You can use Skype for Mac for instant messages, calls, sharing media, groups calls and much more. You can learn about all that by following this quick Skype guide.
Note: You need to install Skype first.
Contacts
Skype calls work both locally and internationally, including all the Skype members. If you want to find your contacts, search the username or email address of the person in the search bar.
You can view your Contacts through the contact tab below your profile picture. It’s also possible to import contacts if necessary. You can view the chats and profiles of your contacts and instantly send messages whenever you like.
Chats & Notifications in Skype for Mac
If you click on Notifications you will be able to access recent conversations, favorite contacts and all the other chats. In case you miss any messages, you will see a red bubble hovering over the Notifications tab. You can also quickly access all your incoming and outgoing calls from other Skype for Mac members and contacts by clicking on the Calls tab.
If you want to communicate with someone, all you have to do is click on their profile or chat thread. Once you do that, the home screen will switch to a chat window of the given person.
You can write instant messages, share documents, media files or other attachments, recordings and your location. If you click on the More icon, you will be able to see all the features right on the message thread.
If you click on Gallery, you will see all the media files that you have previously shared with the caller. You can locate Gallery below the Caller’s username.
Click on Find to search for specific messages in the caller message history. To increase your chances of finding the message, try to remember keywords that were included in the conversation. This will help you avoid scrolling through the messages every single time.
Hover over the Call icon if you want to call without video, or choose the Video icon if you want to have a video call.
Call Screen
As you call the person, you will see the following call screen.
Video & Audio features in Skype for Mac
You can mute/unmute yourself using the Microphone button on the very bottom. You can also choose to turn your camera on/off through the Camera icon right next to the Microphone.
To avoid muting/unmuting yourself over and over because of surrounding noise, you can install a noise cancelling app called Krisp. It will remove the noise instead of you from both ends of the call without much effort. You will be able to concentrate on the call and listen to others perfectly.
[demo]
Chat features
If you want to send texts while you’re in a call, you can do so through the Chat icon, which is located in the bottom left corner of the Skype window. Once you do that, you will see the chat window pop in from the left side.
Emoji features in Skype for Mac
If you want to react to the caller with specific emotions you can use the reaction emojis in form of a heart. You can press the Heart icon on the bottom right corner of the screen and see all the possible emojis for different moods. The emojis will pop up both on your and the caller’s screen and twinkle for a while before going away.
Skype Call Settings
Call settings can be accessed through the + icon right next to the Heart emoji. Settings will enable you to enter/exit full screen, change audio/video settings, share screen or take a snapshot.
You can also follow the speech easier by turning the subtitles on/off, or recording the call to come back to it later.
Inviting others to call
To switch to a group call directly from your ongoing call with the other person, click on the Participants icon next to your profile picture on the very top.
Once you do so, a new popup will appear over the call window where you can choose which participants you would like to invite. As you choose them, click Add and they will be invited to the ongoing call.
These are all the important features you need to know and we hope this guide will help you have better calls in Skype. Good luck!
