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| Synopsis: This document describes how to install Skype in Mageia Linux. Microsoft's Skype software is not open source and subject to legal restrictions, that's why Skype itself is not available in the Mageia repositories. Previously a Mageia get-skype package was available in the nonfree repositories which downloaded the software from the Microsoft website, but get-skype is no longer available. |
| WARNING:
As of Saturday 28th November 2023, Microsoft has changed the way they distribute skypeforlinux. The most recent updated version that sync_skype_urpmi would have installed is: skypeforlinux-8.108.0.205-1 from November 2023. This new distribution method has been noted in a post on reddit: It is also found in a Microsoft forum: Three observations:
Linux distros with Canonical's snap available:
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Contents
Skype system requirements
At the time of writing this, there is a 64-bit version for Ubuntu, Debian, OpenSuse, and Fedora but no 32-bit version for Linux.
| Please note: Skype is Microsoft software and Microsoft does not support Skype on Mageia Linux. |
The Linux version of Skype is still in beta!
For a list of requirements for using Skype please see this page: https://support.skype.com/en/faq/fa10328/what-are-the-system-requirements-for-skype
Installing
You can either follow the manual steps shown below or use the script: sync_skype_urpmi .
The sync_skype_urpmi script will check for and automatically install any pending new Skype update every time it is run.
Bear in mind that as there is no official Microsoft urpmi repository for this version of Skype.
What sync_skype_urpmi does is make a local urpmi repository from downloaded copy of the current skypeforlinux RPM.
Automatic install
Run the sync_skype_urpmi script.
A key benefit of using sync_skype_urpmi is that it will only download and install if a new version of Skype for Linux is available.
These are the actions sync_skype_urpmi will do:
- Check for new version of skypeforlinux RPM and download if available
- Create a local urpmi repository "local_skype_urpmi"
- Check for package signing key for skypeforlinux RPM and install if needed
- Install or update skypeforlinux as needed (with an automatic alternative install if required)
So, you can, from time to time, just run sync_skype_urpmi as a non-root user to check for updates.
Manual install
Please note that the manual install procedure shown here (below) depends on using the dnf package system.
If you have installed Mageia using urpmi which is the original and default package system in Mageia then you need to take some extra steps to use dnf.
Also consider whether you want to mix up using both urpmi and dnf on the same system as there could be issues with keeping things consistent between urpmi and dnf.
If you choose to use urpmi the consider using the sync_skype_urpmi automatic install script as described here: Synchronize_local_skype_urpmi
Manual install step 1: download
Download rpm file from the Microsoft website: https://www.skype.com/en/download-skype/skype-for-linux
Please be aware that the skype rpm is about 110 MB in size and may take some time to download depending on your network connection.
Manual install step 2: install
You can install this rpm with:
cd <path_to_where_you_saved_the_rpm> /bin/sudo dnf install skypeforlinux-64.rpm
You can also install the rpm with urpmi, but it will not install the configuration for the Skype repository.
cd <path_to_where_you_saved_the_rpm> /bin/sudo urpmi skypeforlinux-64.rpm
During the installation of the rpm, you may receive a warning:
Cannot find atd service
You can safely ignore this message, the at service should import the GPG key for the Skype mirror.
Manual install step 3: package signing key
This is the workaround for if the message "Cannot find atd service" is presented in te previous step.
/bin/sudo cp /tmp/skype.gpgsig* /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-Skype /bin/sudo dnf update
Test
Before trying Skype, check your webcam works OK using the cheese photo-booth application in Mageia.
You can check if you have cheese installed with:
rpm -q cheese && echo Cheese installed || echo Cheese not installed
Example:
[user@localhost Downloads]$ rpm -q cheese && echo Cheese installed || echo Cheese not installed Cheese installed
Start cheese:
cheese
Verify web cam working.
Run Skype
Start Skype and login to your Skype account.
skypeforlinux
Try calling the Skype test service to check audio settings are correct.
Normally, when calling someone else in Skype you can have video chat, audio-only chat and can share your screen but it is worth checking these all work with a friend.
| Note: Skype only works with PulseAudio, this is the default setting in Mageia and can be changed via the Mageia Control Center. |
If you have problems with the sound or microphone settings, check the Mixer settings of your graphical environment.
