When you click the Skype tile on the Windows 8.1 start screen the “modern” Skype application opens. It forces you to abandon your Skype user name and password and use a Microsoft account to log in.
There is a way to use the regular Skype desktop application on Windows 8.1
- Open the web browser and navigate to http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-full
This link will download the latest full desktop Skype application - Save the appication
- When the download completed select Run to install the Skype desktop application
- Log in with your regular Skype account name an password
To add the full Skype desktop application to the Windows 8.1 start screen
- Click the down arrow at the lower left corner of the Start screen
The page will display all of your installed applications in alphabetical order - Scroll to the right to see the Skype for Desktop icon in the Skype section
- Right click the Skype for Desktop icon
- At the bottom of the page select Pin to Start
- Move the Skype for Desktop application icon the desired location on your Start screen
To remove the “modern” Skype application icon from the Start screen
- Right click the “modern” Skype application icon on the Start screen
- At the bottom of the screen select Unpin from Start
To place the Windows 8.1 “modern” Skype icon back to the Start screen
- Type Skype into the search field
- Right click the Skype icon
- Select Pin to Start
