Skype was launched in 2003 and went viral in the 2000s because it allowed friends and families to connect through voice and video calls at minimal rates. In 2005, eBay took ownership of it, and in 2011, Microsoft (MS) acquired it for about $8.5 billion.
However, Skype is officially shut down now. Many users may want to close their accounts to enhance their privacy, or they want to switch to any other service.
You can’t just delete your Skype account individually by uninstalling the app; you need to delete your entire Microsoft account. However, note that doing this can delete your other accounts linked to Microsoft, such as OneDrive, Office, and Outlook, so you need to handle it carefully. This guide covers everything related to deleting your Skype account.
How to Delete Your Skype Account: Quick Guide
As mentioned above, deleting your Skype account requires deleting your Microsoft account. If you’re fine with it, here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can do it.
- Log in to your Microsoft account: Go to account.microsoft.com and click “sign in.”
- Choose how you like to sign in: You’ll have different options to sign into your account, i.e., using your fingerprint, password, or getting a code via email.
- Confirm your identity: Microsoft may ask you to confirm who you are. Follow the instructions and verify if you receive a code on your phone or email.
- Back up files and data: Before you delete your account, make sure you back up important files somewhere (either locally or to another cloud service). All these will be deleted once the account is gone.
- Go to the account closure page: Visit account.live.com/closeaccount, and if the platform asks you to sign in again, do it.
- Review the steps: Microsoft will list down some important guidelines. Read them carefully and act accordingly.
- Choose the termination period: Microsoft allows you to select a time frame of how long it should wait before deleting your account permanently. You can either select 30 or 60 days. If you log in anytime within this waiting period, your account won’t be deleted.
- Confirm your actions: After reviewing everything, proceed by clicking the “Next” button at the bottom of the page.
- Understand the consequences: Microsoft will show you the consequences of deleting your account. Read every bit of it and check the boxes to confirm.
- Choose the reason for account deletion: From the drop-down menu, select why you are making this decision.
- Finish the deletion process: Click the button “Mark account for closure,” and your account deletion request will be submitted.
Why You Might Want to Delete Skype Account
Here are some valid reasons why someone might want to delete their Skype account:
- Privacy concerns: The number one reason is your security. There are concerns related to how Microsoft collects and uses personal data. Thus, there’s the possibility that an unauthorised third party could access your conversations.
- You used Microsoft only for Skype: If you don’t use other Microsoft services like Outlook or Xbox, you might want to remove your account.
- Company policy or guidelines: It might be that your company uses other communication platforms like Slack, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams.
- Professional image: More recent video or voice calling platforms have advanced collaboration tools, which can make using Skype appear outdated and less professional.
Why Did Microsoft Shut Down Skype?
Microsoft officially shut down Skype on May 5, 2025. The primary reason, as explained by the company’s president, Jeff Teper, was that the platform wanted to focus on its newer, more advanced communication service called Microsoft Teams. Teams will have all the features that users enjoyed on Skype, including file sharing, live calls, etc, as well as other offerings such as meeting and scheduling, calendar management, and community-building tools.
Skype served millions of users over the years, but Teams has also become the go-to choice for users. It offers a broader functionality for both personal and group interactions. The transition was a natural evolution, and it allowed Microsoft to concentrate on a single, modern platform that meets everyday communication needs.
Microsoft confirmed the retirement of Skype in May 2025, and it encouraged all users, whether free or paid, to switch to Teams.
What Happened with Existing Skype Accounts?
When Skype officially shut down, Microsoft didn’t simply delete users’ accounts. Instead, two clear paths were offered to each user. One was that the users could migrate their accounts to the free version of Microsoft Teams. This step ensured that their chats and contacts would transfer automatically. Secondly, users had the option to export their Skype data to keep a personal backup.
Microsoft even provided a grace period for exporting data until January 2026. After this deadline, any Skype accounts and remaining data that haven’t been migrated or saved will be permanently deleted.
