The End of an Era: Microsoft to Shut Down Skype After 21 Years of Operation

Skype will ring for the last time on May 5 as owner Microsoft is set to retire the 21 year old internet calling service.

According to Microsoft, shutting down Skype will help them focus on its homegrown Teams service by simplifying its communication offerings.

“We are honored to have been part of the journey. Skype has been an integral part of shaping modern communications.”

To ease the transition from the platform, its users will be able to log into Teams for free on any supported device using their existing credentials, with chats and contacts migrating automatically.

Microsoft said there were more than 300 million monthly Skype users in 2016, but its daily user count had dwindled to 36 million in 2023. Teams, by comparison, has risen to 320 million monthly users.

“As we take this next step with Teams, we’re excited about the opportunities ahead. We look forward to continuing to support people’s everyday connections, starting by making it easy to log into Teams with their Skype account,” said Jeff Teper, President, Collaborative Apps and Platforms.

“Skype has been an integral part of shaping modern communications and supporting countless meaningful moments, and we are honored to have been part of the journey. ”

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