Microsoft has confirmed that Skype, the pioneering internet calling service launched in 2003, will cease operations on May 20, 2025, ending a 22-year run that reshaped global communication. Acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion, Skype once boasted over 300 million users at its peak, but its relevance waned amid competition from Zoom, WhatsApp, and Microsoft’s own Teams. The company announced today that users must migrate to Teams or export their data within the next two months.

Skype’s shutdown follows years of sporadic updates and a gradual shift in Microsoft’s strategy. While it integrated AI features like Copilot in 2024, Skype failed to reclaim its former glory, overshadowed by Teams’ rise—now at 320 million monthly users—especially during the pandemic’s remote work boom. “Skype shaped modern communication, but Teams offers more,” said Jeff Teper, Microsoft 365 president, emphasizing new AI-driven tools in Teams as the future.

Users can log into Teams with Skype credentials, automatically transferring chats and contacts, though telephony features like international calling will vanish for new subscribers. Existing Skype credits remain usable until renewal deadlines. For those opting out, Microsoft offers a data export tool for chat history and media. Posts on social media reflect nostalgia, with users lamenting the “end of an era,” though some question Skype’s lingering relevance.

The decision aligns with Microsoft’s push to consolidate its ecosystem, a move foreshadowed when Skype for Business retired in 2021. As WhatsApp and FaceTime dominate personal calls and Teams anchors professional ones, Skype’s closure feels inevitable. With just over 60 days left, users face a bittersweet farewell to a service that once defined online connection, now a relic in a fast-evolving digital landscape.