How do I stop skype from auto-launching

I have Ubuntu 14.04 with Cinnamon. When I log in, Skype autolaunches and I want to stop that.

I looked in Startup Applications but cannot find it.

Had the same issue on Ubuntu 17.10 and fixed it with the following command:

rm ~/.config/autostart/skypeforlinux.desktop

And as Tim mentions here, disable autostart in the Skype settings because Skype will keep on adding the skypeforlinux.desktop file to the ~/.config/autostart directory.

[*] I know the question is about Ubuntu 14.04 but I came across this page while searching for a solution for Ubuntu 17

If you installed Skype via Snap the paths (as of Ubuntu 20.04) are:

~/snap/skype/162/.config/autostart/skypeforlinux.desktop
~/snap/skype/common/.config/autostart/skypeforlinux.desktop

I found @alokym's solution quite good. Don't forget his second step, though.

As Stunts mentioned skypeforlinux recreates autostarting shortcut ~/.config/autostart/skypeforlinux.desktop. So, removing this file doesn't have any sense. But we can disable autostarting with two steps:

1. open ~/.config/autostart/skypeforlinux.desktop with your favorite text editor and set X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled to false (as KB5 says). Here is my skypeforlinux.desktop:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Skype for Linux
Comment=Skype Internet Telephony
Exec=/usr/bin/skypeforlinux
Icon=skypeforlinux
Terminal=false
Type=Application
StartupNotify=false
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=false

2. deny overwriting the skypeforlinux.desktop to prevent changing it by skypeforlinux:

chmod a-w ~/.config/autostart/skypeforlinux.desktop

On Ubuntu 20.04 with Skype version 8.73, there is option in the settings to disable autostart. Just go Settings -> General -> "Automatically start Skype".

Try running the following command:

rm .config/autostart/skype.desktop

It should remove it from starting automatically. You will also need to change the settings in skype, otherwise each time you open it, it is set to open automatically.