Can't Answer Incoming Calls With Skype

By Morgan O'Connor

Clicking "Answer" on Skype may not always have the intended effect.
i Mario Tama/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Ideally, when you use Skype, you should be able to make and receive voice and video calls without issue. Realistically, however, this is not always the case. At some point in your Skype experience, you may need to deal with a wide variety of issues with your calls. One possibility is the complete inability to answer incoming calls.

Unable to Answer Calls

In general, when someone calls you on Skype, you have three options: "Answer," "Answer With Video" and "Decline." Unfortunately, sometimes clicking the green "Accept" button when someone calls you has no effect, leaving you unable to answer the call. Skype has not offered an official acknowledgment of this problem or explained what causes it. This issue generally impacts all of your incoming Skype calls rather than only those from one specific contact or number.

Possible Solutions

While Skype has not provided an official solution for this problem, there are several things you can try. Make sure you are using the latest version of Skype by clicking "Help" and then "Check for Updates" from within Skype. If that does not solve the problem, try closing Skype and turning off Compatibility Mode if necessary. Right-click the Skype icon, click "Properties" and then navigate to the "Compatibility" tab to turn off this mode. Simply testing your internet connection through Skype may be enough to resolve the issue. To do this, click the "Check Settings" button in Skype and then select the "Connection" tab. Click "Test Now." If nothing works, you may need to inform your contacts of the issue and call them back rather than accepting their calls.

Answering Automatically

If you want to answer every call you receive, you have one more option to get around the problem of not being able to use the "Answer" button. You can set up Skype so that it automatically answers every call. To do this, click "Tools" and then "Options" within Skype. In the new window that opens, click the "Calls" tab on the left side. In the "Call Settings" section, check the box that says "Answer Incoming Calls Automatically." Click "Save" to save this setting.

Notifications

You may find that you miss your chance to answer some calls because you are not receiving the necessary notifications. To resolve this, open Skype and sign in. Click "Tools" at the top and then "Options" from the list that appears. This opens a new window, in which you should click "Notifications." Click "Sounds" within this section. This brings up a list of all the times when Skype can notify you of an event with a specific sound. Click "Enable all sounds," and then click "Save." You should now hear a sound when someone calls you on Skype, allowing you to answer rather than miss the call.

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