How to start a Skype chat – not a call – with a link

Question

You can put skype:username into the href attribute of a link and it works, but it begins a call, but I want to create a link to begin a chat (a text conversation). I know that skype: is a type of protocol, but don’t know how to create this link.

Solution 1

Have you tried <a href="skype:-skype-name-?chat">Start chat</a> ?

Allowed query parameters:

• chat - start a chat
• call - start a call
• add - add person to the contacts
• userinfo - view user's profile
• voicemail - leave a voice message
• sendfile - send a file

Solution 2

I have been fighting with the following link all day.

<a href="skype:-skype-name-?chat">Start chat</a>

The problem that I had was with the -skype-name- part

Finally, I just solved it.

My name on Skype web page was name but the real name was name lastname. The link in my web page did make Skype to load in my Android phone but, Skype failed to find the account to wich I wanted to call (name lastname).

I tryed, and failed:

<a href="skype:name lastname?call">...
<a href="skype:name+lastname?call">...
<a href="skype:name%20lastname?call">...
<a href="skype:name-lastname?call">...
<a href="skype:name_lastname?call">...
<a href="skype:phonenumber?call">...

Then, the solution:

<a href="skype:live:emailnamewithoutdomain?call">...

I just hope u find it usefull.

And, do not forget that u have a plenty of commands to add after the ? in the url (add,call,chat,and so on).

Solution 3

Skype official website has it nicely documented.

Basically in the ends it gives you a nice code for a button.

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.dev.skype.com/uri/skype-uri.js"></script>
<div id="SkypeButton_Chat_xxxx">
  <script type="text/javascript">
    Skype.ui({
      "name": "chat",
      "element": "SkypeButton_Chat_xxxx",
      "participants": ["xxxx"],
      "imageSize": 24
    });
  </script>
</div>

Solution 4

The solution: You just use this format,hope its working fine

 <a href="sip:-skype-name-">Chat</a>

<a href="tel:****Skype number***">Call</a>

Solution 5

Use the below code. It's simple and working in all major browsers.

<a href="im:<sip:[email protected]>"><button>Skype</button></a>

View more solutions

Comments

[HellaMad]

Is there a list of available queries i.e. chat, call, etc?

[libjup]

I am not sure if anyone of you still need it but here is my list: ?call - Make a call ?add - Add person to Skype ?chat - Start chat ?userinfo - View user profile ?voicemail - Leave a voice message ?sendfile - Send a file through Skype

[codecowboy]

Does this still work? All their developer docs have disappeared since Microsoft took over.

[Salvador Dali]

@codecowboy yes, it works, the docs are available, they just moved to another domain (yeah, they should have done a redirect).

[chim]

<a href="skype:live:skype.user.name?chat">

[OfficeYA]

Yes, the 'live:' was needed.

[Sriram]

Latest docs available in msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/dn745883.aspx

[törzsmókus]

Salvador Dali’s answer includes a link to official documentation.

[törzsmókus]

the MSDN documentation only mentioins call (also with video option) and chat

[elon]

Thanks for answer. But the question was about solution with a link. Meaning I don't want to use original Skype button.

[ArgisIsland]

The part with "sip:" worked for me, but it only works properly on Windows clients, I'm still having trouble on MacOS on different versions. On MacOS it doesn't open the chat but just Skype itself. I tried all the other mentioned options but none works. PS: The button doesn't recognize SKype being installed on both OSes. We're using Skype for business.

[Howie]

Is -skype-name- mandatory? Is there a way to share a link/text without specifying in href the skype name?

[bastianwegge]

maybe you can add a description to why this is working? Or maybe a link? Cheers!

[medic17]

since the SIP protocol is a more generic one in may conflict with another SIP app already installed on any OS including windows. It's best to use Skype's own schema skype: