Skype, the popular voice and video calling app, is officially shutting down on May 5, 2025. Microsoft, which bought Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011, announced the decision in February as part of its plan to focus more on Microsoft Teams.
Skype was launched in 2003 and quickly became a game-changer in online communication, with over 300 million monthly users at its peak in the mid-2010s.
However, over time, it lost ground to competitors like WhatsApp, Zoom, and even Microsoft’s own Teams platform.
The shutdown will affect both free and paid Skype users, though Skype for Business will stay around a bit longer.
Microsoft is encouraging users to switch to Teams by using the “Start using Teams” option at Skype.com. All Skype messages and contacts can still be accessed in Teams using the same login details.
