In February, Skype reported that it would close in May. Now it’s official. Microsoft pulls out the plug of Pioneer calling today’s video on May 5, 2025. It finishes running for 23 years with one of the earliest apps that made long distance communication free and easy.
Microsoft, which purchased Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011, has confirmed the shutdown date and encouraged users to switch to Microsoft teams or downloaded Skype data before calling it a day.
Skype was in the spotlight in the early 2000s. It provided something radical at the time: free audio and video calls on the internet. eBay believes it’s the future of e-commerce, and in 2005 it snapped it for $2.6 billion. After a stint with private investors, Microsoft intervened with high hopes and made a big check.
However, Skype did not become the communication backbone that Microsoft wanted. It was bundled into many years of Windows, burned it into Outlook and layered with new features like Bing Chat, but it struggled to stay relevant. The competition was far ahead.
Move to team from Skype
If you’re still using Skype, Microsoft is relatively painless to switch to teams. Sign in using your Skype credentials and your contacts and chat history are ready.
Teams bring similar features like video calls, messaging, file sharing, but are directed towards work. It supports video calls with up to 10,000 participants and works well with tools like Office 365, OneDrive, SharePoint, Salesforce, and Trello.
How to migrate from Skype to Microsoft Teams
Do you want your data? Here’s how to export
Have you planned to switch? You can still retain the data. Here is a quick path to download messages, files and contact information:
Log in to Skype.
Click the 3-dot menu under your account name.
Go to Settings → Account and Profile → Account.
You will be redirected to the Skype web portal.
Select the type of data you want: Contact, Caller ID, or Full Chat History.
[リクエストを送信]Click to wait for the export to complete and download the file.
Skype alternatives
The biggest problem with Skype was not the quality, but the timing. By the time Microsoft realized what Skype wanted, users were moving forward.
Zoom exploded during the pandemic. WhatsApp has become a go-to for casual chats. Slack has changed the way teams communicate. Even the team, Microsoft’s own product, ended up stealing the spotlight.
There are several top choices depending on how you communicate.
Zoom: Perfect for work or personal calls. The free plan supports up to 100 people and is known for its reliability and easy screen sharing.
Microsoft Team: If you are using Microsoft products, you are already involved in the workflow. The free version includes groups of up to 100 people and group meetings with a limit of 60 minutes.
Google Meet: No download required. Runs in a browser and works well with Gmail and Google Calendar.
Discord: Originally built for gamers, it is now used by all kinds of communities. Audio, video, text – everything is organized into channels for free.
WhatsApp: For those who want mobile first. No video and audio for up to 32 people, no additional setup required.
Signal: If privacy is your biggest concern, the signal encrypts the call end-to-end. Clean the interface and no fluff.
Telegram: Another privacy-focused app with strong performance. Supports large group chat and streaming.
Slack: Perfect for team messaging. One-on-one videos are free, but you will need to pay to unlock more features such as group calls.
Each brings something different. Zoom and team are built for professional setups. Whatsapp and Discord Lean Social. If privacy is at the top of the list, signals and telegrams are the best bet.
Twenty years later, the end of Skype marks the end of the era. But there are so many new ways to maintain a connection, so it’s more like a handoff than a loss.
It’s not gone yet
Skype hasn’t disappeared overnight. A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed that it is available to those still using it. But it’s clear where things are heading, as the team is getting all the attention.
Jaan Tallinn, one of Skype’s founding engineers, still uses it as the default. “If people want to use other channels, I’m happy to follow,” he said.
Microsoft may not call it a failure, but watching Skype’s journey makes it difficult to see other things. Apps that changed online communications are now phased out and replaced by Microsoft’s built after the fact.
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