Download Skype For Business 2015 Mac

There are many versions of Skype for Business. Whenever I tell a person on the phone to look for Skype for Business download on the Web, it seems for some reason they seem to struggle to find what they are looking for. To avoid confusion, I figured I will write an article that includes some useful information about Skype for Business. If you are not sure which version to download or you may not have access to Office 365, you can download the free version of Skype for Business Basic.

Clients on Skype for Business 2016, Office 2011 for Mac, or Skype for Mac will not see any change. Will I need to upgrade my client as part of the migration? On PC, UFIT supports Lync 2013, Skype for Business 2015 (Office 2013) and Skype for Business 2016 with at least the office updates from July 2016 installed.

What is Skype for Business Basic?

Microsoft Skype for Business Basic includes online meetings, instant messaging (IM), audio and video calls, availability (presence) information, and sharing capabilities. It’s similar to GoToMeeting and WebEx but is much more flexible in many ways. This is the stand-alone version of Skype for Business. You can download the 64-bit version of Skype for Business Basic from Microsoft. So far I haven’t seen a download for a 32-bit version.

System Requirements

The following system requirements apply to the Skype for Business Basic.

Operating Systems: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7
RAM: 2 GB
Browser: Windows Internet Explorer (IE) 10/9/8/7 or Mozilla Firefox Web browser.

NOTE: At the time of writing, Google Chrome is not on the list of supported browsers.

Different Versions of Skype

There are a lot of ways to install Skype on your computer and that’s where it gets confusing because Microsoft doesn’t offer a single page where all different flavors of Skype can be downloaded. To make matters worse, the names of the products are often changed (e.g. SkyDrive -> OneDrive, SkyDrive Pro -> OneDrive for Business, Lync -> Skype, Lync -> Skype for Business). Each name change requires millions of businesses around the world to change their documentation, update Web sites, flyers, brochures, PowerPoint slide decks, etc. In addition, there are several versions of Skype for Business. Here are the ones that I am aware of.

Skype for Business Basic is the stand-alone version of Skype.
Skype for Business also comes with Microsoft Office.
Skype for Business is also included with some Office 365 subscriptions.
A consumer version of Skype, which is simply called Skype. Sometimes Microsoft refers to it as the “non-business” version. Other names that you may read include “Skype for consumers” and “Skype for home users.”

So you can see when you tell someone to install Skype you have to be specific as to which version. At the end of this article you will find instructions on how to install the various versions of Skype for Business.

NOTE: If you install Microsoft Office, you will normally be installing the 32-bit version and the Skype for Business included with Office will be 32-bit.

Best Practice: Always install 32-bit version of Office and do not install products from two different versions of Office, such as Office 2013 and Office 2016, on one computer. Microsoft encourages you to use 32-bit Office on all 32-bit and 64-bit computers because there are extremely rare cases where you will actually need a 64-bit version of Office.

The Difference Between Skype and Skype for Business Icons

The consumer version of Microsoft Skype has a different icon than Skype for Business. The consumer version has a white S on a blue background, while the business version has a blue S on a white background, as shown below. This makes it easier to identify them if you use both of them, one for business and one for personal use.

The Difference Between Skype for Business Basic 20xx and Skype for Business 20xx in Office 365

You may find one thing confusing about Skype for Business downloads in Office 365. There are two versions of Skype for Business available for download without any explanation as to why a user should download one or the other version of Skype. I will come back to this in a minute, but let’s take a look at the software download section in Office 365 so you know what I am talking about.

If you click on the Settings wheel in the upper right hand corner in Office 365, you will see a section called Your app settings. Click the Office 365 hyperlink to go to the software download areas. You can also go to the software download section directly by using the the hyperlink https://portal.office.com/ols/mysoftware.aspx. This is where a user can download and install client software.

You will see two versions listed in Office 365. In Office 365 E1 and E3 subscriptions, you will see Skype for Business Basic and Skype for Business 2015. There is no explanation as to why there are two clients listed and which one you should select. The only hint you will find in the fine print is that the first version says “for Office 2016” in parenthesis. If you have Office 2016 installed on your desktop or laptop computer then perhaps this is the version you want to download. My understanding is that the “Basic” version includes fewer features (and hence it’s called Basic). The other version is not called Basic and is really the “Full” version, but is not called Full version. It’s just called Skype for Business 2015 or Skype for Business 2016. However, if you have Office 2016 and you want to install a full version of Skype then do you install the Skype for Business Basic (for Office 2016) or Skype for Business 2015? No matter which one you choose, it seems to me that you will be installing the wrong version. So now you know why it’s so confusing to understand all the versions of Skype, when to use which version and where to go to download the correct version. By the way, Office 2106 Professional Plus includes Skype for Business so if that’s the version you have then simply install the version of Skype that came with it and you will be in good shape.

How Many Versions of Skype are There?

Well, that’s a good question. There are way too many versions of Skype out there. There is a consumer version, a business version, a standard version, an enterprise version, a basic version, and a full version. Within a version there may be more versions. For example, Skype for Business has a Standard version and an Enterprise version. And then there is a Skype for Business for each year, e.g., Skype for Business 2015, Skype for Business 2016, etc. In addition to all the versions I’ve listed above, there are Office 365 versions which are the “online” versions of Skype and supposedly map to some versions of Office, but it’s not always clear as to which version.

