How to switch between Skype for Business and Lync Client UI

We are all going to get a new client for Lync and it is going to look a lot more like Skype. But here’s an interesting thing. With this new client, named “Skype for Business Client” now you or in many instances the administrator of your organization has the ability to change the UI of the client, either to;

• Skype for Business Client
• Lync 2013 Client

This new Dual User Experience mode that controls the Lync/Skype UI is managed via in-band settings. The client is by default configured to check for the Server Version of the environment and set up the looks. The below table lists what you may see by default.

Server Version	Default Client UI
Skype for Business on-prem	Skype for Business
Skype for Business Online	Skype for Business
Lync Server 2013	Lync 2013
Lync Server 2010	Lync 2013

 

Although this is the case, the Lync/S4B administrator always have the option to change the UI via changing in-band policy settings that will manually override the default UI. There will be a Client Policy parameter that will determine the default UI for users within the organization. To enable the Skype UI and Lync 2013 UI the following commands can be run from the server end respectively.

Set-CSClientPolicy -EnableSkypeUI: true

Or

Set-CSClientPolicy -EnableSkypeUI: false

So what happens from the users end? Head over to REGEDIT, Navigate to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Lync

and notice the value for EnableSkypeUI;

• 00 00 00 01 – Skype for Business UI
• 00 00 00 00 – Lync 2013 UI

 

However, there’s a catch. Based on the UI that you choose to have, the features may vary as show below.

Feature	Skype UI	Lync UI
First Run Experience	Yes	No
New Emoticons	Yes	Yes
Call and Video Monitor	Yes	No
Call via Work	Yes	No
RCC	No	Yes
Rate my call	Yes	Yes
Server side conversation history	Yes	Yes
Skype-Lync Video Interop	Yes	Yes

 

 

 

Update: Amanda Debler has written a nice piece of code that will help you to get the UI switched in seconds, you can grab the powershell script here.

Please note that the above information is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights. The content may be changed as and when the finalized information is been publically announced by Microsoft.

Advertisement