Microsoft to Shut Down Skype by May 2025
Microsoft is closing down Skype after almost two decades, with the platform to be shut down on May 5, 2025. To address this, Microsoft is urging users to switch over to Microsoft Teams Free, which not only preserves Skype's basic features but extends them with functionalities such as meeting hosting and calendar management. To facilitate the transition, Microsoft has announced a transition period when Teams Free users will continue to chat and call Skype users until the shutdown date. New users, however, cannot access paid Skype features anymore.
The switch is easy. Skype users can be prompted to make the move in-app, or download it themselves from Microsoft's website. Once installed, users can log in using their Microsoft or Skype credentials and go through the setup process to confirm their information. Teams will then sync chats and contacts from Skype automatically, so conversations can be picked up where they left off.
Microsoft's transition is a step towards the changed environment of internet communication, coercing users onto an integrated environment. With collaboration capabilities in Teams, the process adds value for users while incorporating known aspects of Skype. Whatever the deadline be, months perhaps, switching on time guarantees uneventful migration.
