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Microsoft Hangs Up on Skype: Iconic App Shuts Down After 23 Years

As the pioneering video-calling service shuts down, Microsoft urges users to switch to Teams for similar features.

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Headshot of Macy Meyer
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Macy is a writer on the AI Team. She covers how AI is changing daily life and how to make the most of it. This includes writing about consumer AI products and their real-world impact, from breakthrough tools reshaping daily life to the intimate ways people interact with AI technology day-to-day. Macy is a North Carolina native who graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a BA in English and a second BA in Journalism. You can reach her at mmeyer@cnet.com.
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In this photo illustration, a woman seen looking at a smartphone with a Skype logo displayed in the background.

Skype's retirement marks the end of an era for the voice-over-IP calling service.

 SOPA Images/Getty Images

Skype, the pioneering video- and voice-calling service, officially shut down Monday after over two decades of connecting users worldwide. Microsoft initially announced in February it would be shutting down Skype, in part to focus on Microsoft Teams. That timing gave users 10 weeks to access, save or migrate their account information before the shut down went into effect May 5. 

Launched in 2003 and acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion, Skype boasted over 300 million monthly users at its peak. By 2023, that number had dwindled to approximately 36 million, as competitors such as Zoom, Google Meet and Teams gained prominence. These platforms continue to dominate the digital communication landscape as they expand features for personal and professional use.

A representative for Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read also: 10 Free Zoom Alternative Apps for Video Chats

What are the alternatives?

Microsoft has encouraged Skype users to transition to Microsoft Teams, offering a free version that supports one-on-one and group calls, messaging and file sharing — a few of Skype's core features. 

You can sign in to Teams using your Skype credentials, with contacts and chat history automatically transferred. However, the free version of Teams lacks Skype's phone-call functionality, such as calling mobile and landline numbers.