Skype crashes on video calls (Sonoma 14.6, Intel Mac Pro 7,1)

[Canubis]

The Skype app reloads (seems to crash) as soon as I start or accept an incoming video call.

Starting or accepting an audio call works fine. When I turn on my camera during the audio call it keeps working.
However, as soon as the other end turns on their camera, my Skype app either crashes or let's say it "reloads" (I guess since Skype is just a web app these days, this is what it looks like when the web process crashes inside the Webview or whatever they use). However there is no error message or anything. But it's reproducible 100% - video calls with both ends having video enabled won't work.

I already deleted and re-downloaded the latest Mac app from Skype.com. Same Issue.
Same result also with their Insider beta version.

Interestingly & luckily using web.skype.com in either Safari or Chrome works fine for two-way video calls.

Has anyone else experienced the same issue?

I am running the latest version of Sonoma on an Intel Mac Pro 7,1 (3.2 16-Core; AMD Radeon PRO W6800X) - I wonder if perhaps something in Skype doesn't like this specific Hardware config e.g. while decoding/rendering the incoming video stream using the GPU?

 

[correctmac]

Hi, i have the same issue as you do. It started with the recent couple of updates. a few months ago it was working just fine.

Have you managed to solve your problem?

 

[Canubis]

@correctmac - unfortuantely no, the issue still persists with the latest Skype update here.

Are you also on a Mac Pro 7,1 or different machine?

 

[Canubis]

Perhaps worth to note, issue is also reproducible with a fresh install of Ventura on the same machine.

So not related to Sonoma or a specific macOS update.

Is Skype simply incompatible with the latest Intel Mac Pro?

 

[correctmac]

i am using MacPro 6,1 (late 2013 the cylinder model, with Radeon FirePro graphics). the most recent OS possible on this Mac is Monterey. And on Monterey, latest Skype version (1.28 or something) works.

However, when I used OpenCore Legacy Patch to install Ventura on this Mac (not officially supported), Skype crashes when trying to establish video call. I tried the older versions (4-5 versions back) and that worked. However, the auto-update feature made me unable to stick to the old version, which really annoyed me. And there is no way to disable that auto-update - literally sucks.

Your MacPro7,1 is supposed to support Ventura officially. So it is really surprising that Skype could crash on a machine where Ventura is officially supported. It is probably because the latest Skype version changed how video rendering is done I think. But I am not sure.

 

[Canubis]

@correctmac very interesting! thanks for sharing this!

I am wondering if it is somehow related to (unintentionally) using some hardware decoding of those dedicated Mac Pro GPUs. And something there isn't compatible though works fine on Intel onboard or Apple silicon graphics, which are the large majority of the installed Macs base.

 

[correctmac]

Hi, Skype released small updates recently. The latest version is now 8.129.0.202.
Could you try that on your Ventura?

I couldn't try it right away on Ventura, because I restored my cyclinder Mac back to Monterey where the crash doesn't occur. My work requires me to use Skype video call on a day-to-day basis, so it is essential that I keep my Skype working, at the expense of not being able to use latest OS.

And yes, I believe it is due to GPU acceleration. Not sure how such issue can be reported to Skype/Microsoft.

 

[Canubis]

Hi @correctmac – just checked again with the latest Skype 8.129.0.202 (both with Sonoma and Ventura) – the issue is still reproducible.
I've provided feedback before and once more right now through the Help > Report a problem… - if you got a minute, please send them a report as well. Perhaps hearing about this from multiple persons will help escalate this problem (though I have low expectations considering Macs with discrete GPUs are likely s super small niche and not worth any extra effort with their market share only going down)

 

[correctmac]

i have done the problem reporting a while ago. hope that helps.

 

[correctmac]

i found out that there is a Skype Insider program, which presumably is beta versions of Skype.

Skype Insider | Install a Preview version of Skype

Get early access to the new Skype features and tell us what do you think! Become a Skype Insider.

www.skype.com

Do you want to give that a try as well to see if they have fixed the video call crash issue?