Microsoft has announced that it will be shutting down Skype, its legacy video-conferencing platform, starting May 5, 2025. Launched in 2003, Skype gained popularity for its Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)-based video telephony, video conferencing, and voice calling capabilities, which led to its acquisition by Microsoft in 2011. Although Microsoft revealed in 2023 that Skype still had 36 million users, its market share has declined over time as Microsoft’s Teams app emerged with similar core features and additional functionality.
Skype Shutdown
According to Microsoft, the decision aims to streamline its free consumer communications offerings by positioning Teams as the “modern communications and collaboration hub.” Teams offers more extensive functionality than Skype, including one-on-one and group calls, messaging, file sharing, meeting hosting, calendar management, and community-building features, all available for free. Microsoft reports that Teams has grown nearly fourfold in the past two years, spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 as users sought ways to stay connected for work, school, and personal use.
Skype Credit, subscriptions, and other paid features will no longer be available to users. Current Skype subscribers can continue using their Skype Credits and subscriptions until the end of their next renewal period, and Skype Credits can be used until exhausted. Starting May 5, the Skype Dial Pad will remain accessible to paid users via the Skype web portal and within Teams.
As Skype phases out, Microsoft will enable users to log in to the free version of Teams using their existing Skype credentials on any supported device. Chats and contacts will automatically migrate to Teams. To transition from Skype to Teams, users need to:
- Download Teams from the official Microsoft Teams website.
- Log in using their Skype credentials.
- Start using Teams with all their Skype chats and contacts readily available.
Additionally, Microsoft is ensuring seamless connectivity during the transition by enabling cross-platform calling. Teams users will be able to call Skype accounts, and vice versa.
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