Recovering your Skype account password. How to restore your Skype by phone number

The need to restore Skype appears in many cases: accidental deletion of the program, loss of registration data, moving to a new computer, updating Windows, and so on. The task itself is easy, but with some nuances.

Program recovery

To restore Skype you will need a PC with Internet access. First you need to download the program distribution from the official website Skype.com. And here the first nuance arises. Owners of computers running Windows 8 and older will be offered to download an alternative client. Its feature is close integration with the operating system.

But many users will not like this Skype, so it is better to choose the classic version. The download link is located on the download page, but towards the end.

At the same time, you don’t need to worry about how to restore Skype for free. There is no need to pay for access to the download; this also applies to using the application.

Installing Skype is similar to installing other programs. Just follow the instructions, the procedure will take very little time. After this, the program shortcut will appear on the desktop. During the installation process, an error may appear stating that the latest version of the messenger is already installed. This means that Skype has not been removed from the computer. In this case, you will have to uninstall it or restore access to it.

Restoring access to your account

When you are finished installing the program, you can proceed to restoring access. To log into Skype you need a username and password. What to do if data is lost?

First, open the messenger. At the bottom of the login form there is a button “Can’t log in?”, click on it. You will be redirected to the data recovery page. If you remember your login, enter it, then select an account. The next page will ask you to enter your password. Here, click on “Forgot your password?”

Recently, many Skype users began to experience problems associated with glitches in the program. This is due to the fact that Skype has changed ownership and is now owned by Microsoft. Read below about how to fix the problems and restore normal operation of Skype.

Skype doesn't work. How to fix Skype yourself?

First, let's try to update to the latest versions. If this doesn't help, read the instructions below.

For Windows operating system:

If you do not have the latest version of the program, then uninstall Skype and install . The problem can be solved. If it doesn't help, move on...
Disable Skype completely, i.e. If the icon is still active in the tray, then you need to right-click on it and then select “exit”.
Open Windows Explorer, and copy this into the explorer's address bar: "%AppData%\Skype" without quotes, and press Enter. A folder with your Skype profile will open. For your reference, here are the full addresses where Skype logs and profile data are stored:
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[Windows User Login]\Application Data\Skype\[Skype Login]
Windows 7: C:\Documents and Settings\[Windows User Login]\AppData\Roaming\Skype\[Skype Login]
Make all files visible in Explorer; to do this, select “Folder Options” (for XP) or “Folder Options” (for Windows 7) from the Tools menu and on the View tab, check the box next to “Show hidden files, folders and drives.”
Find the shared.xml file in the open folder and delete it. After that, launch Skype again.
If deleting the shared.xml file did not help, then:
Uninstall Skype.
Remove ALL contents of the previously opened folder "%AppData%\Skype", having previously copied (!) all files in another folder (this is necessary in order not to lose your message history, and to be able to log into Skype if you forget your password).
Install Skype again.
Now you need to enter your username and password and log into Skype. If you do not remember your login or password, restore the previously copied files to the same folder. Then, if the automatic authorization option was previously enabled when launching Skype, the program will also automatically log into your account, but you still will not recognize the password.
You will not have a message history, and you will not be able to return it back to Skype, but if there is valuable data there, then the old history can be viewed using the utility

What to do if the above method did not help?

1. First of all, carefully review all the points above, and if you missed something, do it again.
2. Download and install the program, and do the following:

Launch the program and find the Skype icon. Select it and click “Delete” at the top.
Select the "Advanced" mode (the most recent one), and click Next.
The program will remove Skype, after which it will search for the data remaining after Skype in the system registry, and you will have to select the data to delete. Here you need to be careful, highlight three points as shown in the figure:

Open the "%AppData%\Skype" folder again as indicated in step 3 above and delete all files from it (after making a copy of all files in another folder).
After the data in the registry, Revo Uninstaller will find the remaining data on the hard drive. But here you don’t have to delete anything. We have already deleted everything we needed directly from the folder. Skip this step.
Install Skype again. And restore previously copied files (if necessary) as indicated in point 6 above.

3. If all of the above did not help, then you can try installing . You can try installing Skype in a different directory. For example, if it was on drive C, then you can try to put it on D.

4. Set Skype to compatibility mode with your operating system. In order to do this, you need to right-click on the shortcut, then select “Properties” from the pop-up menu, where you need to open the “Compatibility” tab, and check the box “Run the program in compatibility mode for...” and set your OS.

For Mac OS X operating system:

1. Close Skype completely.
2. Open the following folder: ~/Library/Application Support/Skype/
where the ~ symbol means your home folder, open Finder and click Go -> Home or, for example, Command (apple) + Shift + H if you don’t know how to find it.
3. Find and delete the shared.xml file

For Linux operating system:

From the console we delete the shared.xml file with the following command:
rm ~/.Skype/shared.xml
In the Linux OS interface we do the following:
1. Close Skype.
2. Open the folder ~/.Skype/ (to display hidden folders, press Ctrl+H in Explorer)
3. Find and delete the shared.xml file
4. Then launch Skype

P.S. After you launch Skype, the shared.xml file should appear again.

