How Do I Find People on Skype?

By Lynn Anders on December 10, 2010

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With its free user-friendly technology, Skype has changed how people stay connected, for some making email an outdated form of communication. Skype allows users to connect with one another via Internet video conferencing, phoning, texting and Facebook. This gives both business professionals and families an easy and inexpensive way to stay in touch. There are a couple of different ways to find people on Skype, but you'll need to have an account, which is free to set up.

Step 1

Set up an account with Skype by going to the Skype home page. Click the "Join Skype" button at the top right of the screen and follow the prompts to establish your account. You will need to provide your first and last name and an email address.

Step 2

Follow the instructions for downloading Skype onto your computer. When the download has finished, open the program. It will be found in the location you directed, such as in your download folder or on your desktop.

Step 3

Click "Contacts" on the menu bar and choose "Add a Contact" to search for a single person. In the screen that opens, fill in the text boxes with any information you have on the person you are searching for, such as name, email address, or Skype name. Click the "View" tab to see a list of results. Click the "Add Contact" button for any names you will to add to your contacts.

Step 4

Add contacts from your email address book by using the "Import Contacts" tab found in the "Contacts" menu option to search for several people at once. Choose from where you want to import contacts -- such as Facebook or Outlook -- enter your username and password, and click "Import" to complete the process. You can then add found contacts with the "Add Contact" button.

About the Author

Lynn Anders has more than 15 years of professional experience working with animals as a zookeeper and wildlife educator, and in pet rescue. Freelance writing since 2007, her work has appeared on websites such as Modern Mom and Trails, and includes pet-related topics, environmental issues and parenting matters. She has a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies from Cal State University-Sacramento, and minored in biology.