Microsoft Brings Single Sign-On Capabilities to Skype

Microsoft Brings Single Sign-On Capabilities to Skype

Starting next week, Skype users will be able to sign-in to other Microsoft services—like Outlook.com, OneDrive and Xbox Live—using their Skype IDs. It’s all part of an effort to consolidate customers’ online personas through a single online identity, the Microsoft Account.

“We’ve been working to bring Skype and Microsoft closer together and are excited to announce that soon you will be able to use your Skype Name to sign into other Microsoft services like Xbox, Office and OneDrive,” a Skype announcement reads. “With a single sign-in (and an email address for certain services) you will soon be able to have fun on Xbox Live, access your photos and documents through OneDrive, check your email on Outlook.com, and connect with your friends and family on Skype.”

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Microsoft has offered the ability to tie your Skype account to your Microsoft account for years, but this is the final piece of the puzzle. Going forward, you will be able to use both accounts interchangeably when using Microsoft’s consumer services. And if you have two-step authentication set up on your Microsoft account—as you should—that will pass through automatically to your Skype sign-ins as well. Which is excellent.

When I spoke with Skype back in July, I was told this integration was coming, and that one of the benefits is that Skype users who forget their Skype ID passwords will now have full reset and recovery functionality through the normal Microsoft account web experience.

“The Skype sign-in screen, password change and account recovery flow are now managed by Microsoft,” the Skype team explains. “None of these changes will affect your ability to use Skype: As usual, you can still sign in using your Skype Name.”

 

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Conversation 12 comments

  • 120

    Premium Member
    18 October, 2016 - 1:27 pm

    <p>The bitter man in me says that Skype IDs should be replaced by Microsoft Account. Why do the two co-exist? I understand the need for a "screen name" but to give the two accounts the interchangability is strange. It would be like me being able to sign into my&nbsp;Outlook.com account with my Xbox ID.</p>

  • 127

    Premium Member
    18 October, 2016 - 1:33 pm

    <p>I hope we will be able to block the option to sign in with a Skype ID, much like you do with an Outlook.com&nbsp;alias. Obviously in the name of account security</p>

    • 127

      Premium Member
      18 October, 2016 - 1:55 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#21347">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/Bart">Bart</a><a href="#21347">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>Password for MSA and Skype is now the same. Plus there is 2 Factor Authentication, provided you have it set up on your MSA.</p>

  • 5234

    18 October, 2016 - 1:45 pm

    <p>Are they going to get rid of that stupid multi-stage login screen when you use Microsoft accounts? &nbsp;I hate those! &nbsp;They come up everywhere. &nbsp;They even make distinctions between Office 365 and "Microsoft" accounts. &nbsp;Office 365 accounts SHOULD BE Microsoft accounts too. &nbsp;Google seems to be doing just fine with G Suite accounts also doubling as Google Accounts. &nbsp;When you use Gmail or Drive, or any other Google service from a G Suite account, you’re provided with the same server address, just with added functionality over free Google accounts. &nbsp;Microsoft gets that utterly wrong. &nbsp;You can have an Office 365 account and a Microsoft account with the same email address, and run into all kinds of headaches with services like OneDrive and Office 365 not knowing which account to go to. &nbsp;What’s worse is that Office 365 doesn’t even have the same server login for home or business accounts, and when you buy a retail package license that’s for Office Home &amp; Business or Professional, which is good for business licensing (for for-profit business use), you’re still taken to the consumer login page. &nbsp;Google account management is simpler, and just plain better. &nbsp;Microsoft needs to unify their services better. &nbsp;It’s no doubt they’ll keep them separate so that if they want, they can split off the consumer side of the company so that they can fail on their own.</p>

    • 2330

      18 October, 2016 - 3:19 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#21350">In reply to </a><a href="../../../../users/Waethorn">Waethorn</a><a href="#21350">:</a></em></blockquote>
      <p>This has been and continues to be dumb. I hate having two seperate logins!</p>

  • 6323

    19 October, 2016 - 1:15 am

    <p>When I sign into my PC from lock screen, I’m already connected to all my MS services. Why should I need to enter my name. It’s displayed on my lock screen!!! Security woes… How will they make this more secure than my password or even Hello login.</p>

  • 5553

    19 October, 2016 - 2:12 am

    <p>This is what Daniel Rubino said.</p>
    <p>Saw it first there.</p>

  • 5615

    19 October, 2016 - 3:51 am

    <p>Given the wording in the announcement, I’m assuming this is aimed primarily at the "consumer" market. This all seems to assume everyone&nbsp;will have only one Microsoft account and one Skype account and that these two accounts are linked — which isn’t necessarily a valid assumption. Unless they’ve recently made changes to the backend, there’s no way to merge multiple Skype accounts; so single sign-on might not&nbsp;even be practical for many folks.&nbsp;This shouldn’t really matter unless they decide one day to force everyone to link accounts. Then, it’ll be a problem, a big problem.</p>

  • 1561

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2016 - 8:31 am

    <p>I noticed in yesterday’s podcast, Brad was experimenting with unifying his Microsoft Account in Skype IDs. His comment/theory was the combination basically&nbsp;caused his Skype ID to be absorbed by his&nbsp;Microsoft Account. He seemed to indicate he could no longer use his Skype ID to sign into things.</p>
    <p>However, I’ve not found this to be the case. For instance, I was able to log into outlook.com using my Skype ID or my email address. It would seem that&nbsp;my Skype ID is now more&nbsp;or less an alias that’s interchangeable with any of my other login aliases for my Microsoft Account.</p>
    <p>I’m pretty fortunate that my Skype ID and outlook.com&nbsp;username&nbsp;are the same, so really it just simplifies things for me. Now, I can type "gregsedwards" on any Microsoft property and click login. Simple.</p>
    <p>In general, I’d say this is one of the least painful convergences that I’ve been through in my many years of Microsoft fandom.</p>

  • 1572

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2016 - 9:26 am

    <p>In order for this to work properly, I had to login to Outlook mail with my Skype login and than it took me through this merging process. &nbsp;I initially tried it from Skype (used my Outlook email) and while it allowed me to login, it was my Outlook Skype account with no info and no option to merge. &nbsp;All good now though and I can login to Microsoft services with either my email or skype.</p>

  • 127

    Premium Member
    19 October, 2016 - 2:15 pm

    <p>Only just noticed that signing up for a new Skype ID can only be done via to options:</p>
    <p>1) phone number</p>
    <p>2) email (outlook.com)</p>
    <p>So I can’t help but thinking the original Skype ID’s are on their way out, once the Single Sign In proces is completed</p>

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