Goodbye, Skype: Microsoft Teams Takes Over, Offering Free Calls and More

Microsoft Corporation’s MSFT Skype, once a pioneering video-calling service, will shut down in May 2025.

The company revealed that users could transition to Microsoft Teams Free using their Skype account to stay connected with contacts and chats.

“Starting in May 2025, Skype will no longer be available. Over the coming days you can sign in to Microsoft Teams Free with your Skype account to stay connected with all your chats and contacts,” Skype wrote in a post in X, formerly known as the Twitter.

“Thank you for being part of Skype,” the post added.

The move marks the end of an era for a service that once revolutionized global communication.

See Also: Apple Unveils iPhone 16e With A18 Chip, AI Features, $599 Price Tag

Skype, launched in 2003, became widely popular by offering free computer-to-computer voice and video calls, helping to popularize the concept of internet-based communication.

Acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion, Skype was integrated into Microsoft’s ecosystem, including Windows and Xbox devices, BBC reports.

At the time, it was a key player in the real-time communications space, with millions of users around the world.

However, with the rise of competitors like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, Skype’s dominance began to wane, the report adds.

Despite attempts to revamp the service, including a redesign in 2017 that mirrored features from Snapchat, user dissatisfaction grew.

Microsoft now aims to focus on Microsoft Teams, its modern communications and collaboration hub, which has seen significant growth, particularly in the consumer space.

“With Teams, users have access to many of the same core features they use in Skype, such as one-on-one calls and group calls, messaging, and file sharing. Additionally, Teams offers enhanced features like hosting meetings, managing calendars, and building and joining communities for free,” wrote  Jeff Teper, President, Collaborative Apps and Platforms at Microsoft.

The shift to Teams highlights the evolving landscape of digital communication, with a growing preference for more robust platforms that cater to work, school, and personal collaboration.

Skype’s decline reflects changing user needs, and Microsoft hopes that Teams will become the new go-to platform for communication.

Read Next:

• Rubio Calls On Zelenskyy To Apologize After Tense Trump Meeting: ‘Maybe Zelenskyy Doesn’t Want A Peace Deal!’