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If you use the video chat feature on Skype, you may have realized the resolution and picture quality leave something to be desired. That is, unless you own one of the exclusive and expensive webcams like the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000, which allows you to enable High Quality Video (HQV) within Skype. HQV has a resolution of 640×480 at 30 fps (frames per second) compared to the default of 320×240 at 15 fps that most webcams have to deal with.

This guide will show you how to enable HQV (and even higher quality!) in Skype regardless of which webcam you have, as long as it is capable of capturing at the resolution and speed you specify, and as long as your computer is powerful enough (most dual-core and higher machines should suffice).

The Easy Way (Windows)

For Windows users, the easiest way is to download an application called Force Skype HQ Video. This app provides a graphical user interface for modifying the video quality settings in the Skype configuration files. You can modify the framerate and resolutions to any values, though the standard Skype HQ and higher resolutions are 640×480 (HQ), 800×600, and 980×720 (HD).

Modifying the Config File Manually

You can also modify the configuration files manually to change the framerate and resolutions. To do this, follow these instructions:

For Windows,

1. Make sure Skype is not running.
2. Open the config.xml file located in the Skype user profile directory, usually in %APPDATA%\Skype\yourskypename\. If you are not sure where this is, copy and paste %APPDATA%\Skype into Windows Explorer to find this directory and then find the folder labeled with your Skype username.
3. Add the following code somewhere in the config file:

   <CaptureHeight>480</CaptureHeight>
   <CaptureWidth>640</CaptureWidth>
   <Fps>30</Fps>
   

   You can modify the parameters as you see fit, though I recommend trying these first.

4. Save and close the modified config.xml file.
5. Start Skype and enjoy high quality video!

For Mac (from Skype Developer Zone),

1. Make sure Skype is not running.
2. Open the config.xml file located in the Skype user profile directory, usually ~/Library/Application Support/Skype/yourskypename/. The ~ refers to your home folder.
3. Locate the <Video> tag, which may look like this:

   <Video>
         <Device>Built-in iSight</Device>
   </Video>
   

   Insert two additional tags within the <Video> and </Video> tags as follows:

   <Video>
         <CaptureWidth>640</CaptureWidth>
         <CaptureHeight>480</CaptureHeight>
         <Device>Built-in iSight</Device>
   </Video>
   

   You can modify the parameters as you see fit, though I recommend trying these first.

4. Save and close the modified config.xml file.
5. Start Skype and enjoy high quality video!

Recommended Settings

While the methods above allow you to set any framerate and resolution, higher settings will cause higher CPU utilization. I would recommend trying 640×480 at 30 fps and going up from there if it isn’t good enough. Also, be sure your webcam is capable of capturing at the resolutions you specify.

Now you can enjoy chatting with friends and family in much higher quality than before. Of course, that also means you may have to prepare a little bit more in the morning before opening up that web conferencing session right after you wake up.