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How to close ads on Skype. How to block ads in different versions of Skype

I'm already tired of advertising on Skype. Honestly. Moreover, it is displayed almost everywhere: on home page Skype, right, top, bottom…. And in Lately There were even animated banners: it all blinks, sparkles - just quiet horror! If there was a version of Skype without ads, everyone would probably switch to it immediately. But there is no such thing, so we have to look for other ways.

Usually this method rarely works, but still. Advertising will remain, although perhaps there will be less of it. Go ahead.

How to remove ads on Skype via IE

The IE browser, which almost no one uses, is associated with Skype. And most of the errors that occur in the messenger appear precisely because of it.

Owners of Windows 8 additionally need to install normal Internet Explorer. The fact is that the standard version of IE does not have the necessary settings and, accordingly, you cannot change them.


A new window will open where you need to add to the exception:

https://apps.skype.com

https://rad.msn.com

Blocking ads via hosts file

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

It is not recommended to run it through Word or another editor, because in such a case changes will not be saved. This requires administrator rights.

  1. Copy it to comfortable spot- for example, for a slave. table.
  2. Open via Notepad++ or notepad.
  3. Add 2 lines at the end:

127.0.0.1 apps.skype.com

127.0.0.1 rad.msn.com


If you enter them manually, be sure to put a space after the one.

Save this file. Then select it, right-click, go to “Properties”, check the “Reading” box and click “Apply”.

After that, copy hosts to the same folder (with replacement).

All these manipulations must be carried out with Skype turned off. The same applies to the above method with Internet Explorer.

How to block ads using Adguard

Adguard is an excellent program designed to remove ads on your PC. Its effect applies to both browsers and other software.

All you need is to launch Adguard, open the “Filtered applications” tab and click the “Add” button.

Then specify the path where the Skype exe file is located (by default it is located in the Program Files folder on the local drive C). After this, Adguard will disable advertising on Skype. Perhaps, of all the methods described above, this is the most effective. But paid.

The advertisement is engine of the trade. Videos, banners, pop-up advertisements are present on almost any website and even programs that are installed on your computer. To generate additional profit, advertising also appeared on Skype. Many users are indifferent to such innovations, but not all. As you already understand, this article is dedicated to people who want to figure out how to remove advertising on Skype? I would like to cancel that we will talk about how to disable advertising on Skype in different ways and if the first option does not suit you, then try to implement the next one and you will definitely succeed.

There are several ways to do this. We will consider them in detail, and you yourself will choose the appropriate one, depending on your level of knowledge and desire. Please read this article to the end - there is different ways, which allow you to get rid of advertising on Skype and one of them will definitely help you.

Setting up Skype

The simplest and effective method disabling pop-up ads in Skype is included in the settings of the program itself. The procedure is very simple:

Go to the toolbar and find the “Tools” section. In the drop-down menu you must select “Settings...”.

A window with program settings will appear. Now use the menu on the left, click on the “Alerts” tab and select “Alerts” - “Notifications and messages”. Next, uncheck the “Promotions” box. After making changes, click “Save”. You may need to restart Skype. It may happen that the advertisement does not disappear. Then you need to additionally clear the cache and temporary Internet files.

Above I described a method for older versions of Skype, but times are changing, and there are no such settings in Skype anymore. Now let's talk about what can be done in current versions:

  • Open the “Settings” menu and select the “Security” section.
  • Go to the “Security Settings” section.
  • Disable advertising "Allow targeted advertising...".
  • Save the settings by clicking on the “Save” button.

Setting up Internet Explorer

So, above we discussed the program settings, and now let's start setting up the system. First, open the “Browser Options” window, which is located in the “Tools” menu, or go to “Start” - “Control Panel” - select “Small icons” at the top right - and find “Browser Options”.

We go to the “Security” subsection, where you make security settings for sites, blocking unwanted Internet content, and connection settings.

Setting up a "Restricted Sites" zone solves your problem. You need to select this zone and click the “Nodes” button. Now we enter the sites to block:

  • http://rad.msn.com
  • http://apps.skype.com
  • https://static.skypeassets.com

If the result is not achieved, then we add several more sites: http://api.skype.com, as well as http://adriver.ru. Close the “Restricted Nodes” window. Next, save the changes made. To do this, click the "OK" button and close the "Internet Options" window. Launch Skype to check the result, the advertisement should disappear from Skype.

Setting up the Hosts system file

Perhaps the option above did not help you (although it should), in which case I will show you more effective ways, which will help solve our question today - how to remove advertising on Skype.

