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Skype, once a pioneer of global video calling, officially shut down its services from today, May 5, as Microsoft transitions users to its platform, ‘Teams’.
The move ends a 21-year journey that began in 2003 and saw Skype rise to over 400 million registered users at its peak.
Microsoft, which acquired Skype in 2011, announced earlier this year that Skype’s services – both free and paid – will be replaced by Microsoft Teams.
Here’s what will happen to your Skype account:
Skype for Business users will be fully integrated into Teams, while individual users will need to switch manually.
Users can log in to Microsoft Teams using their Skype credentials to retain their chats and contact list.
Those who prefer to leave the Microsoft ecosystem can export their Skype data – including messages and files – via the Skype Export page.
However, this option will only be available until January 2026, after which all inactive user data will be permanently deleted.
How to export Skype data?
- Sign in to the Skype Export page with their Microsoft account
- Choose whether to download conversations, files, or both
- Select Submit request, then select Continue when prompted.
- When the export process is complete, click Download.
