After 22 years of bringing people together around the world, Skype has officially ceased its operations. On May 5, Microsoft announced that it has closed all versions of the familiar and beloved messenger — Skype. This was reported by NDTV World news agency.
For many years, Skype has been one of the most popular platforms for video calls and online communication, and now Microsoft Teams will take its place. Microsoft had already announced in February that it would stop Skype's operations and urged users to switch to Microsoft Teams.
The service is closed for everyone
The closure of Skype applies not only to free accounts but also to paid ones. Skype for Business users will be automatically transferred to Microsoft Teams without any action required on their part.
With this, Microsoft plans to fully integrate Skype into the Teams ecosystem.
What will happen to my Skype account?
Users can register on Microsoft Teams with their Skype credentials — chats, contacts, and other information will be automatically restored.
If a user does not wish to use Teams, they can export or delete their Skype data. This option will remain available until January 2026. After this period, the data will be automatically deleted.
How can I save my Skype data?
- Go to the Skype data export page via your Microsoft account;
- Select chats, files, or both;
- Submit the request and specify the necessary information for export;
- Once completed, click the “Download” button.
What caused the closure of Skype?
Skype has been actively working for a long time integrated into mobile, desktop, and console platforms. However, frequent changes in the interface, various updates, and the development of competitors have impacted the platform.
Especially during the pandemic, platforms like Zoom, Webex, Discord, and Slack gained significant popularity. Skype lost 23 million monthly active users by 2025.
Skype has become history. It has been replaced by Microsoft Teams. Once a service that gathered 1 billion users around it is now described as part of Microsoft's ecosystem, which is entering a new phase.
For users, this means a new stage for updating the form and platform of communication, new habits, and opportunities. Are you ready to switch to Teams?
