Microsoft Enables Web-Based Skype Calling on Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge is getting extension support in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update this summer, but you won’t need to extension to use Skype free voice, video and group video calling in the browser. And today, you can preview this functionality via an early release of Skype video calling on Microsoft Edge.

“We want to make it easy for anyone to connect on Skype,” The Skype team writes in a new post to the Garage & Updates blog. “We know people don’t want to worry about what device the person they want to speak to has close by – they just want Skype to work.”

Starting today, you can use Microsoft Edge to visit Skype for Web,Outlook.com, Office Online and OneDrive and engage in Skype free voice, video and group video calls without first installing a plug-in/extension.

“Skype calls on the web are hassle free,” Microsoft explains, “for the hundreds of millions of you that use Outlook.com every day, to those that visit Skype.com wanting to make a call or anyone preparing a presentation on PowerPoint online; plugin free calling enables quick-fire chat and collaboration, making it easier to get things done together, with anyone, anywhere. No matter where you are, Skype calling on the web is now just a tap away, right there, ready to go.”

For users of Chrome and Firefox, you will still need a plug-in to perform some Skype calls from the browser. But Microsoft says it we will continue to work on enabling audio and video interoperability with these browsers once they both support the H.264 video codec that’s required.

“We want to bring seamless calling to everyone, not just people using Microsoft Edge,” Microsoft says.