Microsoft has officially announced that Skype will be discontinued on Monday, May 5, bringing nearly 25 years of voice calls, video conferencing, and instant messaging to an end.
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Transition to Microsoft Teams
After the shutdown, Skype users will be able to log in to Microsoft Teams using their existing Skype credentials.
Teams, Microsoft’s more advanced communication platform, offers features comparable to Skype—including one-on-one and group calls, messaging, and file sharing—alongside enhanced capabilities such as meeting hosting, calendar management, and community building, all available for free.
Microsoft also confirmed that users' Skype data, including contact lists and ongoing chats, will be automatically transferred to their Teams accounts.
For users who do not wish to migrate, Microsoft offers an option to export Skype data manually.
Decline in Skype’s User Base
The decision comes amid a sharp decline in Skype's popularity. At its peak, Skype boasted around 300 million users, but that number has dwindled to just 36 million.
A Brief History
Launched in August 2003 by Scandinavian entrepreneurs Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis, Skype was acquired by eBay two years later for $2.5 billion. In 2011, Microsoft purchased the platform for $8.5 billion.