For instance in Gnome: System -> Preferences -> Sound, here you can find the microphone settings in the Input Tab. Make sure that you selected the correct device as an input device, if there are multiple devices available, just try them all.
Installing Pulse Audio Volume Control packages: pavucontrol (Gnome, XFCE etc.) or pavucontrol-qt (KDE) can also help adjust the settings.
Turning off Skype autostart on login
By default, Skype is configured to automatically start when you login to Mageia.
It does this using a file: ~/.config/autostart/skypeforlinux.desktop
[user@localhost ~]$ nl -ba ~/.config/autostart/skypeforlinux.desktop
1 [Desktop Entry]
2 Name=Skype for Linux
3 Comment=Skype Internet Telephony
4 Exec=/usr/bin/skypeforlinux
5 Icon=skypeforlinux
6 Terminal=false
7 Type=Application
8 StartupNotify=false
9 X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
There are several ways to prevent the autostart of Skype when you login. The simplest is to:
- Click on Tools in the Skype menu bar (top of Skype window)
- Select and click on Settings in the tools drop down menu
- In the new Settings window, click on General
- Click on the toggle switch for Automatically Start Skype to switch it off
Verify the change:
[user@localhost ~]$ nl -ba ~/.config/autostart/skypeforlinux.desktop nl: /home/user/.config/autostart/skypeforlinux.desktop: No such file or directory
Links
| Skype voice and video chat | http://www.skype.com |
| MAQeia for Skype discussion | https://forums.mageia.org/en/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=1121 |
Change history
| date | editor | change details |
| 2011_12_25 | Paul Blackburn | first draft |
| 2012_01_07 | Paul Blackburn | removed MIB package link and explained legal issue why Mageia does not include Skype software in Mageia urpmi sources |
| 2012_10_07 | Paul Blackburn | updated install URL for version 4.0.0.8 |
| 2012_11_20 | Paul Blackburn | updated install URL for version 4.1.0.20 with security update |
| 2013_04_27 | Paul Blackburn | updated download link |
| 2014_06_07 | Paul Blackburn | updated install URL for version 4.2.0.13 |
| 2014_06_24 | Paul Blackburn | updated install URL for version 4.3.0.37-1 |
| 2014_10_26 | Paul Blackburn | updated install URL for version 4.3.0.37-5 |
| 2017_05_03 | Papoteur | video no more functional |
| 2017_05_05 | Kristoffer Grundström | Audio works now with 5.1 beta release |
| 2017_11_09 | Frederik Vos | get-skype package not available any longer ? Official rpm works fine, audio / video / bots |
| 2018_05_01 | Paul Blackburn | removed statement about 32 bit version because it is only available for 64 bit |
| 2018_05_01 | Paul Blackburn | added section "Skype system requirements" |
| 2018_05_01 | Paul Blackburn | moved intro text from "install" section to "introduction", added section "Step 1: download", separated install into "Step 2: install", renamed test as "Step 3: test", removed superflous "exit" from dnf install examples |
| 2018_05_01 | Paul Blackburn | added: Appendix 1: "skype_dl_if_new" script to check for and install new version if available |
| 2018_09_16 | Paul Blackburn | updated "skype_dl_if_new" script to display previous and new installed version numbers |
| 2019_12_13 | Paul Blackburn | updated for mageia7, renamed script from "skype_dl_if_new" to "check-skype" |
| 2020_03_02 | Paul Blackburn | added section about switching off Skype autostart on login |
| 2021_03_11 | Paul Blackburn | updated for Mageia 8 |
| 2021_04_03 | Paul Blackburn | Corrected spelling "Turning", set correct section spacing |
| 2021_08_05 | Paul Blackburn | command is now skypeforlinux (was previously skype) |
| 2022_02_14 | Paul Blackburn | replaced references to check_skype script by sync_skype_urpmi |
| 2022_02_14 | Paul Blackburn | removed Appendix-1 check_skype script and Appendix-2 workaround to update. No longer needed now that sync_skype_urpmi is available |
| 2022_02_14 | Paul Blackburn | tidied up manual install replacing examples with /bin/su by /bin/sudo |
| 2022_02_14 | Paul Blackburn | added section: Manual install step 3: package signing key |
| 2022_03_28 | paul Blackburn | added explanation dnf/urpmi in manual install section |