The hosts file does not have an extension, so in the usual way You can't open it by double-clicking it. It does not have an association for opening in any program, but this can be done in a regular notepad. Launch “My Computer” and go to the Windows folder on the system drive. You need to find a file called notepad and run it as administrator. To do this, right-click on this file and select “Run as administrator.”

IMPORTANT! If you open the program in normal mode, then subsequent editing and saving of the hosts file will be impossible.

After opening notepad, you now need to specify the path where the hosts file is located - C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. Using the menu in the notepad “File” - “Open”, we find our file and click “Open”.

Attention! To display a file in a folder, you need to change the filtering in the file opening window from " Text documents" to "All files".

Now you need to make changes to the hosts file, or rather, block sites that broadcast advertising from the Internet to Skype. At the end of the document, after the hash marks (#), add:

127.0.0.1 rad.msn.com

127.0.0.1 apps.skype.com

127.0.0.1 api.skype.com

127.0.0.1 static.skypeassets.com

127.0.0.1 adriver.ru

127.0.0.1 devads.skypeassets.net

127.0.0.1 devapps.skype.net

127.0.0.1 qawww.skypeassets.net

127.0.0.1 qaapi.skype.net

127.0.0.1 preads.skypeassets.net

127.0.0.1 preapps.skype.net

127.0.0.1 serving.plexop.net

127.0.0.1 preg.bforex.com

127.0.0.1 ads1.msads.net

127.0.0.1 flex.msn.com

Attention! The “#” symbol at the beginning of each line means that the text is just a comment and does not provide any functionality. Do not put this symbol in front of the entries you are adding. The text in the file may differ depending on the operating system version.

Close the hosts file after saving all changes. Check the result in Skype.

Top up your Skype balance

Microsoft decided to install greed protection in Skype and did the following. She allowed ads to be shown in accounts that do not have money. Thus saying – “Do you want to use Skype for free? Then watch the commercial." As you understand, you need to add a little money to your account and then the advertising will disappear. This method is not suitable for many people, but if you decide to make calls to phones from Skype, then you can fork out a little.

In the main menu of the program, click “Skype” - “Deposit money to your Skype account...”.

The last option (replenishing the balance) is extreme measures. I hope that free methods will help you figure out how to disable advertising on Skype.

I suggest watching the video to visually understand this procedure:

Good afternoon, dear readers! Advertising helps develop business, and many companies use Skype and other instant messengers to promote their services and products. However, app users rarely treat it as something exciting and attention-grabbing. Many people are dissatisfied with the appearance of advertising messages on their pages and in chats and use all means to turn them off.

However, before trying to resolve this issue, let’s consider why and who needs advertising projects in the messenger, why they are used so often.

  • advertisers gain access to an audience of millions. This is a great opportunity to promote your services and products, publish updates;
  • Skype receives money from advertisers;
  • users learn about new products and services. Most people don't like it, but sometimes advertising can be helpful.
  • targeted. Configured directly by Microsoft, based on your personal settings;
  • various companies.

How to completely disable and block advertising on Skype in Windows

Annoying ads on Skype can be disabled in several ways.

Let us note the following:

  • We remove the Microsoft information that Skype selects depending on the gender and age you specified during registration. To do this, uncheck “Allow targeted Microsoft advertising” in “Security Settings” (see “Settings”);
  • delete temporary files;
  • blocking intrusive information about products by making changes to the hosts file. What we need for this is to first find this very file. It is located at the following address: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. Open it in standard Notepad and make two entries, which are shown in the photo below: Next, delete the temporary hosts file.

Don't miss the space before the site name! Save the file and replace it with the original one, which is located in the etc folder.

Is there a version of Skype without ads and is it possible to download it?

Once upon a time it was possible to download official version applications without advertising, but at the time of writing, only one is available - Skype-8.31.0.92. The manufacturer provides for the use of advertising information on it. Its appearance depends on whether personal information is provided and whether you consent to its use.

If appropriate information is not provided, advertisements may not appear.

conclusions

Advantages and disadvantages

  • the opportunity to save Internet traffic, since all ads and especially videos are downloaded to a PC or phone, and you are forced to pay money for it;
  • the ability to improve device performance, since loading ads takes some resources; after removing it, applications will run faster (more relevant for mobile devices);
  • the opportunity to make communication more comfortable when nothing will distract you from the conversation with your interlocutor.
  • limiting one’s ability to purchase quality goods.

