After nearly two decades of connecting the world, Skype officially retired on May 5, 2025. While it didn’t come as a complete surprise (usage had been on the decline for years), for many individuals and businesses, Skype’s farewell still marked the end of an era.
Whether you were using it for weekly catch-ups, international team meetings, or client calls, Skype was once the go-to platform before Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams became household names. But as of now, Skype is no longer available. You can no longer access the app, log in, or retrieve conversations unless you previously backed up your data.
So… what now?
Let’s walk through what happened, what you may have missed, and what you should do if you haven’t already made the switch.
Why Skype Retired
Microsoft, who acquired Skype in 2011, had been slowly shifting focus toward Microsoft Teams—a tool that integrates chat, video calls, collaboration, and file sharing all in one place. Over the years, it became clear that Teams had taken the lead, especially for business users.
Skype’s classic features just couldn’t keep up with modern expectations for speed, integration, and user experience. With newer platforms offering more functionality and flexibility, Microsoft made the final call to retire Skype and focus entirely on Teams and other cloud-first solutions.
What You Should’ve Done (and Can Still Double-Check)
If you were still actively using Skype up until May, you should’ve done the following:
- ✅ Export Your Chat History
Microsoft offered a tool to download old messages and files. If you haven’t done this yet, you may still be able to retrieve your data through https://go.skype.com/export — although access may now be limited. - ✅ Notify Your Contacts
Hopefully, you’ve already informed colleagues, clients, or friends that you’re no longer using Skype, and shared your new preferred communication tool.
What to Use Instead
If you’re still figuring out what to use instead of Skype, here are some reliable alternatives:
- Microsoft Teams
A natural progression if you were already in the Microsoft ecosystem. Great for team collaboration. - Zoom
Known for its user-friendly video calls, screen sharing, and webinar features. - Google Meet
A simple option for anyone using Gmail or Google Workspace. - Slack
Perfect for chat-based teams, with built-in voice and video calling.
Each of these platforms has free and paid tiers depending on how you use them. Most are mobile-friendly and easy to set up within minutes.
Skype might not have been your primary tool anymore—but it still held nostalgic value. It was one of the first platforms to make international video calling feel normal. It connected families, helped freelancers work remotely before it was mainstream, and served as the backbone for thousands of small business meetings.
Now that it’s officially retired, the best thing you can do is upgrade your systems. If you need help choosing the right communication tool or migrating your team setup, we’re here to help.
Reach out for advice, audits, or setup support — we’ve already helped several clients make the switch smoothly.