How to use Skype Meet Now for quick virtual meetings

How to use Skype Meet Now for quick virtual meetings

Skype Meet Now offers a faster and simpler way to run a virtual meeting.

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Image: Microsoft

To use the full version of Skype, you need an account and the right software or web browser. But if you don’t have those items, you can still quickly and easily create a virtual meeting using Skype Meet Now. With Skype Meet Now, you set up your meeting by generating and sharing a link with the other attendees. The other participants don’t need a Skype account to join the meeting, and Skype Meet Now offers several of the features included in the full version.

On a computer, you can run Meet Now from the Skype application or directly from the web. On a mobile phone or tablet, though, you will need the Skype app for this to work. After you launch Meet Now, a shareable meeting link is generated. The participants can join through the Skype program, through the web on a PC, or through the Skype app on a mobile device.

With Skype Meet Now, you can view a list of participants and recent chats, turn the camera and microphone on or off, share your screen, and record your call. Beyond setting up a virtual meeting, you can also chat with other people, share files, and create polls.

SEE: The tech pro’s guide to video conferencing (free PDF) (TechRepublic) 

If you do have the Skype application installed on your computer, you can start your meeting using any browser, but if you don’t have it installed, you’ll need do this from Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, as only those browsers support Skype for the web. Let’s check out the web version to see how this works without the Skype software. 

1. Surf to the Skype Meet Now page. There’s no need to sign in, but you can if you wish.

2. Click the button to Create A Free Meeting (Figure A). A meeting link is generated.

Figure A

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3. Click the Share Invite button, and choose whether to share the link by copying it or by emailing it through Outlook or Gmail. If you’re signed in, you can also share it directly with any of your Skype contacts (Figure B).

Figure B

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4. Click the button to Start Call. 

5. At the next screen, you can opt to join the meeting as a guest or sign in with your Microsoft Account (Figure C).

Figure C

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6. At the next screen, enter your name, and click the Join button (Figure D).

Figure D

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At this point, your participants can click the meeting link and join the meeting as guests or via their own Microsoft Accounts. All participants would enter their names as well. When the participants have joined, you can start off by chatting with them (Figure E).

Figure E

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How to start a Skype video meeting

1. Click the Start Call button.

2. Turn on your camera and microphone, then click the Start Call button (Figure F). Once the meeting has started on your end, each participant clicks the Join Call button.

Figure F

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3. You now have several options. 

  • Click the screen to activate all the icons.
  • Click the Chat icon to chat with all participants or just individual ones.
  • Click the Share Screen icon to share your entire screen, a specific application, or a window. 
  • Create a poll and schedule a meeting from the Chat pane.
  • Click the Reaction icon, and select an emoji to express a reaction (Figure G).

Figure G

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4. Click the More icon. From here, you can do the following.

  • Turn on subtitles to display text of the conversation as it progresses.
  • Turn off the incoming video feed.
  • Place the call on hold.
  • Adjust your audio and video settings (Figure H).
  • Take a snapshot and blur your background, if you’re using the Skype software.

Figure H

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How to record a meeting using the Skype application

1. Click the Start Recording button. 

2. When finished, click the button to stop recording. 

3. After the call has ended, you can play the recording at the Chats screen in Skype, as well as save it to your computer, forward it to someone else, or remove it (Figure I).

Figure I

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