Video review:

Advertising for Skype is loaded by accessing special pages. Our task is to prohibit this appeal. To do this, we will edit the “hosts” file, which is available in all three OSes. There is another one for Windows, additional method. The solutions work on both older versions (5-6.x) and Skype 7 (including versions 7.5 and higher).

Important: Before you begin, be sure to close the messenger.


Windows

Method number 1.

Navigate to the path “C:WindowsSystem32driversetc” (Sometimes “C:WindowsSysWOW64driversetc”, where C: - the drive letter on which Windows is installed. The last folder contains the hosts file, which can be opened using a simple notepad:


Paste the following text into this file:

127.0.0.1 rad.msn.com
127.0.0.1 g.msn.com
127.0.0.1 live.rads.msn.com
127.0.0.1 ads1.msn.com
127.0.0.1 static.2mdn.net
127.0.0.1 ads2.msads.net
127.0.0.1 a.ads2.msads.net
127.0.0.1 b.ads2.msads.net
127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ac3.msn.com
127.0.0.1 ec.atdmt.com
127.0.0.1 msntest.serving-sys.com
127.0.0.1 sO.2mdn.net
127.0.0.1 aka-cdn-ns.adtech.de
127.0.0.1 secure.flashtalking.com
127.0.0.1 cdn.atdmt.com
127.0.0.1 apps.skype.com


Then click File → Save. All is ready.

Method number 2.

It also happens that the system does not allow you to save changes to hosts. To remove ads from Skype anyway, we use a special program called Hosts Editor.


1. Install the application. Then run it as administrator:


2. You will have to make entries one at a time. This is perhaps the only drawback of this utility.
3. When you're done, make sure your entries are checked and click "Save."


Alternative.

If these actions do not help remove advertising, we will remove it through “Internet Options”.

1. Go to Start → Control Panel → Internet Options. If there is no such item, then change the display method to large or small icons:


Windows 7 and above:


2. In the Properties window, go to the Security tab and click on Restricted Sites.


3. Click on the “Nodes” button, after which a new window appears.
4. Here we enter 2 addresses: “apps.skype.com”, then click “Add”, and “g.msn.com”, and “Add” again. Ready!



Mac OS X

Method number 1.

1. Go to Finder.
2. Select Go → Go to Folder.


3. Enter the path “/private/etc/hosts” (without quotes).
4. A new window will appear with a list of files, including hosts. Double-click on it with the left mouse button.


5. A text editor will open. We insert all the links from the list here.


6. Save the file, but on your desktop.
7. Then, drag it to the folder (/private/etc/hosts), agreeing with the OS's offer to replace the document already there.

Method number 2.

Here you just need to open the Terminal (Find it in Applications → Utilities), then enter the following commands (without quotes):

1. “sudo cp /private/etc/hosts ~/Documents/hosts-backup”
This command creates a backup copy of the file, which you can later restore if you want.
2. “sudo nano /private/etc/hosts”
Now the file itself opens directly.
3. If you are asked to enter a password, use the one you entered when installing applications (when you enter it, it may not appear as if you did not press anything. This is normal. When the password is entered, press Enter).
4. Enter addresses from the list one by one. After each added entry, you must press CTRL+O to confirm the changes. When done, press CTRL+X to exit the Terminal.

To return to the previously created copy of the file, open Terminal and enter “sudo cp ~/Documents/hosts-backup /private/etc/hosts”.

Linux

The method is similar to Mac OS X, but a little simpler.

1. Go to the system folder, find another one in it - “etc”.
2. Open the desired file located there in any text editor.

Skype is a well-known and popular instant messenger. But due to the fact that Microsoft has added a large volume of advertisements to it, some users refuse to use it. In this article you will read recommendations on how to disable advertising in Skype.

Disabling advertising

Methods for blocking advertising windows in different Skype versions(you may be interested in reading “The new version of Skype will hide user IP addresses by default”) are different because after the 2015 update, the messenger lost the ability to partially disable them in the program settings. So first check which build you are using.

In the messenger window, click Help → About Skype → view the version.

In earlier versions

In the main window


Good to know! If desired, disable the “Help and advice from Skype” option.

In the conversation window


Using Internet Explorer


In new versions

Before starting setup, be sure to exit the program.

Important! After clicking the close cross, Skype is minimized to tray. Therefore, you need to exit the application rather than minimize it.


After the changes are made, the Skype window will have a compact appearance and will be devoid of advertising banners. The video shows this more clearly.

Conclusion

To disable advertising in Skype, block the messenger from accessing certain Microsoft servers. This can be done in the hosts file. But in different versions program, the algorithm of actions is different. Advertising can also be disabled using Internet Explorer.