It has teamed up with Signal to add a Private Conversations feature in Skype.

As first reported by ITPro, Skype is partnering with popular encrypted communication company Signal to bring end-to-end encryption to its service.

Microsoft is now testing a new private conversation feature for skype with end-to-end encryption using the industry standard Signal protocol by Open Whisper Systems.

To be clear, Skype uses standard encryption for audio and video calls, and texts and file transfers.

Tap or click the + icon. According to a report from Der Spiegel-which itself references documents disclosed by Edward Snowden-sustained collection of Skype conversations became possible in February 2011, months before the chat app was acquired by Microsoft.

Security is a big concern for many users and while most typically think of that as meaning you protect your PC from malware, there are also easy ways to protect your conversations as well. Once the contact accepts your invite, the Private Conversation will be available to you only on that specific device. To recover the Private Conversation after you've deleted it, start a Private Conversation with that contact again and you'll be able to pick up where you left off. You can do that by right-clicking on the conversation and selecting Delete chat.

Skype's Private Conversations use Signal Protocol's encryption properties for secure communication.

"The content of these conversations will be hidden in the chat list as well as in notifications to keep the information you share private", Microsoft Program Manager Ellen Kilbourne said in a blog post. A new invitation must be sent and accepted, to change to another device.

For the time being, Private Conversations are available for Insiders using Skype version 8.13.76.8 for iOS, Android, Linux, Mac, and Windows Desktop.