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Edit: Due to the fact that this article is old, the installation instructions may not work anymore. In order to successfully install the latest version of Skype, please access the skype tag and open the latest article (the one on top).
The latest installation instructions for Skype
Hello Linux Geeksters. As you may know, Skype 4.3 has been recently released, coming with a new user interface and improvements for the Skype client. Among others, it got support for cloud-based Group Chat, the file transfer support when using multiple devices at once got enhanced, support for PulseAudio 3.0 and PulseAudio 4.0 has been added while the support for Alsa has been dropped and the accessibility for blind and visually impaired users has been improved.
In this article I will show you how to install Skype 4.3.0 on Ubuntu 14.04 Trusty Tahr, Ubuntu 13.10 Saucy Salamander, Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin, Linux Mint 17 Qiana, Linux Mint 16 Petra, Linux Mint 13 Maya, Pinguy OS 14.04, Pinguy OS 12.04, LXLE 14.04, Elementary OS 0.3 Isis, Elementary OS 0.2 Luna and other Ubuntu derivative systems.
Because it has not been added yet to the Canonical Partner repository, we have to download the deb package from the skype website and install the package by hand.
Follow the instructions for your system and architecture exactly, in order to get a successful installation.
Before we proceed with the Skype 4.3 installation steps, you have to remove any previous version of skype and install the sni-qt package, to make the app indicator work:
$ sudo apt-get remove skype skype-bin:i386 skype:i386
$ sudo apt-get install sni-qt:i386
How to install Skype 4.3 on Ubuntu 14.04, Linux Mint 17, Pinguy OS 14.04, Elementary OS 0.3 and LXLE 14.04:
Instructions for 32 bit systems:
For 32 bit systems, the installation follows the traditional instructions, download the deb package and install it via gdebi:
$ sudo apt-get install gdebi
$ wget download.skype.com/linux/skype-ubuntu-precise_4.3.0.37-1_i386.deb
$ sudo gdebi skype-ubuntu-precise_4.3.0.37-1_i386.deb
Instructions for 64 bit systems:
In order to install Skype 4.3 we have to add the i386 architecture and update the local repository index, so that we get all the 32 bit libraries required by skype, download the deb package and install it with gdebi:
$ sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install gdebi
$ wget download.skype.com/linux/skype-ubuntu-precise_4.3.0.37-1_i386.deb
$ sudo gdebi skype-ubuntu-precise_4.3.0.37-1_i386.deb
Optional: Due to the fact that Skype is an application created for 32 bit systems, on 64 bit versions of Ubuntu it may use the Clearlooks theme by default, instead of Ambiance, which is the default Ubuntu theme for Skype.
To fix this, you have to install the Murrine and Pixmap GTK2 engines, like this:
$ sudo apt-get install gtk2-engines-murrine:i386
$ sudo apt-get install gtk2-engines-pixbuf:i386
How to install Skype 4.3 on Ubuntu 13.10, Ubuntu 12.04, Linux Mint 16, Linux Mint 13, Pinguy OS 12.04 and Elementary OS 0.2 Luna:
Instructions for 32 bit systems:
For 32 bit systems, the installation follows the traditional instructions, download the deb package and install it via gdebi:
$ sudo apt-get install gdebi
$ wget download.skype.com/linux/skype-ubuntu-precise_4.3.0.37-1_i386.deb
$ sudo gdebi skype-ubuntu-precise_4.3.0.37-1_i386.deb
Instructions for 64 bit systems:
In order to install Skype 4.3 we have to install the ia32-libs package, which allows the users to install 32 bit packages on 64 bit architectures, download the deb package and install it with gdebi:
$ sudo apt-get install ia32-libs
$ sudo apt-get install gdebi
$ wget download.skype.com/linux/skype-ubuntu-precise_4.3.0.37-1_i386.deb
$ sudo gdebi skype-ubuntu-precise_4.3.0.37-1_i386.deb
Next, start Skype and Agree to the license terms.
