Skype shuts down after 21 years of connecting callers

After 21 years, Microsoft shuts down Skype this week, with free and paid users instead invited to join Microsoft Teams for their video calling needs.

The earlier announcement of Skype’s end as well as its final shutdown was bittersweet news for many who depended on the audio-video calling service for everything from carrying out business across borders to staying in touch with loved ones across oceans.

Skype was a tool used by over 300 million users at its peak and was acquired by Microsoft in 2011, per Washington Post.

In later years, the emergence of video calling functions across other apps and platforms such as Meta and Google dented Skype’s popularity. Furthermore, advanced video conferencing tools such as Zoom made it seamless to connect huge groups of callers, while Skype lacked such innovative updates.

Microsoft invited users to export or delete their Skype data.

“In May 2025, Skype will be retired. This change will impact both free and paid Skype users, but not Skype for Business. Skype users will have the option to move to Microsoft Teams Free, which offers many of the same core features and more,” said the company in a blog post.

However, Skype for Business users will not be impacted by the change.

Microsoft said that users could sign in to Microsoft Teams Free on any supported device with their Skype credentials, and that their contacts and chats would be automatically transferred.