How to Resolve Skype Account Linked with Wrong Microsoft Account

Skype is an excellent Voice over IP (VoIP) piece of software with more than 300 million monthly active users and 4.9 million daily active users. Skype is good for communicating with friends, family, business partners, colleagues, and employees across the globe.

Skype lets you send and receive messages, make and receive calls (audio and video), and perform conference calls. You can use Skype on your phone, computer, iPad, tablet, or smart TV.

In 2011, Microsoft bought Skype for $8.5 billion to make a big move into the IP communications industry. Since then, Microsoft has started merging Skype and Microsoft accounts to create a centralized system for the two services.

After the merge, users now have to create a Microsoft account first before being able to create a Skype account. But for old Skype accounts created before the merge, they have to be linked to a Microsoft account to create a single sign-in experience.

Syncing your Skype and Microsoft accounts makes the login process faster and more convenient. This also provides another layer of protection to your account and makes the recovery process a lot easier.

But this is where the problem comes in. Some users who merged their Skype account with the wrong Microsoft account now want to unlink them. Some users got their Skype accounts linked by mistake, while others are not aware of how it happened. This error usually happens when there are multiple users logging in to Skype using the same device.

The problem with a Skype account merged with the wrong Microsoft account is that you won’t be able to access the Microsoft services linked to your own account, such as Outlook, OneDrive, MSN,OneNote, Office Online, and Xbox. Instead, you will have access to the Microsoft services linked to your Skype account.

How to Unlink Skype with Microsoft Account

During the initial years of the merger, Microsoft offered a way to unlink Skype accounts from Microsoft accounts. But for some reason, the tech giant removed this option, making the link permanent.

So if you merged your Skype account with the wrong Microsoft account, there is no way to undo this and separate them. Merging Skype and Microsoft accounts has become a one-way permanent process. And you can only link your Microsoft account once.

According to the Skype support website:

“Since your Skype account is already a Microsoft account, it is not possible to merge or unlink your Skype and Microsoft account.”

Deleting your Skype account won’t do because it will also delete the linked Microsoft account, along with the Microsoft services associated with it. You might be okay with it if the Microsoft account is not yours, but what if it is your business Microsoft account or it belongs to someone you know?

The only workaround to this is to create a new Skype account and link the correct Microsoft account to it.

How to Create a New Skype Account

Since you can’t unlink your Skype from your Microsoft account, what you can do is create a new Skype account and then link it to the correct Microsoft account. You can do this on any device, but since the process requires accessing other apps, using a computer will be more convenient.

Before creating an account, clean up your computer and optimize your system using an app like Outbyte PC Repair.

To create an account using the Skype app:

1. Click on Skype then Sign in.
2. Click the Create one! link.
3. You can use your phone number or email to create an account. Type in the necessary information, then click Next.
4. Create a password for your account, then hit Next.
5. Fill in your First Name and Last Name, then verify your account by entering the code sent to your email.

After creating your account, you can then personalise your Skype with a profile picture, add your contacts, and test your camera and microphone. To log in, you can use the email address and password you provided when creating the account.

Alternatively, you can create an account via the Microsoft website and use it to log into your Skype account.

How to Merge Your Skype and Microsoft Accounts

If you have an existing Microsoft account that you want to merge with your Skype, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Microsoft’s website and log out if you’re already signed in.
2. Log back in using your new Skype account details, then click Next.
3. You will be prompted to choose your preferred account in case of multiple logins. Make sure to choose the correct account because this merge can’t be undone.
4. Click on the Next button if you want to proceed with the same account, or click Use another account
5. Verify your password, then click the Sign In

You have now successfully linked your new Skype account to your Microsoft account. After merging, you only need to input your Microsoft account’s username and password to access all of your accounts under one roof.

Summary

Merging Skype with a Microsoft account allows users to access all Microsoft services in a single login. But it can be annoying if you merged your Skype account with the wrong Microsoft account because you’ll be getting access to the wrong accounts. Unfortunately, there is no way to unlink Skype from the Microsoft account it is associated with. What you can do is create a new Skype account following the instructions above and link it to the correct Microsoft account.