TL;DR: How to remove Skype permanently using three different methods, inc powershell method.
In a departure from our usual WP/Elementor code & sustainable website post, we’ve done something of a personal indulgence / bugbear.
In the latest Windows updates, much to my annoyance, Skype has been reinstalling itself. But what made it even worse was, I’d uninstall it and the following morning when I turned the machine back on low & behold there it would be – back reinstalled.
I even resorted to using IObit’s Uninstaller, with no success.
How to remove Skype, including methods from Microsoft
As much as Twitter has become a skip fire over the past twelve months, it still has it upsides, and getting support directly from some companies is one of them.
I reached out to Microsoft’s Skype support team and they were remarkably obliging. So here are the three methods they shared with me for permanently removing Skype and stopping it from reinstalling.
I reached out to Microsoft’s Skype support team and they were remarkably obliging. So here are the three methods they shared with me for permanently removing Skype and stopping it from reinstalling.
1. Uninstall Skype Completely:
- Open Settings by pressing Win + I.
- Go to Apps > Apps & features.
- Find Skype in the list, click on it, and select Uninstall.
2. Remove Skype from Startup:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
- Go to the Startup tab.
- Find Skype in the list, right-click on it, and select Disable.
3. Remove Skype Appx Package (for Windows 10/11):
- Open PowerShell as an administrator by pressing Win + X and selecting Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- Run the following command:
Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.SkypeApp
Followed by
Remove-AppxPackage
The people who made this post possible
Thanks for reading our handy guide to Skype removal when everything else is failing.
Big thanks to :
- Skype support on Twitter: @SkypeSupport
for their help in resolving this issue.
