Microsoft Officially Shuts Down Skype After 22 Years, Shifting Focus to Teams

Microsoft has officially ended support for Skype after 22 years of service, signaling a shift toward its more modern collaboration platform, Teams. The company had previously announced the shutdown would occur on May 5, 2025. While the exact number of active Skype users is unclear, data from 2023 suggested that the platform had only 36 million daily users, a drastic drop from its peak of 300 million users at the height of its popularity.

Skype, which was first launched in 2003 and acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion, had seen its role diminished over the years as Microsoft prioritized other services. The integration of messaging and video calls in Microsoft Teams, released in 2016, became the company’s primary focus for communication solutions. As a result, Skype became increasingly irrelevant as newer platforms, like Discord, gained traction among users.

As part of the transition, Microsoft has made it possible for users to migrate their Skype accounts to Teams. This includes automatic migration of conversation logs and contact lists, allowing users to continue their communications seamlessly on the new platform. The move aligns with Microsoft’s broader strategy to consolidate its communication tools and improve the user experience within its Teams ecosystem.

While the end of Skype marks a significant moment in the history of internet communication, it reflects the changing landscape of digital messaging and collaboration tools. Microsoft’s emphasis on Teams highlights the company’s evolving priorities as it competes with other major platforms in the business and consumer communication space.

Source: Business day