Loading tweets...This is a silly thing to need to post about, but I just spent about 15 minutes trying to figure it out, so I’m sure others will have the same trouble.
I’ve read all about the impending merge of Skype and Microsoft Messenger. (See Skype and Messenger Coming Together: The Next Chapter)
I figured I’d get ahead of things and merge my two accounts now to get it over with. I’ve never been much of a Messenger user, so I’m not all that invested in it as an application. However, over the years I’ve collected some contacts there that I don’t want to lose.
I’ve been using Skype as a messaging application for years, though, so I’ve already got it all set up and I update it regularly.
I figured it would be easy to find out how to merge my two accounts, so I started looking around in Skype help. The best results I got were when I searched for “merge accounts”. However everything that I found was geared toward the “what happens when…” questions.
I wasn’t interested in what happens, I just wanted to do it!
If that info is in Skype’s help, then I can’t find it. If it’s there, then it’s very well hidden.
I did find a blog post out there in the InterWebz (How to Merge Skype and Windows Live Messenger Accounts into Microsoft Account by Venkat eswarlu) that explained it, though, so I’m going to give the gist of it here. It’s actually pretty easy, once you know what to do.
Here are the steps:
- Be sure to update your copy of Skype. You may not have some of the bits you need if you are running an older version. To do this, simply go to Help / Check for Updates and follow the instructions.
- Once Skype is running again, log out.
- Log in with your Microsoft Account (nee LiveID) credentials
- Once you’ve logged in, you’ll be asked if you already have a Skype account. Since you already do, click the “I have a Skype account” button.
- Next, you’ll log in with your Skype credentials.
- Finally, you”ll see the prompt to merge your accounts.
From this point forward, you should use your Microsoft Account to log into Skype.
5 comments
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Scott Feier
February 15, 2013 at 1:20 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I read the original post you referenced, I think you left out a step. After you login to skype with your Microsoft account, then it asks you if you have a Skype account, if you fill in your skype credentials, then it brings you to the merge credentials screen.
And after that, what happens to your skype account name–is it dead? Will Skype go and update everybody’s contact list with my new account name? I don’t like this–people could have my skype name in their main contact manager, but not necessarily in their Skype contact list.
Marc
February 15, 2013 at 2:50 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
You’re right, Dr. Feier. I’ve got some additional screenshots I’ll add as soon as I can get my &($&(;@ laptop to boot.
M.
Badr
February 17, 2013 at 5:46 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Marc ! You´re the best ;)
Jason Heiser (@breaker119)
February 19, 2013 at 2:35 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Yeah – pretty straight forward once you start. No the question is how do I merge a Skype contact with its Messenger equivalent?
Marc
February 19, 2013 at 2:59 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Jason:
Hmm. No good answer on that anywhere that I’ve found. On the Skype site, there’s an article called What happens to my contacts when I merge my Skype and Microsoft accounts? that says:
M.