The company is ending the service of a popular video calling application. Microsoft purchased Skype in 2011, a platform that was launched in 2003.

Before the emergence of WhatsApp and Instagram, Skype was the primary choice for video calling, widely utilized for both personal and business communications. Microsoft has decided to discontinue Skype, effective today, May 5, and will concentrate solely on its Teams application, marking the retirement of Skype. This change was officially communicated back in February, as the tech giant aims to have Teams as its main free communication tool for consumers. Skype users can transition to Microsoft Teams easily, using their existing Skype credentials on any device that is supported.

Skype has officially ended its operations

Launched over twenty years ago in 2003 and acquired by Microsoft in 2011, Skype offered features such as video telephony, video conferencing, and voice calling based on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

Microsoft is also facilitating an easy transition for paying Skype users; they can use their Skype Credits and subscriptions through the end of their next renewal cycle, with Skype Credits lasting until they are fully utilized. Microsoft emphasizes that the shutdown will only affect free and paid account users, while Skype for Business accounts will remain unaffected.

Starting today, any remaining paid users will have access to the Skype Dial Pad exclusively through the Skype web portal and via Teams. Microsoft clarifies that the closure impacts users with free and paid accounts, but Skype for Business accounts will continue to operate.

Transitioning from Skype to Teams is simple. Users just need to sign into Teams with their Skype account, and all chats, contacts, and call history will be carried over. Microsoft Teams provides functionalities like one-on-one calls, group chats, group calls, and file sharing. Users will get a notification in the Skype app prompting them to manage their data migration. They have until January 2026 to switch, after which their data will be permanently erased.

Although Microsoft disclosed that there were still 36 million active users on Skype in 2023, the platform’s market share has declined over time. In contrast, Teams has seen extraordinary growth, nearly quadrupling in size over the past two years and providing similar, if not superior, features.