![\"Laptop](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/laptop-screen-view-female-shoulder-991545198.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n2<\/p>\n
App had 300million monthly active users at its peakCredit: Getty 2<\/p>\n But Skype has lost popularity with the arrival of Microsoft Teams and ZoomCredit: Getty<\/p>\n Skype<\/a> was launched back in 2003 and has been a big name in the world of chat and messaging.<\/p>\n At its peak, the service had more than 300million active monthly users.<\/p>\n But its popularity has waned in recent years, dropping to around 23million in 2020.<\/p>\n Microsoft<\/a> – who bought the app in 2011 – have pumped much of their focus on its other messaging platform, Microsoft Teams.<\/p>\n Skype users have been told they have the option to move to Microsoft Teams Free instead with “many of the same core features”.<\/p>\n Those who wish to move across can sign into the Microsoft Teams Free app<\/a> with their Skype login details – and all their contacts and chats will be automatically transferred over.<\/p>\n Alternatively, users can download their precious chat data.<\/p>\n But failure to do either before January 2026 and it will be permanently deleted. <\/p>\n “If you take no action, your Skype data will be deleted January 2026,” Microsoft said.<\/p>\n So it’s worthwhile downloading any data or transferring across now before you forgot and data is lost.<\/p>\n Early Skype ads reveal the \u2018magic\u2019 of app as Microsoft vows to shut it down forever<\/p>\n “Skype you ran multiple businesses, dished me breakups, kept me in touch with thousands of poeple” one user wrote on Reddit<\/a> in response to the announcement of Skype’s closure earlier this year.<\/p>\n “You will be missed.”<\/p>\n But others were less mournful saying, “good riddance”.<\/p>\n However, one small part of Skype will live on.<\/p>\n Skype for Business will continue for now – though it’s likely Microsoft will try to move those to Teams too in the future.<\/p>\n REMEMBERING THE CHAT APPS OF YESTERYEAR<\/p>\n Skype is the latest victim in a long-line of old school chat apps to bid farewell.<\/p>\n Many will remember the glory days of the MSN Messenger – which Microsoft ironically closed in 2013, replacing it with Skype.<\/p>\n But there were many others that are no longer around today.<\/p>\n AIM was AOL’s hugely popular messaging application on PC in the late 90s, before being discontinued in 2017.<\/p>\n![\"Illustration](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/laptop-keyboard-skype-app-store-991545223.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n