Microsoft is officially shutting down Skype May, and is urging users to migrate to Microsoft Teams While some users are transitioning to Teams, others are exploring alternative messaging and video calling platforms like Telegram, X and WhatsApp.
Skype was launched in 2003 and was acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion. It once had over 36 million daily users but saw a decline in market share over the years.
Existing Skype users can sign into Teams using their Skype credentials, retaining their chat history and contacts. New purchases of Skype Credit and subscriptions have been halted, but existing users can continue using their plans until their billing cycle ends. Users have until January 2026 to migrate their data before it's permanently deleted.
Microsoft aims to streamline its communication offerings and focus on Teams, which has grown to 320 million monthly active users.
The free version of Teams offers messaging, file sharing, group calls, and calendar integration, similar to Skype's core features
One notable difference is that the free version of Teams does not include phone-call functionality or the ability to receive calls with a Skype phone number
Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans will lose access to Skype’s 70-minute call benefit starting March 2026, but subscribers will still be able to host calls for up to 30 hours with as many as 300 participants via Teams Free.
For users looking for alternatives, Telegram, Zoom, and WhatsApp offer robust features and have gained significant popularity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social media platform X is also planning to launch new messaging feature XChat with encrypted video and audio calls.