Microsoft is finding rid of one version of Skype

If you see a edition of Skype quietly vanish from Home windows today, don’t be astonished: Microsoft’s lastly having motion to very clear Windows of some of its redundant software.

Microsoft is consolidating its Skype for Home windows 10 and its Skype for Desktop into a single app, the corporation is disclosing in a assist doc. (Thurrott.com observed this previously on Tuesday.) Although the (previously) two variations will now look a large amount alike, Microsoft is also terminating a couple of attributes for appropriate now until eventually it can create the new application further more. It will however be recognised as Skype for Windows 10.

Here’s what’s new in the Skype for Windows 10 application, thanks to the legacy Skype for Desktop: 

• Current close choices so you can give up Skype or prevent it from starting automatically 
• An improved Tray icon, informing you about new messages and existence status  
• The ability to share files directly from your File Explorer 
• Up to 9 video home windows in a video clip call 
• Track record replacement 
• The option to average chats 
• Fulfill Now improvements 
• Improved connect with controls 

Microsoft also taken out two features, which “are not nevertheless supported on this platform,” the corporation explained. (That, of system indicates that they’ll be added shortly ) The excluded functions include the capability to share a chat or call via the Share allure, as effectively as synchronization with your Outlook contacts. These are both pretty major missing parts.

Microsoft has an unfortunate practice of populating your Get started menu with a number of variations of the same program, with every thing from UWP (and Java) versions of Minecraft, to potentially the worst offender, OneNote. Here, you can find a UWP edition, a desktop model, as well as the variation bundled with Microsoft 365.