Member Avatar for vibhaJ

I have one link in my webpage where user can call to other skype user.

<a href="skype:skype_username?call">Call me</a>

But when user have not skype installed in their pc one notification popup is coming.

Is there any way in any manner i can detect is skype is installed or not? so i can give custom message to install skype.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by vibhaJ

Dani AI

Generated

A concise expert note and a practical fallback pattern that complements the replies from , and .

The reliable approach is progressive enhancement: try a protocol-handler open as a quick heuristic, but always present a visible install/fallback path because client browsers and OSes behave differently. The code below attempts the protocol, watches for a visibility/blur change as a sign the external app launched, and calls a fallback if nothing happens within a short timeout.

// attemptProtocolOpen(protocolUri, onNotInstalled, timeoutMs)
function attemptProtocolOpen(protocolUri, onNotInstalled, timeoutMs) {
  timeoutMs = timeoutMs || 1500;
  var iframe = document.createElement('iframe');
  iframe.style.display = 'none';
  document.body.appendChild(iframe);

  var handled = false;
  var timer = setTimeout(function() {
    if (!handled) onNotInstalled && onNotInstalled();
    cleanup();
  }, timeoutMs);

  function cleanup() {
    clearTimeout(timer);
    try { document.body.removeChild(iframe); } catch (e) {}
    document.removeEventListener('visibilitychange', onVisibility);
    window.removeEventListener('blur', onBlur);
  }

  function onVisibility() {
    if (document.visibilityState === 'hidden') {
      handled = true;
      cleanup();
    }
  }
  function onBlur() {
    handled = true;
    cleanup();
  }

  document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', onVisibility);
  window.addEventListener('blur', onBlur);

  try {
    iframe.contentWindow.location.href = protocolUri;
  } catch (e) {
    // some browsers throw — ignore and rely on timeout/fallback
  }
}

Troubleshooting and caveats:

  • This is heuristic. Some browsers block or prompt for custom URIs; mobile browsers often behave differently. Test Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari on desktop and mobile.
  • Use a clear, visible fallback (a download link, a web-calling option or instructions) rather than forcing redirects. Avoid very short timeouts; start around 1.2–1.8s and adjust.
  • Client-side detection cannot be perfectly reliable; server-side detection of installed apps is not possible.
  • If an official helper script or SDK is available (as noted earlier in the thread), prefer it for broad compatibility, and still keep the fallback UX described above.

Recommended Answers

All 5 Replies

Member Avatar for Member #334542

Somewhat you have to give a alternate link to download skype.Use the icon of Skype before your href and give the tool tip as click here to download skype. This is just my suggestion. I dont know how to identify whether they installed skype

Member Avatar for pritaeas

According to some threads on stackoverflow, there was at some point a detection method available, but at the skype website there is no trace of it.

However, if skype is not installed, then you will get a popup that you need it.

Member Avatar for vibhaJ

i also found during search, but don't know how to implement it in coding as i have no idea of action script.

Edited by vibhaJ because: n/a
Member Avatar for almostbob 
<head><script type="text/javascript" src=""></script></head>
<a href="skype:skype_username?call" onclick="return skypeCheck();"> Call me on Skype </a>

page 9999999 on the howtos, no-one is ever likely to find it,
it was linked as "how to offer skype me calls from my website"
but no longer is

Edited by almostbob because: n/a
Member Avatar for vibhaJ

Yeah this works... thnx almostbob and all..

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