In February of 2025 Microsoft announced that it would be discontinuing services for Skype The OG video-calling service. After completing the notice period from February through May this is the last working day. Microsoft announced that Skype will not be accessible from May 5. In its defense, Microsoft says that this initiative is designed to boost the popularity of Teams.
In the blog post, Microsoft read, “In order to streamline our consumer-grade communications services to make it easier for us to adapt to changing customer demands and preferences, we’ll be phasing out Skype on May 25, 2025,, and concentrate upon Microsoft Teams (free), our new communications and collaboration hub.”
Skype Shuts Down Today: 5 Important Things to Know
- Skype is ending today. Microsoft, the company behind Skype, is shutting it down as part of its plan to focus more on Microsoft Teams. The goal is to combine all communication tools into one modern platform for personal and work use.
- New Skype services have stopped. Microsoft has stopped selling Skype Credit and paid calling plans to new users.
- Current users can still use their plans for now. If you already have a paid plan, you can continue using it until the end of your billing period. Any leftover credit will still be available. You can also use the Skype Dial Pad through the web or Microsoft Teams. After that, Skype will no longer work.
- Users had time to switch. Microsoft gave users from February to May 2025 to move to Teams. During this time, help and support were available to make the switch easier.
- Switching to Teams is simple. You can sign in using your Skype username and password. Your contacts, chats, and call history will move over automatically. Teams also offers everything Skype did, plus new tools like calendar integration and group features.
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Best Alternatives to Skype
When we think of Skype alternatives, naturally the twin Microsoft Teams comes to mind. But, if you don’t want to stick with Microsoft Here are the several alternatives you can try:
Google Meet
- Free with any Google account.
- Easy to use and supports video calls with up to 100 people.
- Offers screen sharing and recording.
- Free version limits group calls to 60 minutes.
- Paid plan (starting at ₹160/month in India) allows up to 24-hour meetings and includes extra features like Gemini AI.
Zoom
- Very popular for video meetings.
- Free plan supports up to 100 people, but meetings are limited to 40 minutes.
- Features include screen sharing, whiteboard, chat, meeting recording, and transcripts.
- Paid plans start at ₹1,147/month.
- Paid users get access to Zoom AI for summaries and search features.
Slack
- Great for teams who want quick, casual chats.
- Its Huddle feature lets users start voice or video calls in chats or channels.
- Free version allows Huddles for only 2 people.
- Paid plans (from ₹246/month) support up to 50 people in a Huddle.
Why Skype Is Shutting Down
Skype, launched in 2003, was once one of the most popular apps for video calling. But over time, it lost popularity as new apps and tools, especially those focused on business use, took over. Microsoft decided to shut down Skype as part of its plan to focus fully on Microsoft Teams, which works better with its other products and is more suited to today’s digital communication needs.
Moving to Microsoft Teams
Skype will work until May 5, 2025. Microsoft is encouraging all users to switch to Teams before then. They’re also providing help and support to make the move easy. Your Skype contacts and chats will carry over to Teams, so you won’t lose any of your data.
For Paid Skype Users
New purchases of Skype Credit and plans are no longer available. But if you already have a subscription, you can keep using it until your current billing period ends.
- Skype Numbers will stay active until their expiry date.
- After Skype shuts down, users can still receive calls on their Skype Number through the Skype web portal or Teams.
- Microsoft says you can also transfer (port) your Skype Number to another service provider if needed.
How to Switch to Teams
- Just log in to Microsoft Teams using your Skype username and password.
- All your contacts, messages, and call history will be synced automatically.
- Teams has all the main features of Skype like messaging, voice and video calls, and file sharing.
- It also includes extra tools like calendar integration, community groups, and more.
The End of an Era
Skype changed the way people communicated when it launched. Now, with its shutdown, Microsoft is officially handing over the reins to Teams. For users, it’s a clear message: Microsoft Teams is now the main platform for communication in the Microsoft family.