Mark this date: May 5, 2025. A Monday that will be remembered by technology enthusiasts from all over the world, and not only, for a historical event: the official disposal of Skype. After more than twenty years of honorable service and a central role in the online communication revolution, Microsoft has decided to say goodbye to the platform to focus entirely on Teams. If you are wondering why this choice has been made right now and what it means to users, the answer is quite clear: the Redmond giant is focusing on a single solution, more modern and more designed for communication and collaboration between several people. Teams offers functionality similar to Skype, such as messaging, calls and sharing files, but also adds advanced tools designed for the work and management of groups, all in a free and growing platform. For the most nostalgic, The farewell to Skype marks the end of an erabut also the beginning of a new chapter for Microsoft, which aims to simplify its software offer.
Skype history and closure: an announced decline
Skype has been one of the most popular communication services in the world for years. Launched 21 and a half years ago, the August 29, 2003reached its peak around the 2013 with about 300 million active users. The arrival of new platforms has profoundly changed the way people communicate. Apps like WhatsApp and Telegram made the messaging more immediate, while Zoom (which received a large push from Covid-19 pandemics) has gained popularity in videoconferences.
Microsoft has acquired Skype in 2011 For 8.5 billion dollars. The goal of the acquisition was to consolidate one’s presence in digital communications. But already in 2016 he introduced Microsoft Teams, initially designed for companies. His adoption grew rapidly, especially during the aforementioned pandemic, when the remote job became the norm for many. Teams not only integrated the functionality of Skype, but offered more advanced tools for collaboration, such as the management of meetings and calendars, becoming the favorite platform from Remote Workers From all over the world and, more recently, even by those who make personal use of the platform.
Since 2021 Microsoft has gradually reduced support for Skype. With Windows 11the company has chosen Teams as a default application for communications, relegating Skype to a secondary role. In the 2023the number of Skype daily active users had dropped to about 36 milliona very far from his golden years. In the meantime, Teams has continued to grow until it reaches a user base of 320 million!
Microsoft’s strategy: simplify and innovate
Skype’s closure comes at a time when the Microsoft strategy it is time to simplify and innovate its offer. Keeping two similar platforms would have meant dividing resources and investments, as well as creating confusion among users. With the unification on Teams, the company can focus on a single service, making it more efficient and competitive.
Teams is not just a work platform: Microsoft is actively promoting his personal use, with functionality such as chat, video calls, creation of groups and file sharing. The goal is to offer users everything they had on Skype, but with a more modern and integrated experience with other Microsoft services.
The replacement of Skype with Teams, however much it was a “lightning bolt” for many, actually falls into a wider transition process started by Microsoft several years ago. Already in 2017Microsoft had announced the end of Skype for Businessthe company version of the platform, also replaced by Teams. In the December 2024then has stopped allowing the purchase of Skype credit and Skype telephone numberspushing users to migrate to other services.
What changes for Skype users
But we arrive now at the core of the matter. If you are among those who regularly use Skype, what changes for you? Microsoft has made it known that users have until time May 5, 2025 To decide how to proceed. In perspective of the Deadline announced by Microsoft, the choice possibilities are substantially two:
- Go to Teams for free: The transition is designed to be as simple as possible. By accessing Teams with Skype credentials, users will find their already synchronized chats and contacts. In addition, for a first period of “transition”, it will be possible to continue communicating with Skype users directly from Teams.
- Export Skype data: Those who do not want to switch to Teams can download the chat chronology and contacts before the final closure.
For those who have used Skype for calls to fixed or mobile numbers, there are some important changes. Telephony features will not be available on Free Teams, because Microsoft believes that users’ habits have changed and that most people now use mobile data plans for calls. Those who still have Skype credit can use it through the numeric keypad available on Skype Web and Teams for a limited period of time.
How to go from Skype to Teams for free
If you have to decide to follow Microsoft’s advice, or Go from Skype to Free Teamshere’s how you have to proceed.
- Connect to this page and click on the button Download Teams.
- Click on the button Download Teams for Windows or Download Teams for Macbased on the operating system in use.
- Open theInstaller of the program and follow the wizard to complete the installation (for example by clicking on the buttons Continues And Install).
- After installation of Teams, log in using your Skype credentials.
In any case, as already mentioned, our Skype chats will not be lost in the passage to Teams.
