manage search engine. Check if (Default) is displayed next to your preferred search engine. If not, mouse over it and click Make default. Mouse over any other suspicious search engine entries that are not familiar and click X to remove them.
- When the "Show Home button" checkbox is selected, a web address appears below it. If you want the Homepage button to open up a different webpage, click Change to enter a link.
- Restart Google Chrome.
WHEN IT STARTS
Auto-starting? Yes
(Found in the run registry)
|
|
USER ACTIONS
 |
Uninstall it 5%
Keep it 95%
|
|
|
GLOBAL RANK
 #8,737
|
Windows
Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
| Windows 7 |
85.58% |
|
| Windows 10 |
8.35% |
|
| Windows XP |
5.15% |
|
| Windows Vista |
0.92% |
|
Which OS releases does it run on? |
| Windows 7 Home Premium |
45.99% |
|
| Windows 7 Professional |
19.84% |
|
| Windows 7 Ultimate |
15.02% |
|
| Microsoft Windows XP |
5.16% |
|
| Windows 7 Home Basic |
3.44% |
|
| Windows 10 Home |
3.44% |
|
Geography
50.23% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
| United States |
50.23% |
| Germany |
4.03% |
| France |
3.75% |
| Italy |
2.20% |
| India |
2.10% |
| Canada |
2.10% |
| Australia |
2.01% |
| United Kingdom |
1.92% |
| Peru |
1.83% |
| Sweden |
1.65% |
| DZ |
1.56% |
| Russia |
1.28% |
| Iran |
1.19% |
| Egypt |
1.19% |
PC manufacturers
What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
| Hewlett-Packard |
81.59% |
|
| Acer |
6.45% |
|
| Dell |
4.30% |
|
| GIGABYTE |
1.75% |
|
| ASUS |
1.75% |
|
| Toshiba |
1.48% |
|
| Sahara |
0.67% |
|
| Intel |
0.67% |
|
| Lenovo |
0.54% |
|
| American Megatrends |
0.40% |
|
| Samsung |
0.40% |
|
Common models |
| HP Pavilion g6 Notebook P... |
12.86% |
|
| HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook ... |
10.32% |
|
| HP Pavilion g7 Notebook P... |
7.46% |
|
| HP ProBook 4540s |
6.98% |
|
| HP Pavilion dv7 Notebook ... |
5.24% |
|
| HP Pavilion m6 Notebook P... |
5.24% |
|
About Skype Technologies
Skype (now a Microsoft company) developes and operates the VoIP software and service Skype which was released as a simple computer-to-computer, or computer-to-telephone program.
Publisher URL: www.skype.com