Skype URI tutorial: Windows 8 apps

Learn how to incorporate Skype communication functionality into your Windows 8 apps.

Last modified: June 02, 2014

Applies to: Skype

In this article
Use Skype URIs in your Windows 8 apps
Determine whether a Skype client is installed
What to do if a Skype client is not installed
Additional resources

You can use Skype URIs in your Windows 8 apps; for example, tapping a contact’s picture might start a Skype audio call. After you have constructed the appropriate Skype URI, simply set it as the value of document.location to initiate its actions.

For an introduction to the Fixed Layout template, see JavaScript project templates for Store apps

default.js

JavaScript
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(function () {
  "use strict";

  WinJS.Binding.optimizeBindingReferences = true;

  var app = WinJS.Application;
  var activation = Windows.ApplicationModel.Activation;

  app.onactivated = function (args) {
    if (args.detail.kind === activation.ActivationKind.launch) {
      if (args.detail.previousExecutionState !== activation.ApplicationExecutionState.terminated) {
        // TODO: This application has been newly launched. Initialize
        // your application here.
      }
      else {
        // TODO: This application has been reactivated from suspension.
        // Restore application state here.
      }
      args.setPromise(WinJS.UI.processAll());
    }
  };

  app.oncheckpoint = function (args) {
    // TODO: This application is about to be suspended. Save any state
    // that needs to persist across suspensions here. You might use the
    // WinJS.Application.sessionState object, which is automatically
    // saved and restored across suspension. If you need to complete an
    // asynchronous operation before your application is suspended, call
    // args.setPromise().
  };

  function skypeButtonClick(mouseEvent) {
    document.location = "skype:echo123?call";
  }

  var namespacePublicMembers = { clickEventHandler: skypeButtonClick };
  WinJS.Namespace.define("startPage", namespacePublicMembers);

  app.start();
})();

default.html

HTML
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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8" />
  <title>SkypeUrlSample</title>

  <!-- WinJS references -->
  <link href="//Microsoft.WinJS.1.0/css/ui-dark.css" rel="stylesheet" />
  <script src="//Microsoft.WinJS.1.0/js/base.js"></script>
  <script src="//Microsoft.WinJS.1.0/js/ui.js"></script>

  <!-- SkypeUrlSample references -->
  <link href="/css/default.css" rel="stylesheet" />
  <script src="/js/default.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
  <div data-win-control="WinJS.UI.ViewBox">
    <div class="fixedlayout">
      <div>
        <p class="win-type-xx-large">Skype URI launching sample</p>
        <button id="btn1" onclick="startPage.clickEventHandler(event)">Skype Me</button>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</body>
</html>

Windows 8 applications detect that there is no application associated with the skype: scheme, and alert the user.

Figure 1.  Windows Store dialog box

Windows 8 notification that no app is installed

Windows 8 applications include a link to the Store as part of an alert whenever they detect that no application is associated with the skype: scheme. Click the Store icon to navigate to the entry for the Skype client.

Figure 2.  Windows Store dialog box

Windows 8 noticification highlighting store link
Show: