Skype is officially shutting down

As of May 5, 2025, Microsoft has begun phasing out Skype, transitioning users to the free version of Microsoft Teams.

Users will have their contacts and chats automatically migrated, and notifications with migration instructions are set to roll out in the coming days.

Microsoft had previously given users over two months to decide the fate of their accounts. While updated figures haven’t been shared, Skype reportedly had 36 million active users in 2023 — a sharp drop from its peak of over 300 million.

Skype’s decline had been long anticipated, as Microsoft failed to adapt the platform to the pandemic era, losing ground to Zoom, Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, and other modern alternatives. Teams Free will now serve as Microsoft’s primary consumer-facing communication platform.