Troubleshoot Skype 4.3, and fix the crashes:
Unfortunately Micro$oft has done a crappy job and the Skype 4.3 client crashes. I have googled around for a solution and this is what worked for me:
$ rm -rf ~/.Skype
Also, if removing the Skype history does not fix anything, try doing this:
$ sudo apt-get sqlite3
$ sqlite3 ~/.Skype/$USER/main.db
> SELECT body_xml from Messages WHERE type=68 AND body_xml LIKE '%files%' LIMIT 0,10;
> UPDATE Messages SET body_xml=substr(body_xml,instr(body_xml,'<files')) WHERE type=68 AND body_xml LIKE 'posted%';
> UPDATE Messages SET body_xml=substr(body_xml,instr(body_xml,'<files')) WHERE type=68 AND body_xml LIKE 'sent file%'; > .quit
fantastically useful. thanks a million!
I also had to remove the .Skype folder in my home directory in order to update.
Well done! I noticed that the problem appeared yester 1rst (!!!) of a month. Was too obvious to think of a version problem!
THX
Hi,
i run into the same problem. After installing skype 4.3 as you proposed the skype was able to connect, but failed to load contacts and crashes.
Any help would be appreciated.
sorry, forget the OS
ubuntu 12.04 LTS 32bit
it has been added to the Canonical Partner Repository recently, try installing it from there:
http://linuxg.net/skype-4-3-is-now-available-via-the-canonical-partner-repository-for-ubuntu-14-04-and-ubuntu-12-04-installation-instructions/
thank you, congratulations for this steps. now i have skype in my distro Lmint QIANA.
Thanks works fine. 🙂
Thanks! Works great.
this has been very helpful to me . thx a lot
Asante sana – Thank you very much. Worked well on Mint 16.
Hi, After having trouble installing, renaming the ~/.Skype folder worked. However, now all the chat history has dissapeared. It looks like main.db has this data in it.
Is there a way of recovering this?
well, you can paste the content of the .Renamed_Skype_folder/skype_username in ~/.Skype and see if the history gets recovered.
I have already copied all the files from the old_skype folder to the new folder. As soon as main.db gets copied across, thats when 4.3 no longer runs, and with it no longer running – can’t check for history.
Did not work for me. After installing 4.3, when I type skype in terminal or search for skype using dash I get the start screen for 4.2. sudo apt-get install sqlite3 did not work. sqlite3 ~/.Skype/$USER/main.db puts me into a database program with a command prompt after which I do not even no how to exit.
Did you solve that? I have the same problem, after installing the skype 4.3 it opens the very first time, after I close, and then it opens the 4.2. I remove, purged, skype 4.2 but it is still there!!!
Thanks!
Same problem as ksanger and tomas!!
I tried to run the sqlite3 commands, but in the second one, sqlite3 gives an error message: ‘Error: no such function: instr’ . I tried through adding the Canonical partner repository and it didn’t show Skype after I checked it as a software resource. I really don’t know what to do! I use Ubuntu 12.04 x86_64. I’m looking in Google but I didn’t find any solution until now.
Pls, any help is welcomed!
Hey, I noted now that if you use
$ rm -rf ~/.Skype
and then reopen Skype it is opened the correct version. Well, of course I didn’t want to do this every time I use Skype but it seems a transitional solution. There is this other tip, but it didn’t work for me http://planetlotus.org/profiles/bill-malchisky_126890
The part of sqlite3 suggested prompted
‘Error: no such table: Message’
Thanks!!!
It worked for me.
Thank you so much.
I had yet never had any trouble with linux, this time I had.
I coincidentally had a new modem, so I looked for solutions elsewhere then noticed the 4.3 update…
Doesn’t skype usually gets updated by the normal Mint updates?
Thanks again, Frd
This was 100% helpful. Thx a lot!
Worked for me. Thanks!
Thanks a lot for the info. Very helpful and worked nicely in my LXLE 64-bit installation.
Thank you so much