Microsoft Axes Skype, Shifts Focus to Teams

Microsoft is retiring Skype on May 5, marking the end of its two-decade run as a pioneer in video calling. The move signals Microsoft's full shift toward Teams, its all-in-one messaging and video platform.

The Skype service will end on May 5, and users will be transferred to Microsoft Teams Free accounts. Skype chat logs and call history will be available within Skype until January 2026. Users will also have access to a tool to export their Skype data before the shutdown.

Skype struggled to compete in a market now led by Zoom, Google Meet, and FaceTime, with its user base dwindling to 36 million by 2023, while Microsoft Teams surged to 320 million users. The tech giant offered a Skype for Business tier from 2015 to 2021, but prioritized Teams as both a messaging and video solution on Windows 11.

For businesses that used paid Skype calling plans, paid services will still be active within Teams for the subscription duration. Microsoft pointed users of paid Skype calling plans toward Teams Essentials and Microsoft Teams Phone subscriptions.