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Lync Basic 2013 vs Lync 2013

  • Article

With the release of Lync Server 2013, there are two versions of the Lync 2013 client available:

  • Lync Basic 2013
  • Lync 2013

What's the difference between the two?

Lync Basic 2013 provides all the basic functionality that’s available in the full version of Lync (Lync 2013). However, if you want to use any of the following features, you will need to upgrade to Lync 2013:

  • Advanced call features (not available with all Office 365 subscriptions); advanced call features include team ring, call forwarding, simultaneous ring, voice mail, call park, call delegation, response groups, and remote call control
  • Calendar delegation
  • Gallery video view
  • OneNote sharing
  • Recording
  • Skill search (not available with Office 365)
  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) (not available with Office 365)

You can find more information on which specific features are supported in each client in the Client Comparison Tables TechNet article.

Where can I download the Lync 2013 clients?

Lync Basic 2013 is available on the Microsoft Download Center and comes in two versions:

Lync 2013 is available via the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center for customers with a Volume Licensing agreement.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @Vincent Rivoire Licensing questions are best answered by the reseller you purchased the software from.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Lync 2013 Basic is a downloadable client for customers who have a licensed, on-premises Lync Server 2013 deployment and customers who subscribe to a Microsoft Office 365 plan that does not include the full Lync 2013 client. The Lync Basic client includes enhanced presence, contacts, instant messaging (IM), Lync meetings, and basic voice functionality.

    Features not supported in Lync Basic include multiparty video, OneNote integration, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) support, skill search, recording, Enterprise Voice features, and advanced call handling (for example, call forwarding and Team Call). For details, see Client Comparison Tables.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Thank you Doug :)

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @Grant The Lync 2013 Basic client can sign into Lync Server 2010.  Functionality would be limited to the capabilities of Lync Server 2010 minus the items listed in the article above.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @@SN I tested this in my lab and was able to copy and paste text into the Lync Basic 2013 client.  I would recommend if this is still happening that you open a case with PSS so that they can look into it further.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @Tom Wahab Unfortunately, not really.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @Doug Found your new blog which has detail but crucially no info on a remedy. It doesn't even say if you've reported it as a bug, logged it for change etc etc. Please could you ensure you add this type of info to your articles -- as one of the comments on that entry says -- 'hope my customer doesn't see this'. Unfortunately for me it was my customer who noticed this...

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @Rick Eveleigh Thanks for the update!  I blogged about the issue with Lync 2013 Basic and A/V disabled here: blogs.technet.com/.../issue-with-the-lync-basic-2013-client-and-a-v-disabled.aspx

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @Dee dubs

    You would need to check with your reseller on any licensing questions.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hello Doug, if a customer has Lync 2013 CAL and Lync server licence, does the basic Lync version needs a licence ?

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @Doug -- behaviour is still the same after installing the February Lync Client updates.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @Mike Correct, the full Lync 2013 client would be available on the Microsoft Volume Licensing Site.  The version numbers are the same.  The RTM Lync Basic client also has a version number of 15.0.4420.1017.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Thanks Doug

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @Rick Eveleigh It is important that any customer experiencing an issue reports the issue by opening a case with PSS.  This helps the PG assess the importance and priority of the issue when determining which bugs to accept.  PSS has an escalation process to make sure that these types of issues are properly documented and communicated up to the PG.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @Rick Eveleigh Using the Lync Basic 2013 client (15.0.4420.1017), I see the same results as you do.  In fact, even though the user was A/V disabled, they could still initiate and receive A/V calls.  That is something I need to investigate more.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @George Ou

    I believe you'd need to uninstall Lync Basic 2013 and install Lync 2013. I'm not aware of a way to convert Lync Basic 2013 to Lync 2013.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Very Informative....

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    hello
    my company has just migrated to the office 365 and we are looking to deploy lync to everyone. we have majority on the E1 license and a few on the E3 license - my question is would will need extra license for those on E1 license to be able to use Lync?

    thanks

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    @Bruno Almeida

    Either client works fine with Lync Online.

  • Anonymous
    January 25, 2013
    so just to confirm The Full Lync Client is available from our MVLS site? do the different versions come with different version numbers? we have 15.0.4420.1017 what are the basic versions numbers?

  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2013
    I think I've found an issue in the Basic client. If the Lync user is Audio/Video Disabled, the Dial Pad and video/audio call options should be hidden. This is the case if you use the full Lync 2013 client in Office 2013 Pro Plus. However in the Lync Basic Client these options are not hidden. This is going to be an issue on my current customer site as users will see the video, audio buttons and dial pad but not be able to use them. Could you replicate and report back please? Thanks

  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2013
    Lync basic 2013 crashes on copy past of text data on to chat windows 7. Is this a known issue??

