How to Stop Skype From Starting Automatically

It's really easy to prevent Skype from launching when your computer starts

What to Know

  • In Windows, select the three-dot menu on the main page. Go to Settings > General.
  • For the standard program, toggle the Automatically Start Skype switch to Off.
  • For the Microsoft Store App, select Settings and toggle the Skype button to Off.

This article explains how to stop Skype from starting automatically in Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 8. The steps differ slightly depending on how you installed the program—from the Microsoft Store or through Skype.com.

Windows: How to Disable Skype's Auto-Start Setting

By default, Skype opens automatically each time your computer starts and you log in to your user account. When you disable Skype on startup, you have to manually open it the first time you want to use it after starting your computer. Once it’s open, it remains open like normal—and messages and calls can come in—until you sign out or close it down.

You can also promptly shut down the program in one step: Right-click the Skype icon from the right side of the Windows taskbar area, and choose Quit Skype to instantly shut it down.

  1. Select the three-dotted menu (it's located next to your name on the main page).

    Skype with the three-dot menu highlighted
  2. Choose Settings.

    Skype with Settings highlighted
  3. Go to General.

    General section in Skype settings
  4. For the standard program, toggle Automatically start Skype to the off position (the button will turn grey).

    Skype's General settings with the Automatically start Skype switch highlighted

    For the Microsoft Store app, select Settings from that same screen, locate Skype from the list, and toggle the bottom to the Off position.

    Windows 11 list of startup items
  5. Exit any remaining open settings screens.

To resist most problems you might need to fix with Skype, and to avoid the steps below, you can instead use Skype in your browser.

macOS: Remove Skype From the Login Items

There are a couple ways to disable autorun for Skype on a Mac. The first and easiest method is to do so from the Dock.

  1. Go to the Dock and right-click the Skype icon.

  2. Go to Options.

    Right-click menu in Mac dock with the Options section highlighted
  3. Select Open at Login to remove the checkmark.

    Options menu for the Dock on a Mac with the Open at Login option highlighted

The other way is to remove it from the list of startup items in System Preferences.

  1. Open System Preferences.

    System Preferences under a Mac's Apple Menu
  2. Select Users & Groups.

    Users & Groups in Mac System Preferences
  3. Select your username.

    Users & Groups settings on a Mac with a username highlighted
  4. Go to the Login Items tab.

    Users & Groups settings on a Mac with the Login Items heading highlighted
  5. Select Skype.

    Login Items settings on a Mac with Skype highlighted
  6. Select the minus/remove button (it's located at the bottom of the screen).

    Login Items section of Mac Preferences with the minus sign highlighted
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