No Skype Account, No Problem! Link Feature Allows Anyone To Join Video Chats
Have you ever tried to convince someone to download and install Skype? It's not always easy -- everyone has their preferred messaging and communication platform and they don't want to clutter up their PC with multiple protocols. If Skype is the one you roll with, the good news is you can now invite others to join a Skype chat simply by sharing a unique link, no installation required.
"Anyone can join the chat as a guest from their computer using Skype for Web and enjoy one to one or group instant messaging, voice and video calls. No Skype account or app download required," Microsoft explains in a blog post. "Now you can use Skype to chat with anyone and not just the people in your Skype contact list."
The new feature is being rolled out to Skype for Windows, Mac, and on the web. It's already available to Skype users in the U.S. and U.K., and over the next couple of weeks, Microsoft says it will expand the functionality to the rest of the world.
What about mobile? The ability to start and share a conversation and share a link from mobile devices will be available "soon," Microsoft says, though it didn't provide a specific time frame.
To use the feature, you'll need the latest version of Skype. You'll see a "+New" button next to "Home" and "Call." Click on it to start a new chat. When you do, Skype will generate a unique link that you can send to others via IM, email, or whatever.
"Anyone can join the chat as a guest from their computer using Skype for Web and enjoy one to one or group instant messaging, voice and video calls. No Skype account or app download required," Microsoft explains in a blog post. "Now you can use Skype to chat with anyone and not just the people in your Skype contact list."
The new feature is being rolled out to Skype for Windows, Mac, and on the web. It's already available to Skype users in the U.S. and U.K., and over the next couple of weeks, Microsoft says it will expand the functionality to the rest of the world.
What about mobile? The ability to start and share a conversation and share a link from mobile devices will be available "soon," Microsoft says, though it didn't provide a specific time frame.
To use the feature, you'll need the latest version of Skype. You'll see a "+New" button next to "Home" and "Call." Click on it to start a new chat. When you do, Skype will generate a unique link that you can send to others via IM, email, or whatever.
