Microsoft is officially retiring Skype on May 5, marking the end of an era for one of the pioneering video-calling platforms since the early days of the internet. After more than two decades of service, the company is urging users to transition to Microsoft Teams (free), which will now become its primary tool for communication and collaboration. This change will affect both free and paid Skype users, although Skype for Business will remain unaffected.
Skype users will have the option to migrate to Microsoft Teams Free, which offers many of the same core features and additional functionalities. By signing in to Microsoft Teams Free on any supported device using their existing Skype credentials, users will find that their contacts and chats are automatically transferred. Furthermore, users will receive a notification within the Skype app prompting them to take action to migrate their data.
“If you don’t want to use Microsoft Teams Free, you can export your Skype data,” Microsoft stated. Existing calling and Skype Number subscriptions will continue to automatically renew until April 3, 2025. After May 2025, the Skype Dial Pad will remain accessible to remaining paid users through the Skype web portal and within Teams Free. To transfer their Skype Number, users will need to contact their new carrier or learn more about the process.
Microsoft added, “We will no longer offer paid Skype features to new customers, including Skype Credit and subscriptions that allow making and receiving international and domestic calls.” Regarding Skype data, when users sign in to Microsoft Teams Free, the Skype app will prompt them to transfer their data, a process that typically takes less than a minute. However, certain types of chats won’t be transferred, including conversations between Skype users and Teams work or school accounts, chats between Skype and Skype for Business users, one-on-one chats with oneself, private conversations, and messages from bots or Copilot.
Since its launch in 2003, Skype revolutionized video calling, becoming an indispensable tool for both personal and professional use worldwide. However, its popularity declined as more advanced, business-oriented platforms emerged. Microsoft’s decision to retire Skype signals a strategic shift toward Microsoft Teams, a platform more seamlessly integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem and better aligned with the evolving needs of digital communication and collaboration.
