ArticlesInternetLinuxNews

Skype stopped working on Linux (if not installed as SNAP package)

It already caused a controversial discussion last year, as Microsoft decided to get rid of their Linux packages repository for Skype in 2024. Instead of building Skype for multiple platforms (RPM and DEB packages), Microsoft decided to only build SNAP packages in the future.

Although there were multiple threads in the Microsoft community asking for alternative installation methods of Skype, the community was not heard. The SNAP installation remained the only official Skype package.

As SNAP – developed by and actively used in Ubuntu installations – is not very welcomed by the broader Linux community, a lot of users are left out now. There are even posts accusing SNAP of being a backdoor.

This version of Skype is out of date

Although there were no further Skype packages for Linux and therefore no updates, Skype continued to run. Until today. It is January 30th 2025 and when I started Skype today, a message popped up.

Skype for Linux not starting anymore, message saying that this version of Skype is out of date.
Startup message saying that this version of Skype is out of date.

A click on the "Download Skype" button, opens to an embedded browser and shows the Skype download page. With the – already known – limit of having to download a SNAP package.

Skype for Linux only offers SNAP packages.
Skype for Linux only offers SNAP packages.

Oh snap! Here we go again.

As I did not want to install the snap package (and its required snapd daemon running all the time), I looked for alternatives.

Package Repository? Gone since 2024.

Back in 2021, one of our first posts here on Geeker's Digest was a tutorial how to install Skype from an APT package repository. Unfortunately Microsoft decided to ditch the package repositories in 2024.

There repos are therefore gone and offer no alternative installation method anymore.

Flatpak package

Another alternative would be to install Skype as Flatbak package. The relevant Skype Flatpak package can be found on the Flathub site, where most of the Flatpak package are hosted.

The latest available Flatpak package is 2 months old, therefore kind of up to date.

However a yellow warning on the download page makes me cautious…

Even though the the package is published by "Microsoft Corporation", the fact that the package (and publisher?) are not validated, holds me back from a download and installation of this package.

Other communication software

Well then, good bye Skype.

There is other (and great) communication software around, which offer official packages in multiple formats.

  • Slack is widely known and used, very popular amongst developers and used in many companies from small to large enterprises. The download for Linux page offers installation packages in RPM and DEB format. And you can even configure an APT repository for Slack.
  • Mattermost is the open source alternative to Slack, with a very similar user interface. The Mattermost server can also be hosted on your own server(s).
  • Microsoft Teams also offers multiple packages for the client. But Teams is known to be a performance killer and uses a lot of resources. Linux users should use Teams in a browser. It's not only more performant but also offers newer features than the installed client.
  • Signal is a free and independent messenger software, which offers an APT repository for the installation of Signal on Debian-based distributions. However to use the Signal desktop app, Signal must also be installed on your phone first.
  • … of course there are many more alternatives, I could go on and on and never finish this article :-))

Claudio Kuenzler
Claudio has been writing way over 1000 articles on his own blog since 2008 already. He is fascinated by technology, especially Open Source Software. As a Senior Systems Engineer he has seen and solved a lot of problems - and writes about them.

You may also like

3 Comments

  1. At last, Microsoft forces me to look for a Skype alternative! I hate Microsoft so much (is that a hate crime?). In the distant past, I was actually a Microsoft fan, but that has changed over time as the company has become more and more evil. I use Linux now, and I try to avoid all Microsoft and Google products, as neither company has the best interests of the public in mind. Even worse, their intent is just the opposite, as both are simply useful tools employed by the ruling sociopaths to enslave us. There is little we can do to stop this, so we had best get started by doing those little things! Avoid Microsoft and Google products. Let them know that we will not go quietly into the night.

    1. Totally agree, Chico.

      Microsoft (and Google, Apple, Amazon, etc) is a CIA front, and forcing us to install Big Brother SnapD is yet another spyware pretext.

      F*** them. I am now trying alternatives to Skype. No point in surrendering to evil sooner than necessary.

  2. Hallo Claudio!
    Microsoft children's software gave me this insane directive early this morning, with no warning, no grace period. These are people who have a licence only to drive an automatic car. Wet behind the ears. Insist on those hateful calorie counts on restaurant menus.
    Thank you, you've saved me looking for a solution. I agree with @Chico – they can get stuffed.
    I suppose that it can be made to work through scrcpy to a mobile phone.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in:Articles