This Is Why Skype Appears Offline And What You Can Do To Solve It

In order to understand why Skype appears offline, you need to grasp the meaning of the different statuses in the app.

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There are 8 possible statuses at any one given time on Skype.

Here’s what each of these eight types means:

Online: this is the default setting once you’re signed in to Skype. It lights up a green dot with a white checkmark in it that lets your contacts know you are online and they can contact you.
Away: this shows your contacts you are signed in but may not be on your computer or desk at the time. You can get instant messages and calls though. It is indicated by a yellow clock icon.
Offline: this is when you’re not signed in to Skype. However, you can click on the status icon and select Offline as your status but you won’t be able to send messages or make/receive calls. Skype for Web doesn’t have this option.
Invisible: this status neither shows you as online, or away, but your contacts see you as offline, though you can still contact them or use Skype normally. It is marked with a blank circle.
Do not Disturb: this is marked by a red circle with a white line across it like a stop sign of sorts. Your contacts see you online, but they get the message – you don’t want disturbance. You can still get messages and calls but with no sound alerts.
Calls forwarded: this status can be used when you’re not available but set call forwarding or voice messaging to your phone, or home so that you never miss a call. It is only available on Windows Desktop though, and is marked by a white circle with a green lining and a little green arrow inside it.
Contact Request pending: this appears next to a contact you requested to add, but they’ve not accepted your request yet. It is indicated by a grey lined circle with a question mark.
Blocked: this is for contacts you don’t want to communicate with or reach for one reason or another. It is marked with a red lined circle with a diagonal line inside it.

We’ve written extensively about Skype issues before. Bookmark this page in case you need it later.

Now that you know what each of these statuses means, let’s see the reasons why Skype appears offline yet you are signed in, and what to do about it.

Why Skype appears offline and how to solve it

Your status is set to invisible
You’re signed in but not connected to the Internet
Check whether you have the latest version of Skype
Check Skype for Web
Uninstall and reinstall Skype
Check Skype settings

1. Your status is set to invisible

Probably your contacts have tried to engage you on Skype and they’re asking why you appear as offline, yet you can still communicate.

This is one of the most common reasons why Skype appears offline, and all you need to do to resolve it is change from Invisible to Online, if you’re signed in to your Skype account.

2. You’re signed in but not connected to the Internet

Sometimes you may have logged in to your account, but still your Skype appears offline.

In this case, you may need to check whether your internet connection is working, because if it is down or goes off, your contacts will see your status as offline, even though you hadn’t signed out.

3. Check whether you have the latest version of Skype

You can update this by going to Windows Store, plus ensure your supported operating system is also up to date.

4. Check Skype for Web

You can use Skype for Web to check whether your status on Skype appears offline there as well, or it is just on other devices. If they appear as online, then restart the application, ensuring you’re using the updated version.

5. Uninstall and reinstall Skype

If your Skype appears offline, sometimes uninstalling the app may help.

You can do either of two things:

A simple uninstall and reinstall
A complete uninstall and reinstall

Before you do either of the two, back up your chat history and personal files so that you can restore them at a later point in time.

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Expert tip:

6. Check Skype settings

Follow these steps to do this:

Go to your Skype account and sign in
Click on Tools then click Options
Click General Settings tab on the left pane
Check the Show me as Away when I’ve been inactive for box, and change your status to online

Did any of these solutions help resolve why Skype appears offline? Let us know in the comments section below.

Why Skype appears offline and how to solve it#

1. Your status is set to invisible#

2. You’re signed in but not connected to the Internet#

3. Check whether you have the latest version of Skype#

4. Check Skype for Web#

5. Uninstall and reinstall Skype#

6. Check Skype settings#