Skype URI API reference
Learn how to use Skype URIs to add Skype functionality to your client applications.
Last modified: March Nineteen, 2015
This API reference details the functionality, options, and syntax of each supported Skype URI. Use this reference if you’re interested in creating applications for Windows, Android, and iOS platforms and mobile devices, or creating Skype URI-enabled emails or signature blocks.
If you’re interested in creating Skype URI-enabled webpages, see the Skype.ui JavaScript function.
Presently supported Skype URIs include:
Switching concentrate to the Skype client.
Initiating audio calls to other Skype users, phones, or mobile devices—both one-to-one dialogs and multiparty conferences.
Initiating movie calls to another Skype user.
Sending instant messages to an individual or establishing a group multichat.
If the Skype client is not running—starts the Skype client, and switches concentrate to the Skype main window.
If the Skype client is already running—switches concentrate to the Skype client.
If the Skype client is already running and has the current focus—no effect; the Skype client retains concentrate.
If the Skype URI starts the Skype client, concentrate is set to the Skype client’s main window (auto-login is enabled), or to its sign-in dialog box (auto-login is not enabled). If the Skype client is already running, the concentrate is set to the main Skype window, even if a Skype client dialog box, such as the Tools−>Options dialog box, is open.
On iOS, this Skype URI not only switches concentrate to the Skype client, but also attempts to initiate a call.
Call-related Skype URIs support one-to-one dialogs, conference calls, and movie calls.
By default, initiating a call results in the local Skype client displaying a confirmation dialog before proceeding with the call. In that dialog, the user can choose to not display the confirmation in future.
If your call specifies numerous participants, the individual identities—Skype Names or phone numbers—must be separated with semicolons; for example:
Audio call—implicit
Calls other people on Skype, phones, or mobile devices This is an implicit version of the skype:participantList?call Skype URI. Unlike the explicit version, you cannot supply extra arguments—like movie or conference topic —with the instruction. So, the implied value of the movie argument is false (audio call), and the implied value of the topic argument is null /none specified.
Example: One-to-one dialog
Mobile Skype clients (iOS and Android) do not support initiating/hosting conference calls.
Audio call—explicit
Calls other people on Skype, phones, or mobile devices This explicit version of the directive enables you to supply extra arguments—like conference topic —with the guideline.
The conference topic argument ( topic ) enables you to specify a string for call participants to display as the conversation topic in place of the Skype Names or phone numbers of the call originator/conference participants.
You must escape certain special characters, such as whitespace. For example, specify:
My Conference Topic
Otherwise, the Skype client will interpret the topic argument value as My , and the following words might cause any subsequent arguments to be overlooked or otherwise misinterpreted.
While your Skype URI can specify movie=false to specifically indicate an audio call, common practice is to simply omit the argument. See Audio call—implicit and Movie call.
Example: One-to-one dialog
Example: Conference, no topic
Example: Conference, setting the topic
The optional topic argument applies to conference calls only.
Special characters in the optional topic argument value—specifically whitespace—must be escaped.
Mobile Skype clients (iOS and Android) do not support initiating/hosting conference calls.
Movie call
Calls other people on Skype, and automatically turns on the call originator’s movie feed (if a local webcam is available).
Example: One-to-one dialog
Specifying numerous participants results in a group movie call.
The number of participants is limited to ten, with a recommended maximum of five for the best call quality.
Mobile Skype clients (iOS and Android) do not support initiating/hosting group movie calls.
Presently, participants on mobile devices can join group movie calls via voice only.
Chat-related Skype URIs support both one-to-one dialogs and group talks.
If your talk specifies numerous participants, the individual identities—Skype Names only—must be separated with semicolons; for example:
If a conversation with the same participant or participants already exists, the Skype client or clients open the existing conversation. If the topic of an existing conversation differs from the one specified by the Skype URI, the Skype client switches the conversation topic to the fresh value.
Open/create talk
Opens the conversation that matches the specified list of participants, or creates a fresh talk with those participants if no matching conversation exists. For existing conversations, the specified optional topic argument value substitutes the existing conversation name or names and title string.
Example: multichat; setting the topic
The optional topic argument applies to multichats only.
Special characters in the topic argument value—specifically whitespace—must be escaped.
Mac OS X overlooks any topic argument.
iOS is not supported.
Android recognizes the initial participant only; multichats are not supported.
