Microsoft has announced that it is shutting down Skype — its legacy video-conferencing platform — starting May 5, 2025. Debuted in 2003, it was known for its Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)-based video telephony, video-conferencing and voice calling capabilities which led to its acquisition by the Redmond-based technology company in 2011. Although Microsoft in 2023 revealed that the platform still had 36 million users, its market share has decreased over time, with Microsoft's own Teams app offering similar core features in addition to more functionality.
Skype Shutdown
As per Microsoft, it aims to streamline its free consumer communications offerings by making Teams the “modern communications and collaboration hub.” Aside from its one-on-one calls and group calls, messaging, and file sharing features, it offers more extensive functionality over Skype, including the ability to host meetings, manage calendars, and build and join communities for free. Microsoft reports that its video conferencing platform has grown nearly fourfold in the past two years, a surge initially driven by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 as users sought to stay connected for work, school, and personal use.
Skype Credit, subscriptions, and other paid features will no longer be offered to users, the tech giant says. Current Skype subscription users can continue to use their Skype Credits and subscriptions until the end of their next renewal period, while Skype Credits can be used till exhaustion. Starting May 5, Skype Dial Pad will be available to remaining paid users from the Skype web portal and within Teams.
With Skype's planned phasing out, Microsoft says they will be able to login to the free version of Teams using their existing Skype credentials on any supported device. Chats as well as contacts will automatically be migrated to the new platform. To move from Skype to Microsoft Teams, users need to:
- Download Teams on their device from the official Microsoft Teams website.
- Log in with Skype credentials.
- Start using Teams with all the Skype chats and contacts available from the offset.
Further, the tech giant is making sure users do not lose their connectivity during this transition period by allowing cross-platform calling. Microsoft Teams users will be able to call those with Skype accounts and vice versa.
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