It’s the end of an era for many as Skype — the once go-to app for video calling, voice chats and pinging that classic “boop” message tone — is officially shutting down today after more than two decades of service.
The iconic Microsoft-owned platform, which has been around since 2005 and boasted a user base of over 300 million, is being switched off for good on Monday, May 5, following an announcement made earlier this year. If you’ve still got precious messages, files or awkward teenage video call memories lurking in your Skype account, now’s your last chance to rescue them.
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Microsoft, which acquired Skype back in 2011, is nudging users toward Microsoft Teams, the workplace-focused app that launched in 2017.
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But if you’re a die-hard Skype fan who isn’t ready to make the leap, or simply don’t want to lose your history in the digital void, you’ve got some urgent downloading to do.
The good news is that your Skype login details still work on Teams. So if you're happy to make the switch, your contacts and chat history will automatically transfer across when you sign in. It sounds easy enough, but if you're not keen on switching to Teams, or just want to stash your old conversations for nostalgia’s sake, here's what you need to know.
To save your chat history before it vanishes into the internet abyss, you’ll need to head over to Skype’s Export page and sign in with your usual credentials.
From there, you can choose whether you want to download your Conversations, Files, or both – which includes SMS messages and any shared photos or media.
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Once you’ve submitted the request and hit continue, you’ll need to check back on the export page periodically to see when your data’s ready.
When it is, a download link will appear under ‘Available Exports’. Just hit the download button and you’re good to go.
Keep in mind the data comes in a .tar file, so you might need an extra app to unzip and access everything properly.
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While Skype is saying goodbye, Skype for Business isn’t going anywhere just yet. That service will continue to run “for the time being”, so those using it in professional settings can breathe a little easier – at least for now.
But for everyone else? The clock’s ticking. You’ve got until January 2026 to download your chat history — after that, it’s gone forever. Consider this your last call.