What Happened to Your Old Skype Data After Shutdown?
Your Skype data doesn’t disappear immediately. Microsoft allows users to access and download Skype data (messages, contacts, and shared files) for a limited period until January 2026. Users can also access their Skype contacts and chats if they log into Microsoft Teams.
That said, not everything carries over. For instance, some Skype data does not transfer to Microsoft Teams, including private conversations, chats between Skype and Teams users, or conversations with a bot.
How to Uninstall Skype from Your Devices
If you deleted your account, you may want to uninstall the apps free up space. Doing it is quick and simple, but it varies slightly depending on your device.
Uninstall Skype on Windows
- Go to the Start menu and select Settings.
- Click on Apps, Installed apps, and then find Skype in the list.
- Tap on the three-dot menu (⋯) next to Skype and choose Uninstall.
- Confirm to remove Skype from your PC.
Uninstall Skype on iPad and iPhone
- Find the application on your device’s screen.
- Long-press and hold it until it starts to display options.
- Tap the Remove App button.
- Confirm your action.
Uninstall Skype on Android
- Open your home screen or app drawer.
- Press and hold the Skype app icon.
- From the options that appear, tap Uninstall.
- Confirm to delete Skype from your device.
Uninstall Skype on macOS
- Click on Finder and navigate to the Applications folder.
- Find Skype in the list of apps.
- Drag the Skype icon to the Trash.
- Empty the Trash to delete Skype from your Mac.
How to Remove Skype Without Affecting Your Microsoft Account
If you visit Microsoft’s Support page, you’ll see it stated clearly that it is impossible to separate your Skype profile from your Microsoft account. As a result, it’s a challenge to delete Skype knowing that you’ll lose access to other services like Outlook and Xbox Live.
Your best bet to do away with Skype without closing your MS account is to delete all your data on Skype and uninstall the app across all your devices. It’s more like archiving — still there, but out of sight.
If you decide to stop using Skype by deleting it, then it means you’ll have no idea what would be going on with the platform. As such, it’s best practice to delete your messages and conversations so that even in your absence, there’s no information left on Skype that could compromise your safety.
Skype Alternatives Available Today
Even though Skype is out of the picture, there’s no shortage of communication apps that can take its place. If you want to chat casually or collaborate with a team member, most of these platforms offer better features and security.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is the most natural replacement for Skype users. It combines chat, voice calls, video meetings, and file sharing into one platform. Plus, Skype users will find this platform easy to use, as it works nearly the same and the transition stays smooth. All of your contacts and chats will carry over.
Teams also supports large group meetings and offers enterprise-grade security. Because of this, many businesses now rely on it as their primary communication tool.
Viber
Viber is very similar to Skype. The application uses end-to-end encryption, so your chats and conversations stay private. Using it is simple; you only need a phone number to register your account. Viber is popular for its texting and calling features, and while reviewing it, we found it worked well.
There are downsides, though. One is that the application displays ads in various forms (banner, etc) while you’re chatting. Plus, it doesn’t offer team collaboration tools.
WhatsApp is one of the simplest and most popular messaging apps today. It’s ideal for personal use; you can send messages, make voice and video calls, and even share photos, videos, and documents for free.
The application also uses end-to-end encryption, which keeps conversations private. While it doesn’t offer advanced collaboration tools, WhatsApp works perfectly for everyday communication.
Google Meet
Google Meet is a strong alternative for users who are already using Google services. It integrates seamlessly with Gmail and Google Calendar. You can schedule and join meetings directly from your inbox or calendar.
What we appreciate about the platform is that it focuses on simplicity and reliability rather than extra features.
Zoom
Zoom has built its reputation on reliable, high-quality video calls. It’s among the most widely used applications for online meetings, webinars, virtual classrooms, and events. The app is user-friendly, and you can easily join meetings
Note that Zoom isn’t designed as a messaging application. It excels at scheduled and large-scale video communication.
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