Errors associated with Skype have different origins. Often the cause of problems is the human factor, which is directly related to the user’s inattention. In addition to human errors, there are also technical glitches that may be impossible to resolve without the help of Skype technical support.

Human factor

There is an interesting statistic that states that in 75 percent of cases where programs malfunction, the users themselves are to blame. There is no need to argue with these data, since the list of problems with Skype that arose due to human error is quite extensive:

A Skype user accidentally forgot his login and password, making access to his account impossible. Restoring the profile in this case is quite simple;
The PC owner has forgotten all the account data;
Skype suddenly stopped working;
The program does not load when you click on the shortcut;
Absolutely all contacts and correspondence were lost.

Above are the most common problems with the application. It is possible that there may be more reasons for Skype not working correctly. Let's start solving each problem in order.

Lost login or password

The most “harmless” problem that could happen to the user. Recovering your Skype password or login is quite simple:

We launch the application from the desktop. In the login menu that appears, select the message that we cannot log into Skype, which in new versions is located at the bottom left corner of the screen:

The account owner is automatically redirected to a new browser window, where he is asked to enter the email (you can also use a mobile phone number or login) for which the account is registered:

After a few minutes, an email will be sent to the specified email with a link to restore your account and a verification code, which is entered in the specified line;
After this, the user sets a new Skype password.

Now regarding Skype account recovery if the user has forgotten his email, login or phone number. In this case, there is only one option - support:

In the feedback form, you must fill out a letter to the support service, which should indicate information that can identify you as the owner of the profile:

Password (if the user has not forgotten it);
The number listed in your Skype profile;
Payment details;
Data from the questionnaire, if it is completely filled out.

You should not expect an immediate response from the support service, as they need time to consider the request and compare data. A response to a decision to restore your account usually arrives within 6 hours.

Unexpected Skype crashes

If an error occurs unexpectedly when working with Skype, there are two main reasons for this:

Network failure. Obviously, Skype will not work without the Internet, so first check your network connection;
Malicious programs. Many viruses like to register on Skype. The antivirus, having figured this out, adds the application files to quarantine, which is why the launch is blocked.

In the latter case, it is not recommended to add Skype to exceptions. Of course, there is a chance that the antivirus made a mistake, but if the application is actually infected with a virus, then all the user’s personal data is at risk. It is better to completely remove the service and download a new one from the official website.

Recovering deleted messages

Losing messages becomes a nightmare for any user, because they can contain important information. The SkypeLogView program will help you return conversations and messages for free.

Comment. Download the program only from the official website, otherwise there is a risk of downloading virus-infected files.

The essence of the utility is as follows: after the first launch of Skype, a profile folder is created on the user’s computer, which stores the history of all the owner’s actions. The data is encrypted, but SkypeLogView allows full access to it.

Usage algorithm:

Download the utility for free from the developer’s official website and unpack the archive to any location;
Close all Skype processes and launch the program from the desktop;
In SkypeLogView, go to the “File” tab and then “Select a tab with logs”;
After that, specify the path to the Skype profile on the PC:

The program will be able to recover only those messages that are stored in this folder. That is, reinstalling the OS or deleting a partition will make it impossible to return the correspondence.

Technical errors

It often happens that the username and password are known, but Skype does not start due to an incomprehensible glitch. There are many technical errors, but most of them do not reach the user, since they are solved at the moment they occur.

There are several ways to restore Skype on your computer. Choosing the appropriate guide depends on the source of the problem. Problems caused by user inattention can be resolved independently within 5 minutes. Technical failures take longer to resolve, and not always without the help of specialists.

Support workers shared the most common breakdowns:

authorization is impossible due to lost password;
all login information has been forgotten and you cannot access your account;
contacts disappeared along with message history;
the program has stopped working and does not respond to launching the shortcut.

About 75% of calls are related to the human factor. The remaining 25% are program failures, computer malfunction and force majeure. The statistics are attractive for those who are trying to regain account access, since restoring Skype on a laptop after minor failures is much easier.

You can regain access to your account in a few minutes. Simple instructions will help.

Open the application on your computer or the corresponding page on the official website to initiate a password reset. The login form interface is almost identical, so the recovery guide was suitable in both cases.
Clicking on the “Forgot my password” link will open a page with several guiding questions. A survey is needed to accurately identify the problem.
Enter your account information. In the appropriate field, enter the username for which the password has been lost.
Verify your identity. To reset your password, you must enter your security code. The combination is sent automatically to the linked email or mobile phone number.

The reset is complete, now set a new password for your account. Check your inbox and you should receive confirmation that access has been restored. After you have succeeded in restoring your old Skype, you can log in without any problems. If the instructions above did not help, check out other ways to solve the problem.

Login not recognized - what to do?

An attempt to log into your account is accompanied by an error about a non-existent login. To solve the problem, follow the simple instructions on how to restore missing Skype on your computer.

Go to the appropriate troubleshooting page using your browser.
Enter the email address or mobile phone number attached to your account. note, that the number should not contain spaces, hyphens or other characters other than numbers.
The next screen will show accounts whose personal information was matched by phone or email.

All you have to do is select your account and click the “Login” button.

