Messenger contacts not showing in Skype

[Claudius Community Manager]

Thanks for the feedback, GrodanLeFrog. Indeed one possible cause we're working on fixing is a problem with synrchonization gone wrong. Obviously if you reinstall and remove all previous data you trigger a new sync and chances are high that it succeeds and you will end up with a working contact list again. Obviously we don't want to ask everyone to delete all their Skype chat logs but rather fix our app to detect this error and fix it in the local database.

[royu]

Ok, I did a test with one of my contacts (one that was deleted and that I restored, after that all my messenger contacts are shown as offline). I send my contact a message, it was received and  I got a message back. So, it seems that there is a display problem. As if my status is offline (and theirs), but in real it isn't.

Ok, MS and Skype. This problem is now going on for some weeks. Would be nice if you could solve this soon. Many thanks already!

[capeside]

I readded all contacts manually in Messenger from outlook.com website. Everyone of them showed offline in WL-Messenger.

I closed Messenger and Skype. Skype all Messenger-Contacts show offline. WL-Messenger after restart all contacts are GONE AGAIN.

So I think somehow Skype changes the contacts that they are not recognised as Messenger contacts anymore, removing them somehow. But Messenger shows that I'm loged in to 2 endpoints (Skype and WLM)...

This is a REALLY ANNOYING situation going on for over a month now! Never saw such a lame support from a company. But okay its Microsoft now... So works as expected.

[GrodanLeFrog]

So for all the people that does not care about chat-logs and do not mind a clean re-install of skype there is a solution. Now, those who wants to wait around for the problem to go away rather then fixing it, just wait patiently. Or backup your chatlogs and have a working Skype-Messenger solution i a couple of minutes.
Atleast for me it was a easy enough decision..

And yes, I to am looking forward for the elimination of this threads cause for existens.

[robdiaz2]

I just was forced to upgrade to skype from messenger.  All of my Groups are gone.  My contacts are there... but ONLY the ones that are hotmail accounts.  None of my yahoo or other contacts made it.  Are they simply gone?

I must say I'm disappointed. Looking through the messages here I see that this issue has been going on for a long time.  I'm having a hard enough time dealing with the non-intuitive UI/UX that this upgrade has brought upon me... now I can't find half of my contacts.  No gain and lots of pain from this "upgrade". 

[denisgomes]

I am too having problems with MSN contacts missing. I read about 20 pages from this thread, tried every single thing I could and I still cannot see my MSN contacts in Skype.

I also tried unlinking and relinking my Microsoft account to my Skype account (and afterwards logging in using the Microsoft account) to no avail. I can see all my Facebook friends and Skype contacts, but no MSN contacts at all, offline or otherwise.

BTW I can see all of my MSN contacts on http://people.live.com. So, what gives?

[solid_ice8]

Did any of you follow what GrodanLeFrog said?

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GrodanLeFrog wrote:

I soloved this problem. I closed all live-id applications/programs.
Unistalled skype. Installed skype and logged in with my live-id (microsoft live messenger login) and then after 1 minute of loading skype emerged with my messenger contacts and skype-contacts.
I do not know if this will work for you, but I had the same problem as you and it worked for me.
Happy hunting!

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I can tell you guys that I have also fixed mine.
However, I didn't need to uninstall windows live messenger or skype (only upgraded Skype).

The instructions are simple, but you must be administrator.

1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Alt + Del)

2. On "Processes" Tab, click "Show all Processes".

3. Click "Services" Tab.

4. Find and stop any "Windows Live" services. Examples :

a) Windows Live ID Sign-in Assistant

b) Live Updater Service

(I believe there's a few more, I don't remember them)

Hopefully, this will be your solution as well, as LeFrog pointed out to "close all windows live programs", and that's what I have done as well.

Good Luck!

[jabohn]

I just found out about the merge today. Our company uses Messenger to chat between our office locations. When I sign into Skype with my Messenger ID, none of my contacts show up. I deleted all instances of Skype and related files and reinstalled with no difference. I have let it sit and 10 minutes later still no contacts. I am on a mac.

[robdiaz2]

Okay, just found another thread while trolling these forums and learned that the reason half my contacts are gone is that yahoo contacts are not supported.  I don't understand that decision, but at least I know now to stop trying to do any of these workarounds.

These limitations really should be stated up front, clearly and in big flashing letters.  Every moment I'm using this tool, I'm finding more shortcomings. 

[tamperous]

Yes this has been an issue for at least 6 weeks, the Skype team (mostly in Europe I would wager) continues to look for the root cause with no demonstrable results.

So what does Redmond do? On January 9th, they publish an email which hits the blogs announcing the March 15th date for closing Messenger. The result of this email is that many more people will do the merging operation and will hit the as yet unresolved issue. Way to go Microsoft.

Sounds like a winning strategy for Google+ or What's App at least.