Helpful Links

The good news is that Microsoft has a TechNet article that offers client comparison tables for Skype for Business. These tables compare the various features of all Skype for Business clients going back to the old Lync clients. Lync is the former name of Skype. This article was last updated on January 13, 2017, only a couple of weeks before I last updated this article on January 30, 2017. Check it out: Client comparison tables for Skype for Business Server 2015.

You may find the following links from Microsoft helpful. They include the Quick Start Guides and the instructions for installing Skype for Business.

Skype For Business 2013

Last Updated: January 30, 2017

Included the section The Difference Between Skype for Business Basic 20xx and Skype for Business 20xx in Office 365.

Skype For Business 2015 Updates

Skype for Business (SFB) is a business-focused app that allows you to instant message, phone and video call, screen share, host and record meetings, and generally collaborate with your colleagues. If you’ve ever used Microsoft Lync, then you’re in luck – Lync was rebranded to Skype for Business in 2015, refining Lync’s core functionalities ever since.
Please note this is a separate product from Skype for consumers. It’s an important distinction to make since SFB should not be viewed as a phone replacement or VOIP Service. It cannot make emergency phone calls. It serves as a lightweight collaboration tool. Any business using the Microsoft ecosystem, particularly small businesses, should take a look at SFB. It seamlessly integrates with Outlook from where you can create Skype meetings and populate your contact list. It offers a variety of plan options at attractive prices, though making sense of that spider web proves difficult (see here). Last but not least, Microsoft has already announced that Teams will be replacing SFB and when sunset occurs, it isn't clear.

An enjoyable experience

Simplicity is its strength

At its core, SFB allows you to select another SFB user from a contact list and from there, start an instant message conversation, make a call (video if you have that capability), or share your screen. Additional features build from that basic premise.

Easy learning curve and intuitive UI

The application tucks toward the side of your screen, and goes for the tall and skinny look. Your name falls at the top along with your picture, availability status (available, away, do not disturb, etc.), and a personal message for your contacts to see if you choose to write one. Below that sit four icons across the menu – Contacts, Conversations, Meetings, Settings. These determine what you see in the body of the application. It defaults to Contacts, which means most of the time you’ll be looking at your contact list when the app is open. Your contacts each have a picture, availability status, and video capability indication. Managers can check on the idle time of their employees as SFB shows a timestamp for how long someone has been away from their computer.

From there go about your usual use case. Double click on your colleague’s icon and up comes the conversation window. More icons appear allowing you to make a call, share your screen, or send a file. You can also find a “+” icon on the upper right to expand this conversation to more people. Invite the whole office, if you'd like! Some subscription levels allow up to 250 people in a conversation.

The SFB plug-in for Outlook rocks. Once installed, all you need to schedule a Skype meeting from Outlook is to make a new meeting, click on the SFB icon plug-in, and it auto populates your conference information in the body of the meeting. Add your attendees, an agenda, and pick a time, and you are off to your next game of conference call bingo.

Flexibility for including non-SFB users to your meetings and calls help SFB stand-out as a great tool for collaboration. When invited to a SFB meeting, non-SFB users have the ability to download the SFB Web App to their browser. The app allows for HD video conferencing, IM in meetings, presentation viewing, desktop sharing, whiteboard, lobby, and presenter access controls. The app also enables PC-based audio and video. The only drawback is that other SFB functionalities like viewing a user’s presence or contact information are unavailable.

Where can you run this program?

Luckily, Microsoft serves up a free client that you can try. According to the website, the free basic client provides presence, instant messaging, and conferencing features. If you are licensed for Office 365 ProPlus, Office 365 Enterprise E3 and Office 365 Enterprise E4, you are also licensed for the full Skype for Business Windows desktop client, which includes additional features including advanced telephone support, archiving, and compliance features.

Is there a better alternative?

Microsoft has made it clear that Teams will replace SFB but gives no clear date when the service in question will shut down. While the UI of SFB is preferable, Teams has some clear advantages when it comes to features, specially for larger organizations. Persistent chat (think chat rooms) and greater integration with other Microsoft Office suite products is one advantage of Teams. It’s also the future-proof choice given more development is unlikely with SFB.

Slack is another very popular alternative. It has one of the best UIs in the business; mass adoption so you’re bound to find others in your organization that have some experience with it; and a target painted on its back: Microsoft developed Teams to compete with it.

Our take

Skype For Business 2015 Mac Download

Small businesses should take a hard look at SFB for their communication needs. That is, if they don’t already subscribe to Office 365 which bundles it. Large businesses may want the more robust features of full-fledged VOIP services or Teams. Its simplicity is its forte. Microsoft Teams – the replacement for SFB – can appear cluttered and less intuitive, albeit more capable.

Should you download?

Does your office participate in the modern, remote-work era where it might need IM, video calling, and teleconferencing? Does it use Microsoft products? If so, it probably already has SFB and if not, the free version lies a few clicks away. So, go for it.

6.1.32.129