Skype is the most popular app for free audio and video calls via the internet. Despite this, not every Skype user knows that it supports numerous command line arguments which can improve your usage of Skype. Let's see which command line switches Skype has.
If you installed Skype to the default location, the full command line should be as follows for a 32-bit version of Windows:
"C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /some_switch
In case you are running a 64-bit version of Windows, the Skype desktop app will be installed to the Program Files (x86) folder, so you need to run it as follows:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /some_switch
The following table lists the arguments that Skype supports:
| Switch | Description |
|---|---|
| /removable | Runs Skype from removable media in portable mode. This special switch prevents Skype from writing data to the Registry and user profile folders. It is a good idea to combine this switch with the /datapath argument. |
| /datapath:somedir | Specifies the directory with the user profile data. |
| /username:your_user_name | Allows you to login with a specific user name from the command line. It's better to use this with /password for autologin purposes. |
| /password:your_password | Specifies the password for the /username login switch |
| /nosplash | Does not show the splash screen when Skype starts. |
| /minimized | Starts Skype minimized to the system tray. |
| /callto:name (or phone number) | Calls the specified Skype user name or phone number. |
| /shutdown | Closes the running Skype instance. |
| /secondary | Allows you to start an additional Skype.exe instance. |
Here are a few use cases:
Run a second instance of Skype
"C:\Program Files(x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /secondary
Close Skype
"C:\Program Files(x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /shutdown
Start Skype and login with a specific user name(john.silver) and password(passw0rd1)
"C:\Program Files(x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /username:john.silver /password:passw0rd1
Run Skype from a USB flash drive
Skype.exe /datapath:"Data" /removable /secondary
That's it. Please let me know if I missed any parameters.
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Hi you may be aware of an irritating bug in the current Skype.
http://community.skype.com/t5/Mac/Status-keeps-changing-to-online-even-when-I-set-another-status/td-p/3817302/page/5
Is there a switch to set visibility status ?
If you find one please let us know !
Thanks
Peter
/callto:nameornumber only does regular call, is there another command does calls with video?
Start Skype and login with a specific user name and password
is not working. is open skype and show only username waiting from user to click next and enter manually the password.
Other solution?