Adieu Skype! Know what happens to your data when the iconic app is closed and how to transfer to Microsoft Teams
Skype, a video conferencing platform from Microsoft, has closed on Monday, May 5, 2025, defining the twenty years of video conferencing. Skype users now need to be transferred to Microsoft teams. Microsoft Team has always been a fully equipped platform for the updated Skype.
Adieu Skype! Know what happens to your data when the iconic app is closed and how to transfer to Microsoft Teams
Skype, a video conferencing platform from Microsoft, has closed on Monday, May 5, 2025, defining the twenty years of video conferencing. Skype has been one of the pioneers of video conferencing, and its final ending represents the crystallization of an era marking the beginning of the digital communication revolution. Skype's parent company Microsoft announced its end in February and announced a replacement for Microsoft Teams. Skype is a free video calling application.
Why does Microsoft turn off Skype?
Microsoft decided to stop using Skype due to its declining relevance. Since Microsoft acquired the platform in 2011, many new platforms have become increasingly popular among users. This is also because Microsoft is changing the focus of integrating all communication tools into a single platform that adapts to the needs of the modern workplace. This is a comprehensive strategy Microsoft has taken to prioritize teams because it feels to represent the digital future.
Although Skype's active users in 2023 is an astonishing 36 million, the company believes that the team is a hub for modern communication and collaboration. Microsoft said in its official blog post that the Microsoft team is more capable of meeting customer needs as an integration platform. “To simplify our free consumer communications product so that we can more easily adapt to customer needs, we will retire Skype in May 2025, focusing on the Microsoft Team (free), our modern communications and collaboration center.”
Founded in 2017, Microsoft Team is a fully equipped platform for the updated Skype, which was created in 2003.
Team is better than Skype
Microsoft mentioned that by providing many of Skype's features, which are its main components such as one-to-one and group phones, messaging and file sharing, the team is more advanced than Skype. The Microsoft team also supports file sharing, conferences, streaming calendars and community centers for free.
How to turn to the team
Microsoft has made an alternative for those who don’t want to transfer data to their teams. These users can export their Skype data such as contacts, chats, call history.
Skype users can migrate to the free version of Microsoft Team through their Skype credentials. Users must first log in to the team through their Skype account details. After that, their old chats, contacts, and other data will be displayed in the Teams app. This will enable users to continue calling and chatting with people on their Skype account until May 5.
