Skype is Not Showing the Other Person

Skype allows users to communicate via text and video.

Skype is a free online communication tool that allows you to chat with other users by instant messaging and video. When you are using Skype and cannot see the person you are trying to chat with, rule out common issues before getting in touch with the company's customer support department.

Online Status

When one of your Skype contacts is not online, they will not show up in your list of available contacts. It is possible to hold a conversation with someone who is not on your friend list, however; if you are trying to talk to someone you have previously chatted with but does not show up on your list of contacts, check to make sure that you have added the person. All of your added contacts will show up on your list; the ones who are offline will have a grayed-out Skype icon and the contacts who are online will have a green icon next to their name. If you cannot see the person's name, you may need to search for them and create a new contact.

Availability

Skype users have the option to change their availability when they are signed into the program. The status availability options are: offline, online, SkypeMe!, invisible, away, not available and do not disturb. If the person you want to talk to is signed in but has selected the "offline" or "invisible" availability, you will not see them as online. For the name to show up on your list of online contacts, the person must change their availability.

Blocked

If you cannot see a person that you have already added to your list, there is a chance that the person has blocked you. When a Skype user chooses to block you, you will not be able to see anything about availability. Even if the user is online and accepting messages, you will not be able to see the status and messages will remain undelivered.

Video

If you are trying to hold a video chat with a Skype contact but cannot see the person, there are several possible reasons. If either of your Internet connections are too slow to support streaming video, the video will not come through. If you have been chatting by text and switch to video, the other person will need to enable the video stream before you can see them. Other culprits can include out-of-date webcam drivers, unplugged webcams or another video-enabled application running at the same time.

References

• Skype: How to Get the Best Sound Quality on Skype Calls
• Skype: Managing Your Privacy Settings