Call quality issues
We’re constantly making improvements to the quality of Skype calls and we highly recommend you use the latest version of Skype. Also, downloading the latest drivers for your audio device can really help too. We also recommend using Skype Certified hardware and headsets where you can.
There are a few other things you can do to improve the quality of your calls.
Avoiding call echo
Skype has a built-in echo canceller which detects and reduces echo during calls. Ongoing echo problems may be caused by:
- The audio device being used by the person you are calling. If they switch from speakers to a headset, the sound quality should be much better.
- A webcam microphone. These are especially sensitive and pick up background noise and echo more easily.
- Speakers. Your microphone can pick up noise from your speakers, so if you use speakers, keep the volume low.
Note: echo cancellation is affected by the level of background noise around you. It works best when you're in a quiet spot to begin with.
Avoiding background noise
Skype has a built-in noise canceller which helps reduce the level of background noise. To avoid background noise you can:
- Try to find a quiet location to call from.
- Move your microphone closer to your mouth and away from noise sources like your computer’s fan.
- Use Skype Certified headsets, handsets and webcams. Built-in microphones in computers and webcams are more prone to picking up background noise.
One-way sound
One-way sound is when one person in a call can't hear the other.
This may occur for a number of reasons:
- Wrong sound device settings:
- If you can't hear the person you are calling or vice versa your sound device settings may not be configured correctly.
- Check your microphone is not muted. Some microphones have buttons to mute/un-mute.
- Check your volume. Everyone in the call should check their device settings and make sure they can hear other sound on their computers (eg playing music).
- You may have incorrect sound mixer settings. Check your sound card manual or get more advice from our sound set up guide. (Please note: the sound card used in our guide is only an illustration – your computer does not have to have the same model for Skype to work.) If that doesn't solve things, check our Troubleshooter.
- Finally, you can try disabling Skype’s sound device auto adjustment. Do this from Skype by clicking Menu > Tools > Options > Sound Devices – uncheck the box: Enable automating sound-device setting adjustment. On the same screen, check that the Audio In and Audio Out devices are set to the ones you actually use.
- Low bandwidth internet:
- One-way sound can be caused by the caller having low internet bandwidth, eg dial-up connections, satellite connections (that use dial-up or GPRS for upload) or low-priced ADSL packages.
- Personal firewall software:
- Some personal firewalls may block Skype's access to the internet. Due to the way these firewalls are designed, blocking usually happens after you have upgraded Skype. This may mean you can't connect, have poor call quality or one-way sound. Check your personal firewall settings and allow Skype to make outgoing connections and accept incoming connections (sometimes called Act as server).
- File sharing:
- Uploading a file while using Skype can sometimes affect the quality of the call. It's a good idea to close all file sharing applications before calling.
- Other people affecting the network:
- If you use Skype within a corporate network, one-way sound may be caused because someone else in the network is affecting internet connectivity. It's quite hard to work out if this is the case, and if it is the problem, there's not a lot you can do about it. However, contacting your system administrator for help is a good idea.
Robotic sound / words cut off / delay
The main reason for robotic sound, dropouts in sentences and delay is bad network performance. Skype is built to be adaptive and to provide the best call quality in all network conditions. Skype also monitors the network performance during a call and shows an alert (two yellow phones next to the time counter on Call Phones tab) with an explanation of what might be affecting your call quality.
For firewall settings please see our firewall guide.
Video problems
- Low bandwidth internet:
- You or the person you're talking to may be experiencing problems with video due to a slow internet connection. You should both try closing other applications that use the internet – that might improve the video quality.
- Video calls have recommended minimum bandwidth of 512Kb/sec downstream and 256Kb/sec upstream (ADSL).
- Processor (CPU) performance:
- You or the person you're talking to might have problems with video call quality when you're running a lot of programs at the same time. Try closing some of them to speed up your computer.
- Video calls have recommended system requirements of a minimum 2.5GHz processor, 512 MB RAM and using Windows XP or higher.
- If you are using a laptop, you may have problems with video calls when in power saving mode. Change your computer to AC power or switch your computer to maximum performance.
- Low lighting:
- If lighting in your room is quite low, you may not send great video quality to the person you are having a video call with. Increase the light level to send a clearer picture.
- USB limitations:
- You may not be sending great video because you’re using other USB devices. Try disconnecting them or try connecting your webcam to an alternative USB port. If you have connected your webcam via a USB hub, consider changing to a direct USB connection on your computer to improve video quality.