Microsoft to Retire Skype After 21 Years, Pushing Users to Teams

The once-iconic video calling platform will shut down on May 5, 2025, as Microsoft shifts focus to its Teams app.

Skype, launched in 2003, was a pioneer in internet-based voice and video communication, but its user base has significantly declined in recent years.
Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011 for $8.5 billion, but the platform struggled to compete with rivals like Zoom, WhatsApp, and FaceTime in the mobile and cloud era.
Microsoft is encouraging Skype users to transition to its Teams platform, with contacts, chats, and some features migrating automatically.
The shutdown will discontinue Skype's phone-calling functionality, though users with remaining credits can temporarily access this feature through Teams or the Skype web portal.
Microsoft cites Teams' growth and consumer adoption as key reasons for retiring Skype, which had 36 million daily active users as of 2023, down from its peak of 300 million in 2013.