Strangers can contact you on Skype. However, you have control over who can reach out to you and how they can contact you. Skype offers features that allow you to manage your privacy settings and control incoming calls and messages from anyone.
By default, Skype allows anyone to contact you, even if they are not in your contacts list. This means that anyone who has your Skype username or email address can send you messages or call you. However, you have the option to change these settings and restrict who can reach out to you.
To control incoming calls from anyone, you can go to your Skype settings and adjust your privacy preferences. Here’s how:
1. Open Skype and sign in to your account.
2. Click on your profile picture or display name at the top-left corner of the Skype window.
3. In the drop-down menu, select “Settings” to open the Settings page.
4. On the left side of the Settings page, click on the “Privacy” tab.
5. Under the “Allow calls from” section, you can choose between three options:
A. “Anyone” – This allows anyone to call you, even if they are not in your contacts.
B. “People in my contacts list” – This restricts incoming calls to only people you have added to your contacts.
C. “Nobody” – This blocks all incoming calls from anyone, regardless of whether they are in your contacts or not.
Additionally, to control incoming messages from anyone, you can follow these steps:
1. Go to the Skype settings by clicking on your profile picture or display name and selecting “Settings”.
2. On the left side of the Settings page, click on the “Privacy” tab.
3. Under the “Allow IMs from” section, you can choose between three options:
A. “Anyone” – This allows anyone to send you messages, even if they are not in your contacts.
B. “People in my contacts list” – This restricts incoming messages to only people you have added to your contacts.
C. “Nobody” – This blocks all incoming messages from anyone, regardless of whether they are in your contacts or not.
By adjusting these settings, you can have more control over who can contact you on Skype. This can be useful to avoid receiving unwanted messages or calls from strangers.
Furthermore, if you prefer to be more private and not appear in Skype search results, you have the option to opt out of being visible. Here’s how:
1. Open Skype and sign in to your account.
2. Click on your profile picture or display name at the top-left corner of the Skype window.
3. In the drop-down menu, select “Settings” to open the Settings page.
4. On the left side of the Settings page, click on the “Privacy” tab.
5. Under the “Appear in” section, you will see the option “Skype search results”.
6. By default, this option is enabled, which means your Skype profile can be found in search results.
7. To opt out of being visible in Skype search results, simply toggle off the switch next to “Skype search results”.
By following these steps, you can control who can contact you on Skype and adjust your privacy settings according to your preferences. It’s important to note that while these settings can help manage incoming calls and messages from strangers, it’s always advisable to be cautious when interacting with people you don’t know.