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How do I make Skype use the default Ubuntu notify-osd to display notifications (incoming messages, users connecting, etc.) instead of the Skype's own "ugly" message box?

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4 Answers 4

Reset to default
24

Try 

$ sudo apt-get install libnotify-bin

then go to skype options, notification settings, find event you want to edit (for example, online contact notification), check "Execute following script" and insert

notify-send "%sname is now online" -i skype

This worked for me. You can do this with other notifications as well.

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  • 2
    This is awesome! It is so simple and yet it is exactly what I wanted! This should be an accepted answer.
    – Igor Zinov'yev
    Oct 28, 2011 at 10:30
  • 7
    Here you can find a list of the available parameters like %sname.
    – Jakob
    Mar 14, 2012 at 19:36
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    Thx @Jakob - without that link the answer isn't worth half as much.
    – nem75
    Jul 5, 2013 at 14:35
  • Skype now has option to use built in notifier. v4.3
    – JayKandari
    Jan 5, 2016 at 10:44
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There is a tool called Skype-wrapper that uses native notification system of Ubuntu.

To install Skype-wrapper, enter the following commands in a terminal.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:skype-wrapper/ppa
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install skype-wrapper python-skype

Note: The above PPA, at the time of writing, has packages for 10.10, 11.04, 11.10 and 12.04 only.

After installing skype-wrapper, open Skype and sign in. Then, open skype-wrapper and allow it to use Skype by clicking the 'Yes' button. Select the option "Remember this selection" if you don't want to repeat this step everytime you use skype-wrapper.

After authorizing skype-wrapper to use Skype, you will have both native notifications and Skype's actual notifications. To disable Skype's notifications, open Skype and go to options > notifications and disable all of the available notification types. Disabling notifications inside Skype doesn't disable skype-wrapper's native notifications.

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Useful link: How to add Skype to the Ubuntu messaging-menu

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  • Is Skype-Wrapper only a good solution for Ubuntu systems using Unity? Or will it work fine for Ubuntu with Gnome 3 desktops as well?
    – Eyal
    Oct 12, 2012 at 10:29
  • I haven't tried it on other desktop environments. But I am quite sure it is tailored for Unity given it ties Skype with the indicator-message and what not.
    – jokerdino ♦
    Oct 12, 2012 at 10:33
  • In my opinion it works decently for Gnome in 12.04
    – Eyal
    Oct 25, 2012 at 7:30
3

Another work-around: install Pidgin, make sure Pidgin has a Skype account, then everything will go directly to notify-osd. (Downside: you have to then have both Pidgin and Skype open.)

Integration instructions here.

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Another easy solution based on another answer on this question:

sudo apt-get install libnotify-bin

then go to skype options -> notification settings and find the event you want to edit (for example, online contact notification) and click advanced view.

Next, check "Display built-in system pop-up notification"

You can do this with other events as well.

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