Dear Skype, PLEASE let me log out of Skype on Windows Phone 8!

[CrackBerry Kevin]

So when Daniel Rubino called me on Skype last week to test out the new preview of Skype for Windows Phone 8, I was SUPER EXCITED. See video below.

I live and breathe Skype. Seriously, it's a tool that the Mobile Nations team relies on heavily. It's essentially our office line and group chat for several of the members of the editorial, tech and ecommerce teams. Whenever I'm at the computer I'm logged into Skype. And when I'm away from my computer, it's great to have Skype accessible on my mobile. On BlackBerry I haven't had it, but when I've gone iOS I've always enjoyed it, even if the experience was a little bit awkward at times.

So when I saw the Skype experience on Windows Phone 8, I was really excited. Integrated and beautiful.

Now I have my Lumia 920 and am running Skype, and I like it, except for one thing that makes me want to uninstall it right now.... I CAN'T LOG OUT!!!

It's absolutely insane that I can't log out. Right now I'm sitting at my computer typing this, I'm getting messages on Skype (on the computer), and my phone keeps beeping also with every inbound message. I get literally hundreds of messages a day while working at the computer with Skype logged in. I don't need them on my phone too!

Setting the phone to invisible doesn't help either, as then it updates my status on the computer to invisible too, which I can't have. Being online is my signal to everybody else that I'm in work mode.

I know there's at least one other person out there who feels this way... I found this thread int he forums regarding the Windows Surface, and it acts in the same way - http://forums.windowscentral.com/surface-windows-rt/200392-sign-out-skype.html

Anybody else with me on this? Seriously.. for me, this is a MASSIVE problem that needs to be fixed Put the power in the user's hands to decide if they want to be logged in or not. Invisible on the phone is not enough. The Skype experience is way better than the iOS one, but at least on iOS I can log out if I want to.

That is all.

 

[Genserik]

I'll test it out on my 822 and see what happens

 

[CrackBerry Kevin]

@Genserik - not sure there's anything to test.. that's just the way it works. But let me know if it drives you nuts too.

 

[Genserik]

Yea can't log out either. I'd say your best workaround is to disable toast notifications for now....hmmm

 

[Reflexx]

It sounds like it's not so much about "logging out" of Skype as it is about having Skype know when and where to send notifications. Is there a way to quickly and easily turn off Skype notifications on the phone?

 

[Dave Blake]

I called Microsoft during the development stage and explained that we need you on line 24/7 this was the only solution available. The trick was making a device you would be interested in. That took a little more planning.

 

[CrackBerry Kevin]

Lol @ Dave.

So another thing about this new Skype too.... it's not pulling in my pre-made Favorites list. I have a lot of Skype contacts, so have a Favorites list for "Mobile Nations" that has all my peeps in there. On iOS that list is still accessible.... doesn't seem like it is on the Windows Phone 8 Skype app. Looks like it wants me to remake the list within the app.

 

[ajaffarali]

I'm facing a completely opposite issue- I cannot login to Skype. I've tried my Skype ID as well as my Microsoft ID but neither works. I logged out and in from my desktop just to make sure I have the right credentials and I do but I just cannot seem to log into Skype on my Lumia 920.

 

[wprob]

@Kevin - I used skype on my WP8 device for a total of 2 hours. I couldn't find the log out option either, and it's not listed under "email+accounts" in settings. no thanks, I can do without an app that won't allow me to log out...what's more...it drained my battery like no one's business...so while I realize this is beta...I really hope they improve this experience.

 

[Reflexx]

@Kevin - I used skype on my WP8 device for a total of 2 hours. I couldn't find the log out option either, and it's not listed under "email+accounts" in settings. no thanks, I can do without an app that won't allow me to log out...what's more...it drained my battery like no one's business...so while I realize this is beta...I really hope they improve this experience.

Drained your battery? While you weren't running it?

Skype doesn't run in the background. You're online presence is maintained on a cloud server, not on your phone. It shouldn't be using any power unless you're actively using it.

 

[NickA]

It's absolutely insane that I can't log out. Right now I'm sitting at my computer typing this, I'm getting messages on Skype (on the computer), and my phone keeps beeping also with every inbound message. I get literally hundreds of messages a day while working at the computer with Skype logged in. I don't need them on my phone too!


I know there's at least one other person out there who feels this way... I found this thread int he forums regarding the Windows Surface, and it acts in the same way - http://forums.windowscentral.com/surface-windows-rt/200392-sign-out-skype.html

Anybody else with me on this? Seriously.. for me, this is a MASSIVE problem that needs to be fixed Put the power in the user's hands to decide if they want to be logged in or not. Invisible on the phone is not enough. The Skype experience is way better than the iOS one, but at least on iOS I can log out if I want to.

