Skype today announced the release of a preview version of its next-generation desktop software, which is designed to emulate the redesigned mobile experience that it released in June.

The new version of Skype shares design elements with the mobile version, but it has been created for the desktop's larger screen. Microsoft calls it the "most expressive Skype ever" with livelier group chats, real-time screen and photo sharing, and more.

skypepreview1
Skype's redesign features a new notification panel that displays mentions and message reactions, allowing users to better keep up with conversations.

There's a new chat media gallery for keeping track of photos and documents shared in a chat, and group calls feature in-call reactions with emoji that can be shared.

skypepreview2
Skype Preview is available immediately for Mac users via the Skype Insider website.

Tag: Skype

Top Rated Comments

Appleaker Avatar
109 months ago
What a stupid decision, or a good decision if they want their users to leave the platform.

This is an interface that is widely hated, especially by their current users. This abandons their current users in a pathetic attempt to regain popularity and attract new users.

If this goes ahead as it is today, there should be another version of Skype for more professional use, or just people who don’t want the aspects of the “most expressive Skype yet”
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mrzz Avatar
109 months ago
It's getting worse and worse. Literally bunch of idi*ts work on this SW. I am not planning upgrade to this crap. Sorry for such words, but..
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fokmik Avatar
109 months ago
i hate the mobile skype app...i no longer have a list with "online users"
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
luvbug Avatar
109 months ago
There are folks still actually using Skype? I'm shocked!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UL2RA Avatar
109 months ago
i hate the mobile skype app...i no longer have a list with "online users"
It's absolutely dreadful. I have no idea what they were thinking.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BeSweeet Avatar
109 months ago
It's so bad. It's just as inefficient of a UI on a bigger screen as on a smaller one. Too much wasted space. Nobody asked for something like that.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

top stories 2025 12 20

Top Stories: iOS 26.3 Beta, Major Apple Leaks, and More

Saturday December 20, 2025 6:00 am PST by
You'd think things would be slowing down heading into the holidays, but this week saw a whirlwind of Apple leaks and rumors while Apple started its next cycle of betas following last week's release of iOS 26.2 and related updates. This week also saw the release of a new Apple Music integration with ChatGPT, so read on below for all the details on this week's biggest stories! Top Stories i...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Features Leaked in New Report, Including Under-Screen Face ID

Tuesday December 16, 2025 8:44 am PST by
Next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with under-screen Face ID, and the front camera will be moved to the top-left corner of the screen, according to a new report from The Information's Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu. As a result of these changes, the report said the iPhone 18 Pro models will not have a pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout at the top of the screen....
ios 18 security update

Don't Want to Upgrade to iOS 26? Here's How to Stay on iOS 18 [Update: Now Unavailable]

Friday December 19, 2025 10:37 am PST by
Since the beginning of December, Apple has been pushing iPhone users who opted to stay on iOS 18 to install iOS 26 instead. Apple started by making the iOS 18 upgrades less visible, and has now transitioned to making new iOS 18 updates unavailable on any device capable of running iOS 26. If you have an iPhone 11 or later, Apple is no longer offering new versions of iOS 18, even though there...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
apple beta 26 lineup

Apple's 2026 and 2027 Product Roadmap: Foldable iPhone, iPhone 18 Pro, M5 Macs, and More

Tuesday December 16, 2025 4:42 pm PST by
There has been a whirlwind of rumors over the last few days, sourced from leaked internal software designed for the iPhone and the Mac, and news sites like The Information. Below, we have a quick recap of everything we've heard this week, which serves as a guide to Apple's product plans in 2026 and beyond. We've organized the info by likely release date, though there are some products that...
apple beta 26 lineup

Apple Leak Confirms Work on Foldable iPhone, AirTag 2, and Dozens More Devices

Monday December 15, 2025 2:05 pm PST by
Last week, details about unreleased Apple devices and future iOS features were shared by Macworld. This week, we learned where the information came from, plus we have more findings from the leak. As it turns out, an Apple prototype device running an early build of iOS 26 was sold, and the person who bought it shared the software. The OS has a version number of 23A5234w, and the first...