Skype Crashes in Windows 8.1: Microsoft Releases Patch to Fix the Issue

Skype patch for Windows 8.1 released by Microsoft to fix the crash bug that was affecting numerous users
These Windows 8.1 issues don’t seem to have a clear end, but at least some of them are being taken care of. Such is the case with the reported Skype crashes and “not opening” errors with Windows 8.1. Microsoft has finally released a fix that so far is working for all those that have reported Skype crashing in Windows 8.1.

• Related: Fix: Skype camera not working in Windows 10

Here are some of the most common issues the users have reported with Skype on Windows 8.1:

After upgrading to Windows 8.1 this evening, everything else seems to work fine except Skype.  When I open Skype it starts to load for a few seconds then disappears and I am automatically back at my Start Screen. If I swipe from the left hand side Skype is still running, but again it shows for a few seconds then disappears. All I see is the fullscreen pale blue background with the Skype logo before it disappears, in other words, the app never fully loads. I have tried uninstalling it, restarting my laptop, then reinstalling it from the Windows Store, but it still does the same thing.

Somebody is complaining about various other Skype errors in Windows 8.1:

I just updated to Windows 8.1 and whenever I try to enter the app through the start menu, It starts to show the cirular thinking icon like it is loading, then just closes to the start menu screen.    When I put my mouse on the top left corner, you can still see that the skype app seems to be open, but if you click on it again, it repeats itself, showing the initial skype app loading screen, then goes back to the start screen.

• Read also: 9 best webcam software for Windows users

Fix Skype crashing and not opening issues in Windows 8.1

For some users, installing  .NET framework 3.5 from the “Add windows features” did the trick, but now that Microsoft has an official fix, you should install the update. The patch is called “Skype Windows Store app crashes in Windows 8.1 and in Windows Server 2012 R2″ and has the following symptom: “When you start the Skype Windows Store app in Windows 8.1 or in Windows Server 2012 R2, the app immediately crashes, and Windows returns to the Start screen”.

Microsoft is saying that Skype issues on Windows 8.1 occur when the device has an Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000 (Sandy Bridge) graphics device. If you have set up Windows Update to download and install updates on Windows 8.1 automatically, then you probably already have it installed. If not, you can follow these manual download links from the Microsoft Download Center:

• Download KB 2902892 for Windows 8.1 x86
• Download KB 2902892 for Windows 8.1 x64
• Download KB 2902892 for Windows Server 2012 x64

You will need to restart your Windows 8.1 system so that the update will take place. Let us know in the comments section if this has solved your Skype issues in Windows 8.1. You will identify the Skype Windows 8.1 patch in Windows Update if you choose to install updates on your own with this code – KB2902892.

You can read more articles on this topic, as many users have reported issues with Skype on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. Here are some of them, we recently covered so you can check them out:

• Full Fix: Skype audio won’t work on Windows 10, 8.1, 7
• How to update Skype on Windows 10, Windows 8
• Full Fix: Sorry we didn’t recognize your sign in details Skype error
• Fix: Skype camera not working in Windows 10