How to Add New Members to a Shared Group in Skype

Skype version 2.5 for Windows and above adds the convenience of being able to group your contacts based on any criteria you like. Add everyone on your high school reunion committee to one group, your family members to another and your business associates from around the world to yet another. Your brother can belong to both your high school reunion committee group as well as your family group. What good are groups? For starters, it makes conference calling a snap (and free, if all group members are within the United States and Canada). Imagine a family reunion on New Year’s Day, without anyone struggling through airport security or sleeping on Aunt Sandy’s floor. Another wonderful benefit of using your Skype groups is the ability to send almost any file to everyone in your group with just two or three clicks of your mouse. Send a picture of Little Johnny riding his bike for the first time to all the grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles in less than a minute. Get the most out of Skype by sending your travel itinerary to all of your employees in less time than it takes to reach your office door. Start taking advantage of this feature today by adding new members to your shared groups in Skype.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet access
• Skype account

1. Open Skype for Windows by clicking Start, then Programs and then Skype. Mac users should click Applications, then Skype.
2. Log into your Skype account if prompted.
3. Click View in the horizontal menu along the top of your Skype window.
4. Click Show Contact Groups.
5. Click on the Contacts tab, the left-most tab in the center section of your Skype window.
6. Find the Groups bar above your tabs. On the far right of the Groups bar, find the “+” sign and click it.
7. Name your group and then press Enter on your keyboard.
8. Click and drag names from your Contacts list to your new group. Add multiple names at once by holding down the CTRL key as you click the names.
9. View your new group by clicking on the group name above your tabs.
10. Right-click the group name and select Share Group from the pop-out menu.

Tips & Warnings

• The members of shared groups are required to exchange details with each other. This helps ensure that you belong only to the groups you want to be in, as you can not be added to a group until you share your details. If you would like to add a contact to your shared group that you have not yet exchanged information with, right click their name and select Request Contact Details from the pop-out menu.
• To send files, share group contact information, chat, conference call, rename or remove the group, simply right-click the group name and make your selection from the pop-out menu.