Microsoft will shut down Skype on May 5, 2025, as it shifts focus to Teams. Users must migrate their data or risk losing it by year’s end.
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| Microsoft is retiring Skype on May 5, 2025, with users advised to switch to Teams or download their data before permanent deletion. Image: ChicHue |
Redmond, USA – March 1, 2025:
Microsoft has confirmed that Skype will be discontinued on May 5, 2025, marking the end of one of the most influential internet communication platforms. The company, which acquired Skype in 2011 for $8.5 billion, is shifting its focus entirely to Microsoft Teams, reads a TC post.
Skype users have until May 5 to migrate their contacts and chat history to Teams or download their data via Skype’s export tool. After that date, the platform will stop functioning, and any remaining user data will be retained only until the end of the year, after which it will be permanently deleted.
The decision comes as Teams’ consumer calling minutes have grown fourfold in the past two years, reinforcing Microsoft’s move to unify its communication services under one platform. Jeff Teper, president of Microsoft 365 collaborative apps and platforms, stated that this shift will help drive faster innovation and simplify the company’s messaging strategy.
Skype, once a leader in internet calling with 300 million peak users, has struggled to compete with modern messaging and video-calling apps. By early 2023, its daily active users had dwindled to 36 million, far behind competitors like WhatsApp, which surpassed 2 billion users in 2020.
Skype’s decline accelerated after Microsoft introduced Teams in 2016. In 2017, the company announced plans to phase out Skype for Business, which was completed in 2021. By integrating Teams as the default communication tool in Windows 11, Microsoft signaled its long-term vision for replacing Skype entirely.
Further steps toward discontinuation were taken in December 2024, when Microsoft blocked users from adding Skype credit or purchasing new phone numbers. Although Teams Free includes some additional features, it will not support Skype’s phone-call functionality, which allowed users to call mobile and landline numbers. However, Microsoft will provide a Skype Dial Pad in both the Skype web portal and Teams for users with remaining credit.
Despite Skype’s revolutionary impact on digital communication, Microsoft believes the time is right to retire the platform. Teper noted that Teams has reached a scale where it can serve both business and personal users effectively.
During the transition, Skype users can download the Teams app and log in with their Skype credentials, ensuring their contacts and chats migrate seamlessly. Alternatively, they can export their data before May 5. Those who take no action will have their data retained until the end of 2025 before it is permanently deleted.
The end of Skype signifies a major shift in Microsoft’s communication strategy. Once a dominant force in online calling, Skype has gradually faded into the background as newer, more integrated platforms have taken center stage. Microsoft now bets on Teams to fully replace Skype for personal and business communication worldwide.