Judging by the feedback from active users of the Skype program, one of the common problems they face is the inability to remove this software from their computer. All the difficulties are related to the design of the software itself. The developers were clearly interested in that. 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 to remove. We clean 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, for starters, you need other data from it, and then delete Skype itself. How to do it? It's actually very simple, just try the following:
- Sign in to Skype.
- Find the tools tab.
- In the drop-down window, select the settings.
- 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, look for the clear history button, click on it.
All! Now the program is fully prepared for removal. You can proceed directly to the permanent removal of it from the computer.
Attention! The developers assure that if you do not use the registered account, it will be completely removed from the registry within 72 hours. Therefore, if you remove the old Skype correctly, you can get rid of it completely!
Further more - delete the old skype completely!
We continue to paint a step-by-step plan of what to do if old skype won't delete. If you have already deleted the old correspondence, it remains 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 need to find the screen visa program icon. We click on it with the right mouse button and in the window that appears, select the "sign out of Skype" button. We confirm that we really want to do this.
- Now we will use the help 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 in the list that opens, look for Skype.
- Select it and click delete.
- We are waiting 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 it 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 with it the presence of old Skype folders. A friend can also help. It also checks all files and cleans up all the garbage left after the program has run. If this does not help, then you can go the other way. Instead of the first step above. We do the following:
- Open the start menu.
- We are looking for the address C:\Documents and settings\windows_username\Application data\Skype\.
- 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 option to show hidden files.
The program update brings with it not only new features, but also various bugs. Installing a fresh client can cause freezes, problems with authorization, startup, etc. Therefore, many users are interested, how to get back the old skype that was before the update and worked properly? There are several ways to roll back a utility.
Reinstalling the program
The easiest method is to remove and install the old version of the utility. However, the method has a significant drawback. The user must have the installer of the previous Skype client saved. Only the latest application can be downloaded from the official resource, outdated software is removed. Downloading the installation file from unfamiliar resources is not recommended.
To reinstall you need:
Older versions of Skype may not work correctly. Glitches appear in old utilities, 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 was successful, the user needs to erase the last backup file. After completing the procedure, you need to launch the messenger, enter personal data and log in.
Or to install its latest version, you need to remove the old one from the computer. And at this stage, some users have problems: they can't uninstall older 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 carry out a complete removal of the old version, as a rule, lies in the fact that the standard operating system tools uninstall too "carefully". At the same time, “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 uninstall any application:
- uninstallation by regular means of the operating system itself;
- removal by built-in uninstallers;
- applications from third parties.
If you cannot remove Skype using traditional methods, third-party programs and utilities can come to the rescue. For example, a 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), as well as 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 to remove unnecessary "leftovers" 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.
Most often it is required because of the need to manually update the client, if it is impossible to perform it 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.
Regular funds
The Windows system allows you to uninstall any application if there are no complications in the process. To uninstall Skype, first go to the control panel. This is done in "Start" or by pressing 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 version of the operating system. 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 title. The uninstall process is activated. Follow the prompts on the screen and wait for it to finish.
Third Party Programs
When it is not possible to remove the old version of Skype using regular means, various errors occur, then you can use third-party software.
Microsoft Fix It
Microsoft Fix It is a utility from Microsoft that not only uninstalls programs, but also eliminates possible errors associated with them. You can download it link. It does not need to be installed, as soon as the distribution is launched, use begins.
CCleaner
CCleaner is a powerful utility designed to clean up your computer. It perfectly replaces the built-in service for removing programs. You can download it from site. Choose the free version on the page. After starting the utility, go to the "Registry" section.
There, click on "Search for problems - Fix". Agree to save the backup. Now go to the "Tools" section and select the desired program to uninstall. Here is another option on how to uninstall old Skype.
Most often it is required because of the need to manually update the client, if it is impossible to perform it 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.
Regular funds
The Windows system allows you to uninstall any application if there are no complications in the process. To uninstall Skype, first go to the control panel. This is done in "Start" or by pressing 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 version of the operating system. 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 title. The uninstall process is activated. Follow the prompts on the screen and wait for it to finish.
Third Party Programs
When it is not possible to remove the old version of Skype using regular means, various errors occur, then you can use third-party software.
Microsoft Fix It
Microsoft Fix It is a utility from Microsoft that not only uninstalls programs, but also eliminates possible errors associated with them. You can download it link. It does not need to be installed, as soon as the distribution is launched, use begins.
CCleaner
CCleaner is a powerful utility designed to clean up your computer. It perfectly replaces the built-in service for removing programs. You can download it from site. Choose the free version on the page. After starting the utility, go to the "Registry" section.
There, click on "Search for problems - Fix". Agree to save the backup. Now go to the "Tools" section and select the desired program to uninstall. Here is another option on how to uninstall old Skype.
