Where did Skype go? Windows 10 can run two types of applications: desktop apps, i.e. Win32 applications, and UWP applications, i.e. Universal Windows Platforms applications.
Many of the popular applications of Microsoft's operating system have both versions. For example, Minecraft has a Java version for use on desktops, but it is also available as a UWP application from the Microsoft Store.
The same is true for Skype. Windows 10 users have the option of using the Skype desktop application or the UWP application that is installed by default. However, if you try to download the Skype desktop application today, you will find that Microsoft has removed it from the download page.
Microsoft removed the Skype application from the official download page because it was discovered that the desktop application has a security flaw. The flaw is in the way the application searches for and installs updates.
The application, as we mentioned in a previous post, uses a DLL file that is stored in the Temp folder of each current user. So since the file is in a user's folder, anyone with user rights can read and write files to it.
Microsoft was notified of the problem and decided to remove the Skype installer from the official Skype download page. However, the company is allowing Windows 10 users to use the UWP app.
Skype Alternatives
There are currently two alternatives. One is the one we mentioned and involves installing the UWP version available in the Microsoft Store. The second is to use a different messaging app, such as Discord or Slack.
For Windows 7 users who are adamant about using the Skype app, you can use it as long as you have version 7.40 or earlier. This is an older version according to the Microsoft forum that is not affected by the security hole.
Unfortunately, this version is not available on the official Skype website. You will need the offline installer that can install version 7.40. Beware of Scams, because some may use the information for malicious purposes.
It should also be mentioned that the current Skype desktop app is version 8.15, which means that the older version we recommend will not have all the features of the latest version.
For now, you can still find the offline installer of the latest version from the link below. It seems that the company did not remove the exe from all its sites.
Warning! we do not recommend downloading and installing this exe, as as mentioned above it contains security vulnerabilities….
Version 8.15.04
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