Microsoft shuts down Skype after 21 years
Microsoft is shutting down today, as part of its efforts to push users towards Microsoft Teams, a collaboration and communication platform designed for businesses and organizations.
Skype, launched in 2003, was once synonymous with video calling apps but saw a decline in popularity after Microsoft acquired it in 2011 for $8.5 billion. Despite continued improvements, Skype’s usage dwindled with the rise of alternative video calling platforms like Apple’s FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet, and Telegram.
Existing Skype users can migrate to Microsoft Teams, which offers similar core features, including one-to-one and group calls, messaging, file sharing, and calendar integration. However, Teams’ free version lacks phone-call functionality and the ability to receive phone calls with a Skype phone number.
Skype paid users will retain some features within Teams. The Skype Dial Pad will remain available to them from the web portal within the Teams free tier. Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers will still have access to similar functionalities, as Teams Free allows users to talk for up to 30 hours with up to 300 people.
The shutdown does not affect Skype for Business users. Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers will lose the 70-minute Skype Calls feature starting March 2026, but will retain roughly the same functionality through Teams Free.