Microsoft turns off Skype, shifts to Teams in May

• Published On: 01 March 2025 at 21:22

Microsoft has announced that Skype will be shut down on May 5th, signaling the end of an era for the once-dominant video calling platform.

The tech behemoth will migrate users to the free consumer version of Microsoft Teams, with the goal of consolidating its communication services into a single platform.

Existing Skype users will be able to log in to Microsoft Teams with their current credentials, and their message history, group chats, and contacts will be automatically transferred. Users can also export their data, including photos and conversation history, if they do not want to move to Teams.

"We want to give users more control," said Jeff Teper, President of Microsoft 365 collaborative apps and platforms. "They can migrate their conversation history and contacts, or move on if they prefer."

Notably, Microsoft is also discontinuing Skype's telephony features. Users will no longer be able to call domestic or international phone numbers or mobile lines, which the company claims reflects changing technological trends. "Voice over IP and cheaper mobile data plans have reduced the need for traditional phone calls," stated Amit Fulay, Microsoft's Vice President of Product.

Skype credits and subscriptions will be valid in Teams until their next renewal period, but new customers will no longer be able to purchase them. Skype Number users will have to transfer their numbers to another provider because Microsoft will no longer support this feature.

Nearly 14 years ago, Microsoft paid $8.5 billion for Skype. Despite a brief resurgence during the pandemic, Skype struggled to keep up with competitors such as Zoom, WhatsApp, and Facetime.

With this shift, Microsoft intends to focus solely on Teams, which has grown steadily since its launch in 2020. "The world has moved on," Teper stated. "Now, we're doubling down on Teams — for work and life."

In the coming weeks, Skype users will receive prompts to switch to Teams.