Skypehost.exe (Windows Skype) is a process that runs on PCs that are powered by Microsoft's operating system Windows 10 by default.

It does so by default right after installation or first start of the operating system even if the Skype desktop software has not been installed on the machine.

Skypehost.exe powers two applications that Microsoft installs by default on systems running Windows 10: Skype and Messaging + Skype

Messaging is a chat application that Skype was added to, enabling users to send messages using Skype instead of using other forms such as SMS.

Skype Video, integrates more of Skype's functionality to Windows 10 directly. It enables you to make video calls or voice calls (by turning off the camera), and also chat with contacts.

Skypehost.exe

Skypehost.exe runs as a suspended process on Windows 10 if Messaging + Skype, or Skype Video are not being used.

You can verify that in the following way:

Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-Esc to open the Windows Task Manager. Windows 10 opens a poor man's version by default, click on "more details" to display the full interface. You find the Skypehost.exe process listed as a background process called "Microsoft Skype" under Processes, or directly with its file name under the Details tab.

Suspended is one of the states of an application's lifecycle on Windows 10. It is sleeping more or less, ready to switch to the running state once activated by the user or automatically.

Suspended apps use little memory and usually no cpu, and it may not make much of a difference on most systems whether skypehost.exe is listed as a suspended process or not.

Windows 10 will terminate suspended applications if resources they use are needed elsewhere.

Disabling the Windows Skype process

It makes little sense on the other hand to keep the process in suspended state if Skype Video or Messaging + Skype are not used on the system.

Option 1: Uninstall Messaging + Skype

This is probably the best option for the majority of users. It is easy to carry out and uses build-in Windows options to remove the application from the system.

Use the keyboard shortcut Windows-I to open the Settings application. Navigate to System > Apps & features, and wait until the list of installed apps and programs is displayed fully on the page. You can browse the selection manually, or, and that is the faster way, type skype into the search at the top to list the two applications that you need to remove from the system. Click on Messaging + Skype, and then on the uninstall button that appears. Confirm the prompt that appears to remove the application from the system. While you are at it, remove "get skype" as well.

Check the Windows Task Manager after the uninstallation process completes. You will notice that skypehost.exe is no longer running as a process on the PC.

Option 2: Remove Skype using the PowerShell

If you cannot remove Skype using the Settings application, need more control over the process, or want to execute the uninstallation on remote computer systems, then you may use PowerShell instead to remove the apps from those systems.

Tap on the Windows-key, type PowerShell, hold down Ctrl and Shift, and hit enter on the keyboard to open an elevated Powershell prompt. Confirm the UAC prompt to continue. Run the following commands one after the other, press enter after each line. Get-AppxPackage *messaging* | Remove-AppxPackage Get-AppxPackage *skypeapp* | Remove-AppxPackage

Useful information about skypehost.exe

The installation directory of Microsoft Messaging, and skypehost.exe, is the following one:

C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.Messaging_2.13.20000.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\

Please note that the version may change when updates are released, and that you cannot open the folder using File Explorer.

The easiest way to list the folder name is to do the following:

Tap on the Windows-key, type cmd.exe, hold down Ctrl and Shift, and hit enter. This opens an elevated command prompt window. Confirm the UAC prompt to continue. Use the command cd "c:\Program Files\WindowsApps" to navigate to the folder. Use the command dir to display all folders, and scroll up until you find the Microsoft Messaging entry. Use the command cd Microsoft.Messaging_2.13.20000.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe to navigate to the folder. Make sure you replace the version with the one displayed to you. Use the command dir to display the folder's contents. You find skypehost.exe listed in that folder.

How to restore the removed applications

If you find out at a later point in time that you need the Skype or Messaging application again, then you may want to restore the apps on the system.

The easiest way to do that is to visit Windows Store, search for the apps' name (e.g. Messaging + Skype), and install it from there. All default apps are listed in the Store.

Alternatively, use a program like 10AppsManager to restore these applications on the system.

Summary Article Name Disable Skypehost.exe (Windows Skype) on Windows 10 Description Find out how to remove the Skypehost.exe (Windows Skype) process so that it does not run anymore when you use your Windows 10 device. Author Martin Brinkmann Publisher Ghacks Technology News Logo

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