Complete Guide: How to Migrate from Skype to Microsoft Teams Easily

The transition from Skype or Whatsapp a Microsoft Teams has become a necessity for many businesses and individual users, especially after the announcement of the Skype will be shut down permanently in May 2025Microsoft has decided to focus its efforts on Teams, which offers a more robust platform with more features for team collaboration and business communication.

To ensure that this change does not affect the continuity of your communications or the integrity of your data, it is essential to know the steps required to migrate your contacts, chat history and settings safely and efficiently. In this guide, we explain how to carry out this migration without any problems.

Why is Microsoft shutting down Skype?

Skype has been one of the most used platforms for video calling and online messaging for years. However, with the emergence of competitors such as Zoom, WhatsApp and Google Meet, coupled with the growth of Teams as a more complete alternative for business communication, Microsoft has decided to retire Skype and focus exclusively on Microsoft Teams.

Since its launch in 2017, Teams has evolved considerably, integrating all the functionalities of Skype and adding additional tools such as meeting organisation, calendar management and the possibility of creating virtual workspaces.

Advantages of migrating to Microsoft Teams

• Better integration with Office 365: Teams is designed to integrate seamlessly with Outlook, OneDrive, and other Microsoft tools.
• Advanced collaboration features: It allows you to share documents, create work groups and hold virtual meetings easily.
• Greater security and stability: Teams offers better security and data protection controls compared to Skype.
• Interoperability with Skype: During the transition process, it will be possible to communicate between Skype and Teams users without problems.

Step by step: How to migrate from Skype to Microsoft Teams

Step 1: Download and install Microsoft Teams

The first thing you need to do is download and install Microsoft Teams on your device. You can do this from the Microsoft Teams official page. Once installed, Sign in with the same Microsoft account you used on Skype to ensure automatic synchronization of your data.

Step 2: Import Skype contacts to Teams

If you use the same account on both platforms, Your contacts will be imported automatically to Teams. However, if they do not appear, you can do it manually by following these steps:

1. Open Skype and go to the tab Contacts.
2. Click on More options and select Export contacts.
3. Save the file in CSV format.
4. Open Microsoft Teams, go to Contacts and select Import contacts, choosing the CSV file.

Step 3: Transfer chat history

To make sure you don't miss important conversations, follow these steps:

1. In Skype, go to Configuration > Courier and select Export chat history.
2. Download the history file.
3. In Microsoft Teams, go to the tab Cat and import the file.

Some older conversations may not transfer completely, so it's a good idea to manually back up important messages.

What happens to files and voice messages?

If you have files stored in Skype, You must save them manually and upload them to OneDrive or the Teams cloud. To do it:

1. Access every conversation on Skype where you have important files.
2. Download the files and save them to your computer or OneDrive.
3. If you have saved voice messages, play them back and use a screen or audio recorder to make sure you don't lose them.

Microsoft Teams as the main platform

After completing the migration, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the Advanced tools offered by Teams, such as:

• Virtual meetings with calendar integration.
• Outdated routes organized by teams.
• Integration with other Microsoft applications and third parties.

If you no longer need Skype, You can uninstall it from your device and focus on using Teams for all your communications.

Microsoft's decision to retire Skype not only responds to a technological evolution, but also seeks to offer a more robust and secure platform for digital communication. With a proper planning, the transition to Microsoft Teams can be easy and beneficial for all users.