New Skype (v8.x) setup forces installing Skype from Windows Store

Reason:

According to Skype System Requirements:

New Skype on Windows desktop requires:

Windows 10 Version 1507, or version 1511

Windows 8.1

Windows 8

Windows 7 (32-bit and 64 bit versions supported)

Meaning it's not compatible with Windows 10 Anniversary Update (Version 1607) or higher. (Technically, it is! But Microsoft prefers, or in other words, wants to force you to use Windows Store!)

Solution:

Setting compatibility mode to Windows 7/8 does not work for everyone. From an elevated command line window navigate to the folder containing New Skype (v8.x) setup file and then run it with "/Silent" switch (case insensitive):

pushd C:\Users\USERNAME\Downloads\Programs
C:\Users\USERNAME\Downloads\Programs>Skype-8.12.0.2.exe /silent

I don't often answer my own questions but have just come across a fix for this:

Run the installer in "Compatibility mode" (Windows 8) and it installs fine.

Quite why the most recent version of Skype wont install directly on the most recent build of Windows is anyone's guess, but that's the work-around.