Skype, the video call and messaging service, is officially shutting down today after 14 years of operation, following its acquisition by Microsoft. Users are advised to transition to the Microsoft Teams app, which offers a similar service and integration with existing Skype accounts. Affected: Microsoft Skype users
Keypoints :
- Skype was launched in August 2003 and acquired by eBay in 2005 for .6 billion.
- Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011 for .5 billion, using it to replace Windows Live Messenger.
- As of February 2023, over 36 million people used Skype daily for video calls and chats.
- In February 2025, Microsoft announced the shutdown of Skype on May 5, giving users 60 days to transition to Teams.
- During the transition, users can call and chat across both Skype and Teams platforms.
- Teams currently has 320 million monthly active users, comprising about 80% of Office 365’s user base.
- Microsoft emphasizes its commitment to support users during this transition while promoting the benefits of Teams.
- This shutdown follows the removal of other Microsoft software, such as Cortana and WordPad, as part of Windows 11 updates.