Microsoft is Shutting Down Skype - Here's What You Need to Know

If you've been using Skype for years, get ready for a change—Microsoft is officially phasing it out in favor of Teams. While this shift has been coming for a while, it's now clear that Skype's days are numbered. Let's break down why Microsoft is making the move, what advantages Teams offers, and what you need to do if you're still hanging onto your old Skype account.

Why is Microsoft Shutting Down Skype?

Skype was once the king of online communication, launching in 2003 and quickly becoming the go-to platform for video calls. Microsoft bought Skype in 2011 for a hefty $8.5 billion, integrating it into Windows and attempting to make it a core part of its ecosystem. That's not exactly Twitter/X money, but still, that's hefty. However, in recent years, Skype has fallen behind competitors like Zoom, WhatsApp, and even Discord.

Meanwhile, Microsoft Teams launched in 2017 as a workplace collaboration tool and quickly gained traction, especially during the pandemic. With Teams becoming the default communication hub for businesses, Microsoft decided to consolidate its efforts and fully replace Skype with Teams. Skype for Business was officially retired in 2021, and Microsoft pushed those users to Teams long ago.

How Long Will Skype Still Work?

Microsoft has not announced an exact shutdown date yet, just May of 2025. There is no statement on whether the service will go dark on May 31 or be left to linger for some time unsupported. Therefore, if you're still using Skype, it is best to start transitioning now rather than waiting until it's too late.

What Happens to Skype Credits and Subscriptions?

You may wonder what happens next if you have Skype Credit or a Skype Number. Microsft announced in December that it would stop with Skype Credits in favor of subscriptions as well and they stopped issuing phone numbers. The best guess there is that they were hoping you would use up your credits. They have yet to announce a refund policy. However, since Teams does not offer a direct replacement for Skype's calling plans, users may need to look for alternatives like Zoom, WhatsApp, or VoIP services for international calling. As for your number, you will need to port your Skype Number to another service if you would like to keep it.

What Advantages Does Teams Have Over Skype?

Pretty much everything. While Skype was great for casual video chats, Teams is a more robust and modern communication platform. Here's what it brings to the table:

Better Integration – Teams works seamlessly with Microsoft 365, allowing you to schedule meetings, collaborate on documents, and manage tasks in one place.

More Features – Teams offers file sharing, whiteboards, meeting recordings, and more advanced collaboration tools.

Stronger Security – Microsoft has built Teams with enterprise-grade security, making it a safer option for both personal and Business use.

Larger Meeting Capacity – Teams support larger groups for video calls, which is a big step from Skype's limitations.

Cross-Platform Support – Works across Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and the web.

What Happens to Your Skype Contacts?

If you have a Skype account linked to your Microsoft account, the good news is your contacts will automatically transfer to Teams. No extra work is needed.

However, if you were hoping to export your contacts to another service, there's no easy way. Microsoft doesn't provide a built-in export option. If you want to move your contacts to a different platform—like WhatsApp, Discord, or Zoom—you'll have to do it manually. Here's the best way to do it yourself:

Open Skype and go to your contact list.

Copy each contact's name and email (or username) into a document or spreadsheet.

Save the list for reference.

Manually add contacts to your new platform of choice (WhatsApp, Discord, etc.) by sending friend requests or invitations.
Pro Tip:If you use a spreadsheet and save to CSV, it will be easier to import the data into another app.

It's a tedious process, but it won't take too long if you only have a handful of essential contacts.

What If Your Skype Account Isn't Linked to a Microsoft Account?

You'll need to take an extra step if you're an old-school geek like me and still using a Skype-only account (with just a username and password, no Microsoft email linked).

Go to the Microsoft Account Page: https://account.microsoft.com

Sign in with your Skype credentials.

Follow the prompts to attach an email to your account.

Once linked, your contacts will transfer to Teams automatically.

Alternatives to Microsoft Teams

If you're not keen on switching to Teams, there are plenty of other options:

WhatsApp – Great for personal chats and small groups, supports video and voice calls.

Discord – A solid alternative with excellent voice chat, screen sharing, and community features.

Telegram – Secure messaging with cloud-based chat backups.

Google Meet – Simple video calls integrated with Google services.

The Bottom Line

Microsoft is moving forward, and Skype is being left behind, and we can't say we are sad. If you already use Microsoft 365, then Teams will be a smooth transition. If not, now's the time to decide whether to stick with Microsoft's ecosystem or jump ship to a different platform. No matter what you choose, make sure you manually back up any important contacts before Skype disappears for good.

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