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Skype automatically answers calls on Android due to a bug

By Sarah Chen
1 min read
In this article (5)

If you’re using Skype for your day to day communication with friends, co-workers or business partners, there’s a high chance that you’ve been affected by a nasty bug that makes the app automatically answer all calls on Android devices.

Microsoft is probably the only one that can tell for sure when exactly the issue started to manifest for the first time, but reports go back as far as January, probably soon after the developers updated the app. Sadly, it appears that the issue now affects even more users, as we’re seeing lots of recent reports posted on Microsoft’s support forum.

For the time being, there’s no workaround to prevent Skype from answering calls that you want to ignore, so the only way to avoid the issue is to uninstall the app until Microsoft fixes it. Not even having the “Answer incoming calls automatically” option disabled will not stop Skype from doing just that.

The good news is Microsoft has already identified the issue and managed to patch it, but only in the latest Skype preview app. If you want to continue to use the app without being affected by the bug, you can download the beta until the final version gets updated later this month.

Questions & Answers

Q.

What is the problem with the Skype app on Android devices?

A.

The app is affected by a bug that causes it to automatically answer all incoming calls on Android. This occurs even if the user has disabled the 'Answer incoming calls automatically' option within the app settings.

Q.

How long has this automatic answering bug been reported by users?

A.

Reports of the bug go back as far as January, which was likely soon after developers updated the app. More users appear to be affected now, with many recent reports on Microsoft's support forum.

Q.

Is there a temporary solution for users who want to avoid this bug?

A.

Currently, there is no workaround to prevent Skype from automatically answering calls. The only way to avoid the issue entirely is to uninstall the app until Microsoft releases a fix for the main version.

Q.

Has Microsoft found a fix for the automatic answering bug?

A.

Yes, Microsoft has identified and patched the issue in the latest Skype preview app. Users can download this beta version to continue using the app without being affected until the final update is released later this month.

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