Skype URI API reference
Skype URI API reference
Learn how to use Skype URIs to add Skype functionality to your client applications.
Last modified: March Nineteen, 2015
This API reference details the functionality, options, and syntax of each supported Skype URI. Use this reference if you’re interested in creating applications for Windows, Android, and iOS platforms and mobile devices, or creating Skype URI-enabled emails or signature blocks.
If you’re interested in creating Skype URI-enabled webpages, see the Skype.ui JavaScript function.
Presently supported Skype URIs include:
Switching concentrate to the Skype client.
Initiating audio calls to other Skype users, phones, or mobile devices—both one-to-one dialogs and multiparty conferences.
Initiating movie calls to another Skype user.
Sending instant messages to an individual or establishing a group multichat.
If the Skype client is not running—starts the Skype client, and switches concentrate to the Skype main window.
If the Skype client is already running—switches concentrate to the Skype client.
If the Skype client is already running and has the current focus—no effect; the Skype client retains concentrate.
If the Skype URI starts the Skype client, concentrate is set to the Skype client’s main window (auto-login is enabled), or to its sign-in dialog box (auto-login is not enabled). If the Skype client is already running, the concentrate is set to the main Skype window, even if a Skype client dialog box, such as the Tools−>Options dialog box, is open.
On iOS, this Skype URI not only switches concentrate to the Skype client, but also attempts to initiate a call.
Call-related Skype URIs support one-to-one dialogs, conference calls, and movie calls.
By default, initiating a call results in the local Skype client displaying a confirmation dialog before proceeding with the call. In that dialog, the user can choose to not display the confirmation in future.
If your call specifies numerous participants, the individual identities—Skype Names or phone numbers—must be separated with semicolons; for example:
Audio call—implicit
Calls other people on Skype, phones, or mobile devices This is an implicit version of the skype:participantList?call Skype URI. Unlike the explicit version, you cannot supply extra arguments—like movie or conference topic —with the guideline. So, the implied value of the movie argument is false (audio call), and the implied value of the topic argument is null /none specified.
Example: One-to-one dialog
Mobile Skype clients (iOS and Android) do not support initiating/hosting conference calls.
Audio call—explicit
Calls other people on Skype, phones, or mobile devices This explicit version of the guideline enables you to supply extra arguments—like conference topic —with the instruction.
The conference topic argument ( topic ) enables you to specify a string for call participants to display as the conversation topic in place of the Skype Names or phone numbers of the call originator/conference participants.
You must escape certain special characters, such as whitespace. For example, specify:
My Conference Topic
Otherwise, the Skype client will interpret the topic argument value as My , and the following words might cause any subsequent arguments to be disregarded or otherwise misinterpreted.
While your Skype URI can specify movie=false to specifically indicate an audio call, common practice is to simply omit the argument. See Audio call—implicit and Movie call.
Example: One-to-one dialog
Example: Conference, no topic
Example: Conference, setting the topic
The optional topic argument applies to conference calls only.
Special characters in the optional topic argument value—specifically whitespace—must be escaped.
Mobile Skype clients (iOS and Android) do not support initiating/hosting conference calls.
Movie call
Calls other people on Skype, and automatically turns on the call originator’s movie feed (if a local webcam is available).
Example: One-to-one dialog
Specifying numerous participants results in a group movie call.
The number of participants is limited to ten, with a recommended maximum of five for the best call quality.
Mobile Skype clients (iOS and Android) do not support initiating/hosting group movie calls.
Presently, participants on mobile devices can join group movie calls via voice only.
Chat-related Skype URIs support both one-to-one dialogs and group talks.
If your talk specifies numerous participants, the individual identities—Skype Names only—must be separated with semicolons; for example:
If a conversation with the same participant or participants already exists, the Skype client or clients open the existing conversation. If the topic of an existing conversation differs from the one specified by the Skype URI, the Skype client switches the conversation topic to the fresh value.
Open/create talk
Opens the conversation that matches the specified list of participants, or creates a fresh talk with those participants if no matching conversation exists. For existing conversations, the specified optional topic argument value substitutes the existing conversation name or names and title string.
Example: multichat; setting the topic
The optional topic argument applies to multichats only.
Special characters in the topic argument value—specifically whitespace—must be escaped.
Mac OS X disregards any topic argument.
iOS is not supported.
Android recognizes the initial participant only; multichats are not supported.
