Microsoft Shutting Down Skype
RIP Skype. After more than two decades of operation, the popular VoIP messaging and video conferencing service is shutting down in May 2025.
Microsoft, which purchased Skype back in 2011, announced in a blog post that Skype will be permanently shutting down on May 5. In the post, the company explains that the move is to streamline its communication app offerings and move users to the free tier of Microsoft Teams, which has received far more attention and development in recent years (read our Microsoft Teams guide).
As part of the move, Microsoft announced a transition period during which Skype users will be able to sign into Microsoft Teams using their Skype and have all their conversations automatically ported to Teams.
The transition period is being gradually rolled out to users starting with those in the Skype and Teams “Insider” programs (Microsoft’s open testing programs). During this period, Skype and Teams users will be able to send messages to each other directly across platforms.
Skype Dial Pad Remains, For Now
Although Skype is shutting down on May 5, there is one component of the service that will remain available to existing paying Skype users: the Dial Pad. Anyone who has already purchased calling credits on Skype will still be able to use them, but not purchase new ones.
It remains unclear how long the Dial Pad will remain, but presumably Microsoft will eventually pull the plug once enough users have exhausted their calling credits.
Skype’s low-cost international calling was why many used the service, and is something that Microsoft Teams doesn’t offer. Several users on Twitter brought this concern up in the replies for Microsoft’s announcement, and the company confirmed that there are no plans to port this functionality over to Teams.
What’s Next
Longtime Skype users will have to decide if they’re happy to move over to Microsoft Teams for their communication, or export their conversation data and go elsewhere.
While the chat and in-app call functionality of Teams is similar or better than Skype, those who used the service primarily for making international calls will likely have to find a new solution entirely.