Skype can’t connect issue (8 Solutions)

Skype has definitely made our lives easier. We can use it to connect with our family and friends, as well as with our clients. However, like any other software, Skype can be prone to errors from time to time.

A common error that many Skype users have reported receiving is, “Skype can’t connect.”

It doesn’t take much to get rid of this error, and we’ll show you all the solutions below.

Solution 1 – Check Skype Heartbeat

This is the first thing you should do. There’s a good chance that the problem is not at your end, but at Skype’s. Check the status of Skype by:

Open Skype and then click Help. Now click Heartbeat
In the newly-opened webpage, you can detect the system status of this app. In case anything is amiss, you’ll see a message on this page
If there’s a message regarding some issue with the connection, the only thing you can do is wait for technicians to fix it at their end

Solution 2 – Scan the PC for Malware

Another possible cause could be malware infection. Precisely for this reason, before attempting other solutions it’s important you rule out this possibility. We recommend running a full virus scan using either Windows Defender, the default protection software in Windows 10, or any other anti-malware software of your choice.

Solution 3 – Update Skype

An outdated version of Skype can lead to all kinds of problems, including this error. Here’s how you can keep Skype up-to-date.

Visit the official website of Skype and download the latest Skype version. (It is important that you download the app only from its official website, and not any other site.)

Next, launch the Skype installer and follow onscreen instructions.

Solution 4 – Update Windows

If the error persists, the problem could be with your Windows 10, not Skype. Make sure Windows is up to date.

Press Win + I and then click Update and Security. Next click Check for updates
Let the latest updates come through
Once Windows has installed all the recent updates, restart the computer
Launch Skype and see if it’s now running fine

Solution 5 – Update Network Adapter Drivers

You may receive the aforementioned error if your network drivers are old or corrupt. To fix the problem, update the drivers. You can do this manually or automatically. We’ll discuss both the methods, so you can decide for yourself which one is more suitable.

Updating Network Adapter Drivers Manually

Perform the following steps:

Press Windows logo key + R together to bring up the Run command
In Run command, type devmgmt.msc and click OK
In the Device Manager, expand Network Adapters
Select the Network Adapter you’re using and right-click it
Select update driver from the list of options
In the next window, select Search automatically for updated driver software.
Windows will search the internet to find a driver update and install it. If it does not find a driver update, you have to manually download the mouse driver and install it.
Open Internet browser
Go to the Network Adapater manufacturer’s website
Go to the Download section and select your product
Download mouse driver compatible with your OS version(Windows 7/8/8.1/10)
Double-click on the driver setup file to install the driver
Restart your computer

Updating Network Adapter Drivers Automatically

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

You can update device drivers automatically
The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

Start Download

Solution 6 – Configure the Firewall

Some users have complained that in their case the Firewall has lead to the listed error. Here’s how you can tweak the Firewall’s settings:

Close the Skype app (Ensure the app is not running in background, so make use of Task Manager to close its processes)
Open the Firewall
Search Skype in the list of installed apps
Select Allow Skype to connect to Internet
Click Save
Restart the Skype app

Solution 7 – Reinstall Skype

If the issue persists, perhaps its best to get a fresh install of the app. Before uninstalling and reinstalling it, you might want to take a backup of the Skype history.

Press Win + R
In the run dialog box, type %appdata%\Skype
Click the OK button
Copy “Your Skype Name” folder and My Skype Received Files folder
Move these two to another location

Now uninstall Skype.

Press Win + R
In the run dialog box, type “appwiz.cpl” and press Enter
Click Programs and Features
Locate and right-click Skype and select Uninstall
Follow the onscreen instructions
Open Windows Explorer and browse to C:\Program Files
Locate the Skype folder as well as SkypePM folder
Select and Delete these two folders

It’s best that you uninstall Skype completely, which entails deleting its entries from Windows Registry as well. However, keep in mind, Windows Registry has zero tolerance to mistakes, so perform these steps exactly as shown below. Also, it won’t hurt a bit to take a backup of your registry first. Better safe than sorry.

To take registry backup, perform the following steps:

Press Win + R keys
Type regedit in the run dialog box and press Enter
Select the key you want to backup
Click File and then choose Export
In the Export Registry File Dialog box, choose the location where you want to save the backup file, and then give the backup file a desired name
Finally click the Save button

Once you’ve backed up registry, edit the Registry.

Press Win + R keys
Type regedit in the run dialog box and press Enter
Click Edit | Find and then type Skype in the box and click Find Next
Right-click the search results and select Delete

Now go to the official website of Skype. Download the latest version for your Windows computer.

Once you have installed Skype afresh, it’s to get your Skype history.

Quit Skype
Press Win + R keys
In the run dialog box, type %appdata%\skype in the Run dialog box and then press Enter
Place “Your Skype Name” folder and the My Skype Received Files folder here

Solution 8 – Configure Connection Settings for Skype

In case you’re using a proxy server, you can get rid of this error by configuring the Skype connection.

Here’s what you need to do.

Open Skype and then click Tools | Options | Advanced | Connection
Here you need to specify the precise proxy option. Feed in its Host as well as Port details. Enter user proxy username along with the password
Select Enable proxy authentication
Click Save
Exit Skype (use Task Manager to ensure the app is not running in the background)
Finally restart Skype