A hidden message inside Skype’s latest Windows preview has confirmed that the once-popular video-calling program will close in May 2025. Skype has been on Microsoft’s backburner for a while now, slowly being replaced by Teams, but this is the first time an official confirmation about the platform’s demise has surfaced.
Skype will remain online until May 5, after which existing users can decide whether to switch to the free version of Microsoft Teams or export their data. Teams will be ready to restore their contacts, message history, photos, and call logs if they decide to switch. For those who don’t want to switch, Microsoft has made a tool to view existing Skype history.
In an interview with The Verge, Jeff Teper, president of Microsoft 365 collaborative apps and platforms, claims that “Skype users will be in control, they’ll have the choice.” During the 60-day transition, Skype group chats will also be intact. Redmond also claims to maintain interoperability so users can message contacts on teams, which will be delivered to users still using Skype. That said, the ability to call domestic or international phone numbers will be removed.
Existing Skype credits will also be honoured, but new customers will no longer gain access to paid Skype features, including those that let you make or receive international and domestic calls. Existing subscribers can also use their credits inside Teams if they choose to migrate until the end of the next renewal period. As far as existing Skype number users are concerned, they will have to port to another provider since Microsoft no longer offers the service.
Skype was first launched in 2003 and was acquired by Microsoft in 2011 as a replacement for its in-house communication programs like Windows Live Messenger. Microsoft tried integrating it into Windows 10 in 2015, but it only lasted about nine months.
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