Microsoft is finally killing off Skype after over 20 years, shifting focus to Teams
Microsoft has officially announced that Skype will be retired in May 2025, after 22 years of service. Earlier today, users found a hidden message in Skype's code hinting at the shutdown, which was later confirmed by Microsoft in a blog post, pushing for shifting users to Microsoft Teams.
Skype, once a leader in voice and video calls, struggled to compete with platforms like Zoom, WhatsApp, FaceTime, or Google Meet, never fully reclaiming its place among the top platforms for video meetings or messaging. To facilitate the transition, Skype users will soon be able to access Microsoft Teams using their Skype credentials, with their chats, contacts, and other data transferred seamlessly. Until the shutdown, interoperability between Skype and Teams will allow for continued communication.
Users who prefer not to switch to Teams must export their Skype data by May 5, 2025. Paid Skype features will remain available until the end of the current billing period post-shutdown. Additionally, the Skype Dial Pad will still be accessible via the Skype web portal and Microsoft Teams. It goes without saying that there are now countless more reliable alternatives to Skype, but if you were still an Skype user, you might want to check out our full list of alternatives here.
- Video Calling App
- Freemium • Proprietary
Related news
External links
- The next chapter: Moving from Skype to Microsoft TeamsMicrosoft 365 Blog • Official source
- Skype is shutting down after two decadesCNN
- Microsoft hangs up on Skype: service to shut down May 5, 2025TechCrunch
- Microsoft officially confirms Skype is shutting downNeowin
- Microsoft is retiring Skype in May, encouraging people to adopt TeamsCNBC
- Microsoft is shutting down Skype in favor of TeamsThe Verge
- Microsoft is finally shutting down Skype in MayXDA
Comments
no one cares, skype is long overdue to be dead. Around 2015-2016 it started to become redutant in comparison with mobile video calling
Mobile video calling built into phones is just Google and Apple apps. While I do trust Apple over Google/Alphabet and Microsoft or Meta/Facebook having a loss of variety is never a good thing until everyone starts using more privacy focused communications apps and that won't happen until more easy to use all use case ones emerge with good interfaces to become popular. Skype is not just for videocalls it also is a VOIP service.
Everyone needs to send complaints so they at least delay this for another year at least. First they purchased MSN Messenger making it Microsoft Messenger then called it Live Messenger I think a while then killing it off after buying Skype and now they try to kill off Skype for Teams. So what comes after Teams when they kill off Teams? Building up a real reputation of having no long term reliability. At least they are allowing users to transfer accounts from Skype to Teams importing the contacts and chats even but who knows how reliable that will be and how many will actually do it. They gave next to no warning ahead of time and should be scolded for it harshly because what about all the people who havent logged in for a few years but Skype is their only way to contact someone? This is how connections people have die and sometimes actual lives die as result. Anyone remember that project that tried to reverse engineer Skype before Microsoft shut them down? They probably dont care so maybe a good idea to pose as a business owner angry at them.
Actually to add to this have some devs request the source code. Maybe something good could come of it. I doubt they will respond to such requests though because they know they could be creating a competitor.
Terrible news! Skype has a version for Linux made in QT, totally native for KDE users. The best! Now we have lost this giant. Nothing that Microsoft touches remains healthy. Everything sickens and perishes.
someone needs to make a documentary about Skype as a case study in what not to do
It was very convenient to make cheap calls abroad directly from the web browser, without having to install any spying app or bs
You can use Brave Talk.
I meant making calls to fixed phones (landlines)
Aun recuerdo que usé Skype para videollamada con mi hermano, desde entonces no lo he vuelto a usar. Se tardaron bastante en darse cuenta que nadie usaba Skype
Microsoft has bought Skype in 2011 for $8.5B... before making it one of the worse piece of software ever. Nowadays, only Teams can compete with Skype in the worse software grand price, and now Teams has won!