Technical problems launching the program

Most problems can be resolved by reinstalling Skype. If the error “Cannot establish a connection” appears when logging into Skype, follow these instructions. If you or another user accidentally deleted Skype, the following guide will tell you how to restore the program.

Open the download page and get the latest version of the program.
By default, the lightweight installer downloads is about 1.6 MB in size. As an alternative, a full version of the installer is available.
Run the executable file and follow the instructions to complete the installation of the program.

After the process is completed, enter your account login information. Almost all information is stored on Microsoft servers, which means you don’t need to think about how to restore contacts on Skype - they will appear immediately after synchronization.

What precautions to take to keep your data safe?

The only way to prevent the loss of message history or account contacts is to create a backup copy. In addition, the function is provided by the developers.

Among the program tabs, find the “Contacts” menu.
In the drop-down window, select “Advanced”.
Among other things, the option “Back up your contact list” should appear.
Follow the further instructions of the program.

A timely exported contact list will eliminate problems with lost data. But the question remains, how to recover deleted Skype along with the full message history?

Retrieving deleted Skype conversations

The official program does not have such functionality. You will have to turn to third-party software for help. SkyepeLogView app is great for recovering lost message history and is completely free.

Close Skype and related processes. You can use the Windows Task Manager.
In SkypeLogView, select the “File” menu and find “Select logs tab.”
Specify the path to your personal profile and restore selected messages.

When an application is first launched on a computer, a named directory is created in the directory C:\User\\AppData\Roaming\Skype. The message history is stored here in encrypted form. By the way, the same program allows you to make a backup copy of dialogs, contacts and other account data.

Murphy's Law states:“Everything that works is sure to break at the most inopportune moment.” Unfortunately, none of the users are immune from the unpleasant situation when the irreplaceable and completely free Skype stops working just when you need to conduct urgent negotiations (on which your very existence depends), and the balance on your cell phone is zero and you are on the financial edge abyss.

There is no time to figure out who is to blame, please tell me what to do?

How to restore Skype, because you urgently need communication? The question is quite broad and first you need to identify the problems, then understand the reasons and only then solve the issue with step-by-step instructions.

Human factor

Electronics manufacturers and software developers unanimously claim that 99% of problems with computers, the Internet and programs are to blame for the users themselves. They say this so as not to respond to complaints and not to pay for the repair of unusable equipment and programs written in Indian code.

The user has forgotten his login or password and cannot log into his Skype account. This is the smallest problem.
The user has forgotten all the data that was used when registering on Skype. Has he forgotten himself?
Skype for some reason stopped working. First, check if there is an Internet connection. Maybe you just forgot to top up your balance on time?
Skype won't launch at all. You click on the icon on the desktop, something starts to spin there, but nothing happens. There is a problem with the application itself or the operating system.
Contacts and history of negotiations have disappeared. Unauthorized or erroneous changes to Skype settings. The program crashed.

As you can see, there can be many reasons for Skype not working correctly.

How to recover a forgotten or lost account password? If you remember the email address you used when registering, then everything is simple.

After starting the program, click “I can’t log into Skype”, or go to the link:

Click on the Recover password link and enter your email.

You will be sent an email with a link to restore access.

Follow the link and create a new password. Now you can log into Skype with your old username and new password.

How to recover your Skype account if you forgot your login address? In this case, you will have to enter into correspondence with Skype customer support. Using the feedback form, write a letter to the support service. Provide personal information that will help identify you as a Skype user. This could be a cell phone number or payment information if you have used any paid Skype services. For example, they called via Skype to the numbers of subscribers of mobile telecom operators.

How to restore the disappeared history of negotiations? For this difficult case, there is a special program - SkypeLogView - a Skype log viewer. Download the program from the Internet and it will help you find the communication logs of your Skype profile somewhere in the jungle of Windows system files.

What to do if Skype doesn't turn on? Technical problems

How to restore Skype what if the program doesn't want to work at all?

First, try updating Skype to the latest version. To do this, visit the official website of the program and download the installer from there.
If after this Skype does not want to turn on - you need to try to clean the system. Perhaps some Skype files are damaged and they are interfering with the normal operation of the application. Your computer is probably infected with a virus. First, scan your system with an antivirus. Restart your computer and try turning on Skype. Does not work? Continue to the next point.
Try completely uninstalling your old Skype and removing all residual data from the system and registry. To do this, you will need a special uninstaller program. IoBit Uninstaller removes unnecessary programs well. Download this free program from the official website. After that, start the removal process. Then use the Power Scan feature to completely clean your computer of all Skype remnants.
Now reinstall Skype.
If it still doesn’t work, you have problems with the operating system. First, try using the system function Restore the system to an earlier state.
If it doesn't work again, it's time to update the operating system.

How to restore Skype on a mobile device

Skype recovery on a smartphone or tablet basically follows the same rules as on a desktop computer. Only instead of rearranging the operating system, a factory reset is used.

The advantage is that after restoring the system, the mobile device will automatically start downloading from the Internet and reinstalling all the applications that you had before the reset operation. Provided that the checkbox next to automatic backup is checked in the settings of your device.