Skype URI API reference
Skype URI API reference
Learn how to use Skype URIs to add Skype functionality to your client applications.
Last modified: March Nineteen, 2015
This API reference details the functionality, options, and syntax of each supported Skype URI. Use this reference if you’re interested in creating applications for Windows, Android, and iOS platforms and mobile devices, or creating Skype URI-enabled emails or signature blocks.
If you’re interested in creating Skype URI-enabled webpages, see the Skype.ui JavaScript function.
Presently supported Skype URIs include:
Switching concentrate to the Skype client.
Initiating audio calls to other Skype users, phones, or mobile devices—both one-to-one dialogs and multiparty conferences.
Initiating movie calls to another Skype user.
Sending instant messages to an individual or establishing a group multichat.
If the Skype client is not running—starts the Skype client, and switches concentrate to the Skype main window.
If the Skype client is already running—switches concentrate to the Skype client.
If the Skype client is already running and has the current focus—no effect; the Skype client retains concentrate.
If the Skype URI starts the Skype client, concentrate is set to the Skype client’s main window (auto-login is enabled), or to its sign-in dialog box (auto-login is not enabled). If the Skype client is already running, the concentrate is set to the main Skype window, even if a Skype client dialog box, such as the Tools−>Options dialog box, is open.
On iOS, this Skype URI not only switches concentrate to the Skype client, but also attempts to initiate a call.
Call-related Skype URIs support one-to-one dialogs, conference calls, and movie calls.
By default, initiating a call results in the local Skype client displaying a confirmation dialog before proceeding with the call. In that dialog, the user can choose to not display the confirmation in future.
If your call specifies numerous participants, the individual identities—Skype Names or phone numbers—must be separated with semicolons; for example:
Audio call—implicit
Calls other people on Skype, phones, or mobile devices This is an implicit version of the skype:participantList?call Skype URI. Unlike the explicit version, you cannot supply extra arguments—like movie or conference topic —with the guideline. So, the implied value of the movie argument is false (audio call), and the implied value of the topic argument is null /none specified.
Example: One-to-one dialog
Mobile Skype clients (iOS and Android) do not support initiating/hosting conference calls.
Audio call—explicit
Calls other people on Skype, phones, or mobile devices This explicit version of the instruction enables you to supply extra arguments—like conference topic —with the guideline.
The conference topic argument ( topic ) enables you to specify a string for call participants to display as the conversation topic in place of the Skype Names or phone numbers of the call originator/conference participants.
You must escape certain special characters, such as whitespace. For example, specify:
My Conference Topic
Otherwise, the Skype client will interpret the topic argument value as My , and the following words might cause any subsequent arguments to be overlooked or otherwise misinterpreted.
While your Skype URI can specify movie=false to specifically indicate an audio call, common practice is to simply omit the argument. See Audio call—implicit and Movie call.
Example: One-to-one dialog
Example: Conference, no topic
Example: Conference, setting the topic
The optional topic argument applies to conference calls only.
Special characters in the optional topic argument value—specifically whitespace—must be escaped.
Mobile Skype clients (iOS and Android) do not support initiating/hosting conference calls.
Movie call
Calls other people on Skype, and automatically turns on the call originator’s movie feed (if a local webcam is available).
Example: One-to-one dialog
Specifying numerous participants results in a group movie call.
The number of participants is limited to ten, with a recommended maximum of five for the best call quality.
Mobile Skype clients (iOS and Android) do not support initiating/hosting group movie calls.
Presently, participants on mobile devices can join group movie calls via voice only.
Chat-related Skype URIs support both one-to-one dialogs and group talks.
If your talk specifies numerous participants, the individual identities—Skype Names only—must be separated with semicolons; for example:
If a conversation with the same participant or participants already exists, the Skype client or clients open the existing conversation. If the topic of an existing conversation differs from the one specified by the Skype URI, the Skype client switches the conversation topic to the fresh value.
Open/create talk
Opens the conversation that matches the specified list of participants, or creates a fresh talk with those participants if no matching conversation exists. For existing conversations, the specified optional topic argument value substitutes the existing conversation name or names and title string.
Example: multichat; setting the topic
The optional topic argument applies to multichats only.
Special characters in the topic argument value—specifically whitespace—must be escaped.
Mac OS X overlooks any topic argument.
iOS is not supported.
Android recognizes the initial participant only; multichats are not supported.