Skype has just integrated a solution to create or join video meetings on the fly with or without registration. Here is how to use it.
With the confinement imposed on all by the Covid-19, downloads of messaging applications to initiate video calls have exploded. And if in the mid-2000s, Skype was the benchmark in terms of videoconferencing solution, the application bought by Microsoft in 2011 has lost its splendor and has been overtaken by new, more aggressive players offering an interface and more modern features that have won over the general public.
To return to the front of the stage, the application has multiplied the updates bringing new features such as the ability to blur the background during a video call, or to translate on the fly the conversations held in other languages. But in an attempt to counter Zoom, whose use has exploded in recent weeks, Skype has launched Meet Now, a feature to launch a video meeting on the fly, accessible both from the application and from a web browser, and which does not require any registration. Here is how to use it.
Also read: How to make your video calls with Jitsi Meet?
Meet Now meetings can be started in several ways: from the desktop software, the mobile application or Skype web if you already have a Skype account and you are logged in, or simply from the Meet Now page if you do not have an account. .
Likewise, Meet Now meetings can be joined by all users, both those who already have a Skype account and those who do not.
1. Start a meeting from Skype Desktop or Skype Web
If you already have a Skype account, you can directly use the dedicated application on your computer or the Skype web interface. Once logged in, in the sidebar, within the Conversations or Calls tab, click the Meeting button.
In the window that opens, check that your PC’s camera and microphone are activated, and click on the link to copy it and send it to the people who need to participate in your meeting.
You can also click Share Invitation to invite a Skype contact directly, or to share the invitation via email.
Once the link has been shared with all participants, click Start Call to join your video meeting.
- Go to Skype Web
- Download Skype for Windows (Free)
- Download Skype for macOS (Free)
- Download Skype for Linux (Free)
2. Start a meeting from the mobile app
It is entirely possible to launch a Skype Meet Now meeting from the mobile app on Android or iOS.
To do this, open the application and go to the Calls tab. Next, tap on the camera icon in the top right and then on the Continue button.
Tap the Share Invitation button to copy the meeting URL that you send to your loved ones or share it directly with them via email, text message, etc. and tap Start Call to join your meeting while waiting for the other participants to arrive.
- Download Skype for Android (Free)
- Download Skype for iPhone / iPad (Free)
3. Start a meeting from Skype Meet Now online
The main advantage of Skype Meet Now is that it can work without having a Skype account. You can either create a meeting or join a meeting without signing in to a Skype account.
To take advantage of it, you must first go to the page dedicated to Meet Now from your usual web browser.
- Go to Skype Meet Now (Free)
Then click on Create a free meeting and wait for the service to generate a meeting link.
Then copy the displayed URL to share it with the other participants, or go directly to the Share invitation button to send an invitation by email and click on Start call to join your meeting.
Your browser should display an alert that the site is trying to open the Skype application, click Cancel. Instead, click the Join as guest button, choose a name for yourself, and click Join to start the meeting in your browser.
You should then arrive on a classic chat window. You will need to click on the Start Call button, then authorize your browser to use your computer’s webcam and microphone to access the video meeting.
The video meeting window should finally open. Wait a few moments for all the collaborators to join you. They will appear listed at the top right of the interface and will appear on the screen in turn each time they speak.
In its web version, without registration, Meet Now is perfectly functional but remains more restricted than when it is used with a Skype account from the mobile or desktop application.