In an effort to take on Zoom’s newfound popularity, Microsoft is adding “Meet Now” to Skype, making meetings easier than ever.

Once upon a time, Skype was the reigning king of online videoconferencing. A number of missteps by Microsoft, clunky interface decisions, poor performance and ongoing security issues opened the door for Zoom to become the de facto standard amid the global pandemic. Now that Zoom has faced criticism of its own over security and privacy, Microsoft sees an opportunity to make up lost ground.

The feature works whether Skype is installed or not. “Our unique Meet Now link will open your installed Skype app on any device,” the post continues. “Even if you’re not signed in, you can join the call or chat as a guest. If you don’t have Skype installed on your desktop, we will open our Skype for Web client for your convenience. If you’d like, you can install Skype on your device as well.”

Image Credit: Microsoft

According to Microsoft, “Meet Now in Skype allows you to easily set up a collaboration space and invite both Skype contacts and friends or family who are not on Skype. Participants can then easily join meetings whether they have an account or not.”

It’s unclear whether the new feature will be enough to help Skype regain market share, but it is nice to see Microsoft stepping up and giving users more options.

Image Credit: Microsoft