That is all.

I with you on this! That was my post you linked to. I'm a developer, so I'll have 3 or more computers running at a time, not too mention the Surface RT and my iPad, all logged into Skype at various times throughout the day. I had the same thought as you, setting myself to invisible. But as you found out that didn't work.

On the Surface, the way you "sing out" is by going to Settings --> Permissions -->Lock Screen. Turning that off doesn't allow the app to run in the background. I didn't install it on my 920 because I don't want to have to deal with the same issue. And on the Surface RT, you can only have 1 account. I have one for work and a personal one so that's a but irritating too. And what kind of app doesn't let you sign out.

As someone said, you can disable notifications. But it's still going to show you as online, even when you log off on everywhere else.

And this page is no help: https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA12199/can-i-sign-out-of-skype-for-windows-8 .

It actually says you can't sign out. And if you want to use another Skype account, you need to create another Windows account.

 

[zilab]

Okay first of all, its something you just need to get used to but I believe what Microsoft is doing is transforming Skype as more than an IM platform one that can replace your phone calls/sms, because it acts like a) phone and b) a sms. Hence the 'always online' approach. However if you really want to go offline in skype there are few options

1)

On Skype, I believe there's an option to disable background task, for skype? something here
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7114/7486559426_c028a833bf_z.jpg

@wprob - you are looking at the wrong settings i guess, check skype on background tasks if you don't want it update.

Guys I do hope you keep an open mind, its basically just having Skype having the ability to

2)

Disable toast notifications - not ideal because you're still consuming alot of ims if you are like Kevin

============

No on Surface, there are two kinds of account you can create in windows 8, one is "local account" and one is "microsoft account". On the local account you have to manually sign in to your microsoft account on each app that needs it. While the "microsoft account" seems to be more seamless.

Now, why does it matter? If you create a local account, Skype now has an option for you to "log out".

But if you opted for signing a microsoft account, then you can always disable background task for skype, and set yourself invisible

 

[Fat Webbie]

I have the Nokia Lumia 822 from Verizon. I use Skype Much like you...ALL the time. I uninstalled it because you cant log out which sucks! I also dont like that you cant use both camera on you phone...Often I want to use the back one because I am showing someone something and with this version you can only use the front facing one, which is great buuuut. Also Mine keeps saying I have 1 notification but it only lets me look back to the last 4 or 5 notifications now my whole history.

 

[sankutheking]

Yah, I had the same problem with Nokia Lumia 920. I didn't able to log out from skype. Then What I did, just change my skype password from my PC and it automatically signed me out from skype. I felt a relief after that. I hope it works for you too.

 

[indiecruisie]

Yeh, how DUMB is that???!!!! What kind of people design these applications? I for one was never a big fan of skype. It has some very weird senseless limitations such not being able to paste a number to it in some situations. Not allowing you to add full contact info into a profile so that I have to open a different application to find someone's address for example and even to add additional numbers it's so not clear. I always thought yahoo messenger was so much more integrated and handy and did fine calls but somehow this stupid skype got marketed more successfully and now we all have to swallow its bs since everyone else is hooked with it now. Too bad! So what can one hope for now? Salvation!!! SKYPE helloooo please get your act together, let's us sign out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JamesDax]

Skype is still in Beta.

 

[Flagz]

Skype is still in Beta.

is that an excuse for forgetting the log out button?

 

[mack247]

Not for nothing...but here are my thoughts, as a developer, a national lead for a large MSFT partner, and the CTO of a startup:

I would never...and I mean NE-VER...release an app like this to beta without a function as important as being able to let the user logoff. I would not release it to ALPHA without this.

This is, or should be, IMHO, one of the most critical pieces of functionality. Seriously, wouldn't you put login/logout in Sprint One if this was your dev effort? I am baffled.

I think something this moronic wouldn't happen if Microsoft owned Skype...oh, wait.

I thought Apple was the company that just made decisions for their users, regardless of whether they wanted it or not. Just because our mobile and tablet offerings are finally becoming relevant, we don't have to implement Apple's draconian stupidity.

This is VERY disappointing. Here I am defending all the new stuff (WP8, Win8, Surface) against all the haters, and THIS is going on in the background.

To be fair - perhaps this is just a MINOR oversight, and not an attempt to force Windows Phone 8 users into using their phones a certain way, which would be a MAJOR cultural shift and one that I would personally fight with gusto...especially with the greedy cell phone companies charging more and more for data consumption.

 

[nokialove]

@zilab

Just get used to it? That is insane. It's something that shouldn't have been an issue, and should be fixed. I think it will be. At least, I hope it will be.

 

[JamesDax]

is that an excuse for forgetting the log out button?

Why yes. Yes it is. But please do continue to cry more.