Skype is introducing a great new way to start video meetings with both Skype and non-skype users with a new feature called ‘Meet Now’. It even works without downloading the Skype app, as Zoom meetings do.
Meet Now in Skype makes video meetings effortless by letting a user easily invite someone into a meeting with only an invitation link. Any person can join a Skype meeting through the invitation link. A Skype account or app is no longer a requirement to video chat on Skype.
Set up a Meeting in Skype using Meet Now
You can create a Skype Meeting from the Desktop, Web, or Mobile app of Skype.
On your computer, open the Skype app or go to web.skype.com link in a web browser and sign-in with your Microsoft Account.
Then, on the left panel of the Skype dashboard, click the ‘Meet Now’ button above the ‘Recent Chats’ list to create a Skype Meeting.
💡 If ‘Meet Now’ button is not showing in your Skype app, then make sure you have the latest version of the app (8.56.0.102 or above) installed, and also update Windows 10 to the most recent build. You can check for Windows updates from your PC Settings » ‘Update & security’ » ‘Check for updates’ option.
If you’re using ‘Meet Now’ for the first time, you’ll see a pop-up box explaining the simple features of Meet Now in Skype, click the ‘Continue’ button to proceed.
Skype will now create a meeting and show you the invitation link for the meeting on the left side of the screen.
Click on the invitation link that starts with ‘join.skype.com/…’ on the left side to copy it to your clipboard and share it with people who you want to invite to the meeting.
You could also use the ‘Share invite’ button to share the invitation link to your Skype contacts or via mail to anyone.
The ‘Blur my background’ feature is enabled by default when you create a Skype meeting. You can choose to disable it from the toggle switch below your video stream.
Also, you could turn off your Video and Microphone before joining the meeting. Click on the Video switch to disable video and the Mic switch to disable the microphone. You will be able to turn back on both the Video and Mic after everyone has joined.
When everything is set, click the ‘Start call’ button on the left side of the meeting startup screen.
The ‘Meet Now’ screen will show with video or profile pictures of everyone who has joined the call.
You can chat, share files, post emoji reactions, and even record the meeting as it goes.
How to Join a Skype Meeting
If you’ve received a Skype Meeting invitation link, click on it to open it in a web browser. Then, if you’ve the Skype app installed on your computer, you’ll see a pop-up on the web browser screen to launch meeting invitation link in the Skype app. Click the ‘Open’ button if you want to do that, or else hit Cancel.
If you open it in Skype app, and you’re signed in with your Skype account in the app, then you’ll see the following screen with a ‘Join Call’ button on the left side. Click on it to enter the meeting.
Before you join the call, you could also choose to turn off Video and Microphone if you don’t want to be seen or heard right after you join the meeting.
If you don’t open the meeting in the Skype app, and you aren’t signed into the Skype Web app, then you can choose to join the meeting as a guest as well without requiring a sign-in with the Skype account.
Click the ‘Join as guest’ button to join a meeting without an Skype account.
On the next screen, enter your name and click the ‘Join’ button to enter the meeting.
Skype will then show you a final confirmation to join the call. For guest accounts, Video and Microphone are turned off by default, you can choose to enable either of the options before you join the meeting.
When you’re ready, click on the ‘Join’ button one last time to enter the meeting.
If your browser doesn’t have the permission to use Camera and Microphone on the Skype Web app, you’ll get a pop-up below the address bar to allow access to either of the devices. Make sure you click on the ‘Allow’ button to be able to share your video and voice in the Skype meeting.
Conclusion
Meet Now in Skype is clearly aimed at making video meetings effortless by making sure that an account and Skype app aren’t required to join a meeting. This was one of the biggest features of Zoom which attracted more users towards the platform despite Skype’s presence in the market long before even the smartphones happened.
Also, we found ‘Meet Now’ in Skype much easier to use than Zoom. It’s indeed a great alternative to Zoom. Also, if you’ve been looking for ways prevent a Zoom Bombing like scenario in your online meetings anyway, you should give ‘Meet Now’ a go.
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