Sign in to and out of Lync

After you install Lync from the Microsoft Office 365 portal and sign in to it for the first time, you'll be automatically signed in to Lync the next time you log in on that computer.

Important:  You sign in to Lync by using your work or school account . If you have questions about your work or school account, including what your user name is and what to do if you don't have your password, contact your workplace technical support.

Note:  For details about Lync startup behavior and how to change it, see Set Personal options.

Sign in to Lync for the first time

1. On the computer or device that you installed Lync on, click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft Lync, and then click Lync 2013.

2. Enter your Office 365 password, and then click Sign in.

   Notes: 

   • If you don't know your password, contact your workplace technical support.

   • For help with all other sign-in issues, see Troubleshooting Lync sign-in errors.

Sign out of Lync

When you are done using Lync, you can sign out of your session, close your display, or exit from the program. Each of these options is available from the Lync main window via the Options menu > File menu.

Option	What it does	How to perform it
Sign Out	Closes you out of your Lync session and makes it so that others cannot see your status or interact with you. After you sign out, the Lync sign-in window appears, and Lync continues to run in the background, making it easier to sign in again when you're ready (as compared to exiting, which turns off Lync). Important:  If you share the computer you're working on with other users or just want to make it more difficult for an unauthorized users to log in with your credentials, when you sign out, click Delete my sign-in information. Doing so also can make it easier for technical support to troubleshoot any sign-in issues.	In the Lync main window, click the arrow next to the Options button, click File, and then click Sign Out.
Close	Closes the Lync main window, but keeps your session running so you still receive alerts and can quickly interact with others who can see your presence status. Return to the Lync main window at any time by clicking the Lync icon at the bottom of your screen.	In the Lync main window, either: Click the arrow next to the Options button, click File, and then click Close. -or- Click the X in the upper-right corner of the main window.
Exit	Closes you out of your Lync session and stops the Lync program on your computer. After exiting, to restart Lync, use the Windows Start menu.	In the Lync main window, click the arrow next to the Options button, click File, and then click Exit.