Microsoft is shutting down Skype: why and what’s next?
1 march 2025 в 01:37
More than 20 years after Skype became the main video platform, Microsoft is closing the application. In the rapidly changing atmosphere of technology, people around the world have switched to using various alternatives to Skype for video calls. However, loyal Skype users were shocked by the company’s announcement, which was made on February 28, 2025. According to the technological conglomerate, Skype «has been an integral part of shaping modern communications and supporting countless significant moments». So why is Skype closing?
Find out everything we know about the upcoming closure of Skype below.
Microsoft confirmed on February 28, 2025, that the company will close Skype on May 5, 2025. According to a blog post titled «Next Chapter: Transitioning from Skype to Microsoft Teams», - the company announced: «To simplify our consumer communication offerings so we can better adapt to customer needs, we will be exiting Skype in May 2025 to focus on Microsoft Teams (free), our modern hub for communication and collaboration».
As Microsoft indicated, the goal of closing Skype is to «focus on Microsoft Teams» and «simplify» its «consumer communication offerings».
Microsoft’s President of Collaboration Applications and Platforms, Jeff Teper, stated in a CNBC interview that the company «learned a lot from Skype over the years we’ve invested in Teams as we’ve evolved Teams over the last seven to eight years».
«But we felt now was the time because we can be simpler for the market, for our customer base, and we can deliver more innovation faster just by focusing on Teams», - Teper added.
Microsoft intends to direct its customers and new users to its Teams platform. Teams has been used by businesses and individuals for planning and conducting video conference calls, similar to Skype.
On its website, the tech giant outlined how current Skype users can transition to Teams. Skype users currently have the option to sign into Teams for free «on any supported device using their Skype credentials». During this transition period, Skype and Teams users can communicate with each other.
For those who do not wish to use Teams, they can export all their Skype data
Find out everything we know about the upcoming closure of Skype below.
Microsoft confirmed on February 28, 2025, that the company will close Skype on May 5, 2025. According to a blog post titled «Next Chapter: Transitioning from Skype to Microsoft Teams», - the company announced: «To simplify our consumer communication offerings so we can better adapt to customer needs, we will be exiting Skype in May 2025 to focus on Microsoft Teams (free), our modern hub for communication and collaboration».
As Microsoft indicated, the goal of closing Skype is to «focus on Microsoft Teams» and «simplify» its «consumer communication offerings».
Microsoft’s President of Collaboration Applications and Platforms, Jeff Teper, stated in a CNBC interview that the company «learned a lot from Skype over the years we’ve invested in Teams as we’ve evolved Teams over the last seven to eight years».
«But we felt now was the time because we can be simpler for the market, for our customer base, and we can deliver more innovation faster just by focusing on Teams», - Teper added.
Microsoft intends to direct its customers and new users to its Teams platform. Teams has been used by businesses and individuals for planning and conducting video conference calls, similar to Skype.
On its website, the tech giant outlined how current Skype users can transition to Teams. Skype users currently have the option to sign into Teams for free «on any supported device using their Skype credentials». During this transition period, Skype and Teams users can communicate with each other.
For those who do not wish to use Teams, they can export all their Skype data
© Zhinobaeva Margarita
