Microsoft Is Shuttering Skype

Microsoft is shuttering Skype, putting an end to one of the longest-running chat and videoconferencing platforms on the market.

Skype was first released in 2003, with its ease of use leading to skyrocketing popularity. The service was acquired first by eBay, before Microsoft purchased it in 2011. Now, 14 years later, Microsoft says it is shuttering the service.

The company made the announcement in a blog post, saying it will focus all its efforts on Teams instead.

The way we communicate has evolved significantly over the years. From instant messaging to video calls, technology has continuously transformed how we connect with each other. 

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. 

Microsoft touts Teams as having the same core functionality as Skype, while offering more advanced features.

With Teams, users have access to many of the same core features they use in Skype, such as one-on-one calls and group calls, messaging, and file sharing. Additionally, Teams offers enhanced features like hosting meetings, managing calendars, and building and joining communities for free.

Over the coming days, Microsoft plans to enable logging into Teams with Skype credentials, making it easy to transition. ALternatitely, users who don’t want to migrate to Teams can export thir Skype data for import into another service.

Users with Skype Credit have until the shutdown date to use it.

Skype’s shutdown marks the end of an era, the demise of one of the oldest communication apps from the early days of the internet.

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