Microsoft Shuts Down Skype on May 5, 2025, After 22 Years, Urges Users to Move to Teams

Microsoft Corp. has officially shut down Skype, the video calling and messaging service, after 22 years of operation. The closure, effective May 5, 2025, was announced in February as part of Microsoft's strategy to focus on its Microsoft Teams platform. Skype, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion, was founded in 2003 by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis in Estonia and had reached over 300 million users at its peak. Microsoft is encouraging Skype users to transition to Microsoft Teams, offering a free version that includes similar features such as one-on-one and group calls, messaging, and file sharing. Teams also provides additional capabilities like hosting meetings, managing calendars, and joining communities. Users can log into Teams using their existing Skype credentials, with contacts and chats automatically transferred. Jeff Teper, president of collaborative apps and platforms at Microsoft, emphasized the company's focus on Teams to simplify offerings and increase innovation. The decision to shut down Skype comes as the service has seen a decline in usage, with its user base dropping to 36 million by 2023. The rise of competing platforms like WhatsApp, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams has contributed to this decline, particularly during the increased demand for video conferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic.