[Tip] Disable Startup and Exit Sounds in Skype, Also Make Skype Look-Like a Messenger

Recently we told you that Microsoft is going to permanently replace the good old Windows Live Messenger with Skype in March 2013:

Windows Live Messenger Going to Close on March 15, 2013, Upgrade to Skype Now

After sharing the news with you all, I decided to give a try to Skype. I downloaded Skype installer, installed it and successfully logged in using my Microsoft account which I was using to sign into Windows Live Messenger. I was also asked to merge my existing Skype account with my Microsoft account.

As soon as I signed into Skype, a loud sound was played by Skype for successful sign in. After playing with its settings, I decided to close Skype. Again Skype played another similar sound for sign out event.

It was a little annoying to me. I have not seen any software since ages which plays sounds when you open or close it. Sound alerts for messages, calls, contacts online or offline are fine as they help us in knowing about these things if we are away from our computer or if we are doing something else. But sound alerts for successful sign in or sign out are absolutely useless at least for me.

So I decided to turn off these startup and exit sound alerts in Skype and I found them in Skype sounds settings window.

If you are also using Skype and if you are also finding these sign in and sign out sound alerts annoying, you can disable them using following simple steps:

1. Open Skype and click on “Skype -> Profile -> Change Sounds” option.

2. It’ll open Skype sounds settings window. Uncheck following 2 options:

• I sign in
• I sign out

Here you can also disable or enable other sound alerts such as ringtone, dial tone, call error, incoming call, incoming IM, file transfer notifications, etc. You can also turn off all sound alerts by clicking on “Mute all sounds” button.

3. Once you disable desired options, click on “Save” button and the annoying sign in and sing out (or startup and exit) sound alerts will get disabled permanently.

PS: One more tip to share! At first look, Skype doesn’t look like a messenger but you can make it look-like a messenger by enabling its built-in compact layout. Just enable “Compact View” option from View menu:

It’ll convert Skype window into a compact “Windows Live Messenger” look-like window. Now you’ll be able to close other part of Skype window which shows your profile details, etc and you’ll have a small messenger style look in Skype as shown in following screenshot:

Have you started using Skype? Do you like its interface? Feel free to share your feedback and experience with Skype in your comment…