Since its initial release in 2003, Skype has become a must, an indispensable program also because, until recently, it was also the only one that allowed you to make free video calls and make calls from your PC. Today that Skype is from Microsoft, even if the program is also pre-installed on new Windows PCs, it is no longer as attractive as it once was. The problem is not Microsoft which, in fact, has made Skype even better than before, but the fact that there are now better applications to do the same things and there is really no need for Skype anymore. Video calls and phone calls can be done with more immediate and more popular apps such as Facetime, Google Duo, Facebook Messenger and even Whatsapp, and you can also do them from your computer with programs such as Google Hangouts.
Skype, on the other hand, seems a bit outdated today as an operating system and although it remains excellent for VOIP calls, it is not really the most used chat program anymore and can be stopped or removed.
If you don't want to deal with Skype, there are three ways: just uninstall it, keep it installed but closed and not active in the background all the time and, if you want, cancel your account.
It is important to know that Skype can be used now even without an account, therefore, in case, you will not lose the opportunity to answer calls or video calls from friends, relatives or colleagues.
If you want to remove Skype from the automatic execution in the background you have to see how it is installed on the PC, whether as an app for Windows 10 or as a program. If you are talking about Skype on Windows 10, open the " Skype " app from the Start menu, click on the profile icon in the lower left corner and press Exit.
If, on the other hand, you want to keep the traditional Skype program closed which, if installed, starts automatically with your PC, you need to open Skype, go to Tools> Options and deselect the option that wants to start Skype when you start Windows.
Keep in mind that the desktop version of Skype remains running even if you press the close button at the top. To close Skype you must instead locate the Skype icon in the notification area next to the clock on the taskbar, press on it with the right mouse button and then click on " Exit ".
Deleting the Skype account, however, is rather problematic. The main problem is that closing Skype, if it is an account created through Microsoft, also involves closing the Microsoft account, which should not be done if you are using Outlook or a PC or a Windows phone.
The cancellation of the Skype account not connected to Microsoft can be done starting from this instruction page.
The definitive cancellation takes 60 days, if you think about it, just log in to Skype to reactivate your account.
Therefore, first of all, you have to cancel the subscription if it was done (but check first if there is still credit available for the calls).
All contacts can then be removed.
Contacts added manually are easy to remove from the app on your phone or desktop program, simply select the contact and then remove it. There doesn't seem to be a way to delete contacts all together.
To delete contacts from Facebook, you must disconnect Facebook from Skype by going to the personal account page.
Still from the account management page, you can click on edit profile to delete personal information from the profile and change the photo with another.
As for the photo, you can ask that it is not publicly visible (this can only be done from the Skype for PC program).
