Goodbye Skype
In May 2025 Skype will officially retire. This change affects both free and paid Skype users, though Skype for Business isn’t impacted.
If you’re a Skype user, you’ve got a smooth transition option: Microsoft Teams Free.
It brings over many of Skype’s core features - plus some extras.
Just sign into Teams Free with your Skype
account, and your chats and contacts will pop up, letting you jump right back
in. This switch will roll out step-by-step over the next few days for users on
the latest versions of Skype and Teams. Not convinced by Teams Free? No worries
- you can export your Skype data instead.
Here’s the deal for paid Skype
features:
- If you’ve got an active recurring subscription (like calling or a Skype Number) that ends before April 3, 2025, it’ll renew one last time.
- If your subscription runs past April 3, 2025, you can keep using it - and your Skype Number - until it expires. Want to hold onto that number afterward? You’ll need to transfer it to a new provider. Contact them directly to get the ball rolling.
One more thing: new customers won’t be able to buy paid Skype features moving forward. For existing paid users, the Skype Dial Pad will still be available starting in May via the Skype web portal or within Teams Free.
Switching to Teams Free? It’s easy!
Moving from Skype to Microsoft
Teams Free is simple—here’s how it works:
- Just sign into Teams Free with your current Skype account. No need to start from scratch - your chats and contacts will automatically show up.
- Once you log in with your Skype credentials, your chats and contacts transfer over to Teams Free without any extra steps.
- The sync happens fast - think less than a minute - and you’re good to go!
- Skype-to-Skype for Business chat history won’t make the trip.
- One-on-one chats with yourself (yep, those self-notes) won’t transfer.
- Private conversation data stays behind too.
- Copilot and bot content? Not supported in Teams Free, so no chat history there either.
Will You Lose Skype Access
After Switching?
No! Signing into Teams Free
doesn’t lock you out of Skype. From now until May 5, 2025, you can still hop
into Skype whenever you want, and your data will stay accessible. Use both apps
as much as you need during this transition window.
What Happens to Your Data?
Your Skype data isn’t going
anywhere just yet - you’ve got until January 2026 to export or delete it. If you
log into Teams Free before then, your call and chat history will be waiting for
you. But if you don’t take any action, your Skype data will be wiped in January
2026.
Alternatives for calls to landlines and mobile
Google Voice:
- Overview: A versatile VoIP service from Google that allows calls to landlines and mobiles.
- Landline Calling: Offers free calls to landlines in the US and Canada; international calls to landlines are available at low per-minute rates (e.g., as low as 1¢/minute to some countries).
- Features: Provides a personal phone number, voicemail, and texting. Works across devices via app or browser.
- Cost: Free for US/Canada landline calls; international calls require credit.
- Why It’s a Good Alternative: Simple to use with a Google account, no additional software needed beyond the app, and competitive international rates.
- Overview: Primarily a messaging app, but its "Viber Out" feature supports calls to landlines.
- Landline Calling: Free calls between Viber users; calls to landlines worldwide require a Viber Out subscription or credits (e.g., rates start at around 1.9¢/minute to US landlines).
- Features: Includes messaging, video calls, and group chats. Available on mobile and desktop.
- Cost: Viber-to-Viber is free; landline calls require prepaid credits or a subscription (e.g., $5/month for 500 minutes to certain countries).
- Why It’s a Good Alternative: Affordable rates and a familiar interface for Skype users.