The company had earlier announced the discontinuation on February 28, asking users to move to Microsoft Teams to retain their contacts and chats.
In a post on X on Monday, Skype confirmed the move, describing it as the end of an era for the platform that connected people globally for nearly 22 years.
“I have Skype credit/subscription on my account, can I still use it after May 5th? Yes! Your Skype Credit and calling subscription doesn’t go anywhere; you can use it through msft.it/6017Sp6Ux or Microsoft Teams Free,” Skype said. “Simply log in, and you can use your paid services as before.”
Microsoft said users have until January 2026 to transition or migrate their data before permanent deletion, adding that the decision aligns with its goal of streamlining communication tools.
It also confirmed that Skype credits and call subscriptions will no longer be sold to new customers.
Skype was launched in August 2003 by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis, quickly gaining global popularity for offering free voice and video calls.
By 2005, it had over 54 million registered users, and eBay acquired it for $2.6 billion, before selling most of its stake in 2009 to an investor group led by Silver Lake.
Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011 and integrated it into its ecosystem, but the platform eventually lost ground to rivals like Zoom, WhatsApp, and Microsoft’s own Teams.
