Microsoft will officially retire Skype on May 5, concluding the journey of one of the most recognisable video-calling platforms from the early internet era. After more than two decades of service, the technology major is asking users to move to Microsoft Teams, which is now its primary communication and collaboration platform.
“All Skype chats and contacts will remain accessible through Teams using the same login credentials,” the company said in a blog post, assuring users of a smooth migration. All existing contacts and chat histories will carry over to Teams.
The decision is part of Microsoft's broader plan to streamline its communication offerings and focus efforts on Teams. “In order to streamline our free consumer communications offerings so we can more easily adapt to customer needs, we will be retiring Skype in May 2025 to focus on Microsoft Teams (free), our modern communications and collaboration hub,” the post read.
New purchases of Skype Credit and plans have already been stopped. Existing subscribers can continue using their services until the end of their billing cycles. Skype Numbers will stay active until expiry and can be ported to other carriers.
Even after shutdown, users can receive calls on Skype Numbers through the Skype web portal or Teams. Microsoft stated that “calls to these numbers will trigger push notifications in Teams.”
Skype through the years
Launched in 2003, Skype pioneered internet-based voice and video calling and became widely used across households and workplaces. Over time, it lost traction as mobile-first and cloud-native platforms emerged. The retirement of Skype signals Microsoft’s ongoing shift toward Teams, which is better integrated with Microsoft 365 and aligned with current collaboration demands.
Timeline of events
“All Skype chats and contacts will remain accessible through Teams using the same login credentials,” the company said in a blog post, assuring users of a smooth migration. All existing contacts and chat histories will carry over to Teams.
The decision is part of Microsoft's broader plan to streamline its communication offerings and focus efforts on Teams. “In order to streamline our free consumer communications offerings so we can more easily adapt to customer needs, we will be retiring Skype in May 2025 to focus on Microsoft Teams (free), our modern communications and collaboration hub,” the post read.
New purchases of Skype Credit and plans have already been stopped. Existing subscribers can continue using their services until the end of their billing cycles. Skype Numbers will stay active until expiry and can be ported to other carriers.
Even after shutdown, users can receive calls on Skype Numbers through the Skype web portal or Teams. Microsoft stated that “calls to these numbers will trigger push notifications in Teams.”
Skype through the years
Launched in 2003, Skype pioneered internet-based voice and video calling and became widely used across households and workplaces. Over time, it lost traction as mobile-first and cloud-native platforms emerged. The retirement of Skype signals Microsoft’s ongoing shift toward Teams, which is better integrated with Microsoft 365 and aligned with current collaboration demands.
Timeline of events
- Skype was launched in 2003 and quickly gained popularity by offering free voice calls over the internet.
- By 2005, the platform had reached 50 million users.
- In 2005, eBay acquired Skype for $2.6 billion, but failed to integrate it effectively.
- In 2009, a consortium led by Silver Lake and including Andreessen Horowitz took control of the company.
- In 2011, Microsoft acquired Skype for $8.5 billion, outbidding competitors such as Google and Facebook.
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