  • Anonymous
    February 18, 2013
    @dodeitte Does the Lync 2013 Basic client application work with the Lync Server 2010 server licenses? If so, is there limited functionality or this would be the same as described in the article above?

  • Anonymous
    March 04, 2013
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    May 08, 2013
    How many users can be added in both the versions?

  • Anonymous
    June 04, 2013
    @Rick Eveleigh confirmed. In the basic version the call button, video sharing are visible even if the policy is disabled. I installed the full version and these buttons disappear with the same policy.

  • Anonymous
    November 18, 2013
    Thank you Doug

  • Anonymous
    November 19, 2013
    Hello Doug. Any known issues installing both editions on the same PC? We might need to make an environment with both versions installed.

  • Anonymous
    November 20, 2013
    @John Peterson I don't believe that you can have both the Lync 2013 and Lync Basic 2013 client installed on the same machine.

  • Anonymous
    February 04, 2014
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    March 11, 2014
    I am running Office 2013, and in Lync client all the A/V settings are hidden from me. If I uninstall Office2013, and install office 2010 and the Lync client, I see the A/V settings. How can I enable them in the 2013 client, or what may be stopping them from showing?

  • Anonymous
    March 13, 2014
    Hi - any guidance anywhere on how to silently remove Basic and replace it with the full version? We did a estate-wide deployment of Basic but users are now beginning to require the full version and are coming in droves of 10+ at a time so I could do with getting the correct uninstall string - the usual MSI's /X ...... aren't working...

  • Anonymous
    May 08, 2014
    Is the Lync Basic client able to tether with a Lync Phone Edition physical phone (Like a Polycom CX600)? If so, do the limitations of the advanced call features still apply if the phone is doing all the work?

  • Anonymous
    July 09, 2014
    So if you have office pro plus 2013, you should have the full lync client 2013. Does this come with CALs to "legally" connect to a lync server?

  • Anonymous
    October 01, 2014
    Thanks Dodeitte. Just a question. If I chose Lync Server Trial license (180 days) , any pointer you can share on how many and what specific type of CALS, and for how much duration that I can use ?

    Aprpeciate if some one can share some light on this.

    Thanks

    VC Sekhar Parepalli

  • Anonymous
    October 14, 2014
    Ahhh, it's a shame for MS to provide Lync 2013 via MVLSC site. Shame.
    Customers should pay for the server version, but the client should be possible to download without the stupid MVLSC site. It should be a direct link available to everybody

  • Anonymous
    October 30, 2014
    hmm how come my Lync in Office 2013, video messaging is disabled?

  • Anonymous
    October 30, 2014
    btw that's for a 64bit Lync installation

  • Anonymous
    November 20, 2014
    @rcski1
    Is there away to make Lync sync up so I can tell who is on or not. On 1 of my computers :) it works and on 1 of my computers :( it does not until I open my groups.

    On 1 it shows (16/25) in one group, but on my other it shows (0/25).

    It only updates on the one when I open the group where the other one is always current.

  • Anonymous
    February 21, 2015
    looks like latest patches unlock spell check and recording. see here. http://www.reddit.com/r/Lync/comments/2woanj/new_features_in_lync_2013_basic/

  • Anonymous
    February 24, 2015
    Why Lync 2013 Full (installed with Office 2013) doesn't work with Lync Online? Must I have the Lync Basic?

  • Anonymous
    March 24, 2015
    Does Lync Basic have downgrade rights?

  • Anonymous
    April 07, 2015
    So if you buy the CAL and maybe some other client license, Lync Basic 2013 converts to full Lync 2013? Or do you have to reinstall the full application?

  • Anonymous
    May 07, 2015
    What is the difference b/W basic Lync and Basic Lync Client moderator abilities .

  • Anonymous
    August 28, 2015
    What is the procedure to App V Lync basic and full version using ODT?

  • Anonymous
    October 14, 2015
    What is Skype for Business Basic client? Previous article for Lync 2013 but should be the same for Skype

  • Anonymous
    October 15, 2015
    Can we install Lync client and point it to Sandbox provided by microsoft team in order to see its working with actualy lync client ?

  • Anonymous
    November 01, 2015
    @Talwinder Singh

    You could always sign up for a free O365 trial at:

    https://products.office.com/en-us/business/office-365-business-premium

  • Anonymous
    March 03, 2016
    We upgraded our Lync 2013 basic versions to the VLSC but the key of the basic version (TCN6R-MKJMV-6B989-FPGB6-BPW98) is still on the computer somewhere and it seems that it always come back