Skype for Windows 5.5: Deeper Facebook integration, improved video reliability and new emoticons
Say hello to Skype for Windows 5.5, production version.
Upgrade now and take advantage of these new features and improvements.
- Skype to Facebook instant messaging
- New and updated emoticons
- New login experience
- Improved call controls
- Improved video calling reliability
- Simplified installer flow
- Avatar selection improved
- Video snapshot capture improvements
- Changed group conversations profile area
- Plus several bug fixes
Please let us know what you think about this new version of Skype by discussing on our Support Network – and if you should see any strange behaviour on Skype please let us know by filing a report on our public issue tracker.
Detailed descriptions of the main improvements:
Facebook integration
Now when you connect to Facebook you can see when your Facebook friends are online and IM with them directly from Skype. In addition you can view and update your Skype Mood Message and Facebook status and even view comments or ‘like’ posts from your Facebook wall, directly from Skype Home. You can now also set specific notification settings for your Facebook friends, which is a new update since the Skype 5.5 Beta.
New and updated emoticons
Being one of the most popular requests, we have introduced a set of new emoticons and changed around the order of the existing ones. Type into Skype (facepalm), (highfive), (lalala), (tumbleweed), (wfh), (fingerscrossed) and (waiting) to see the new members of the emoticon family. In addition these 7 new emoticons we have reanimated the old emoticons to give them a fresh new look!
Improved call controls
We have made numerous design modifications to the call controls to reduce the number of buttons available when making a call, thus making the overall experience simpler. Also, we have added a ‘+’ menu which includes all of the extra call features available – like Screen Sharing or sending a file.
Improved video calling reliability
In this version we have made numerous ‘under the hood’ updates to our video engine to improve its reliability. We have reduced the amount of graphic card resources needed for video calls and improved support for older cards, especially for users with SiS graphics cards.
Bug fixes
In addition to the client improvements and new features we have taken a considerable amount of time to fix some of the issues reported by you over the last few months. Thank you for providing the feedback and please keep it coming.
Full technical release notes for the newly released Skype for Windows 5.5.0.112 are:
Skype for Windows 5.5 is available as two different downloads.
The generic version with all the features and then the MSI version, which is intended mainly for managed locations. The MSI version has Facebook integration and Click to Call features disabled.
Known issues:
| Category | Description | Workaround |
| Facebook integration | When switching network connections connection to Facebook might not be restored. | Restart Skype or switch Skype to be offline and online again. |
| Facebook integration | Changing your online status to invisible does not change it for your Facebook contacts | None available |
| Generic | Skype may not let the computer to go to sleep, if it is left running. | Quit Skype before putting your computer to sleep. |
Fixed issues:
| Category | Description |
| Call Quality Indicator | Call Quality Indicator did not display warning when user muted microphone during the call out of Skype |
| Generic | Skype crashed on start-up if user had ran Skype under compatibility mode on Windows 7 |
| Generic | When user was logged on on Skype for TV products then they were shown out to be on mobile device |
| Generic | Taskbar notifications were not shown in case user had set taskbar to autohide |
| Instant Messaging | New message notifications were not cleared sometimes |
| Outlook contacts | Conference call dropped when adding a Outlook contact into conversation |
| Outlook contacts | Skype did not remember default country code for Outlook contacts |
| Video | Skype crashed on video calling with some SiS graphic cards |
| Video | Skype video calls did not work after user had switched graphics card during Skype session |
