Skype Help

    How will I know when someone sends me an instant message in Skype for Mac OS X?

    Back to search results

    If you are signed in to Skype and you receive an instant message when the conversation window is not open, a numbered badge will appear next to the contact in the sidebar. The number displayed indicates the number of unread messages in the conversation.

    A red numbered badge will also appear on the Skype icon in the dock. This indicates the number of conversations with unread messages.

    New message in Skype icon on Mac OSX dock

    If you receive a new instant message from participants in a voice or video call, you can see this icon:

    Click it to read the instant message.

    Learn more about sending instant messages.

    Additional Resources

    Ask the Community

    Join the conversation with other customers.
    Try our virtual agent

    In training to help with Skype.
    Help improve Skype Support

    Share your ideas with a quick survey.
    Skype Status

    Check if there are any issues currently affecting Skype.