How to uninstall Skype in Windows 11

To uninstall Skype in Windows 11, select Start > All apps, right-click Skype, select Uninstall and confirm.

Microsoft retired Skype on May 5, 2025, so the app no longer has a service behind it; this guide covers every removal route, Skype for Business, startup leftovers and what happened to your Skype data.

How to uninstall Skype in Windows 11

The Start menu route is the quickest one and needs no extra tools or commands.

1. Close Skype if it is open, including its icon in the notification area.
2. Select Start > All apps.
3. Scroll to Skype in the alphabetical list.
4. Right-click Skype, or press and hold it, and select Uninstall.
5. Select Uninstall again if Windows asks you to confirm, then follow any prompts until removal finishes.

If Skype is missing from All apps or the Uninstall option does nothing, use Settings or Control Panel below.

Is Skype retired? Skype status and shutdown dates

Yes. Microsoft states that as of May 5, 2025, Skype is retired for both free and paid users. Skype users were moved to Microsoft Teams Free, which signs in with the same Skype account.

The table lists every date Microsoft published for the shutdown. All of them have now passed.

Date	What changed
April 3, 2025	Calling and Skype Number subscriptions stopped auto-renewing; automatic Skype Credit top-up ended
May 5, 2025	Skype retired; SMS, call forwarding, voicemail, Skype Credit gifting and caller ID setup ended
December 1, 2025	Cut-off for using Teams Free if you want your Skype chat and call history kept there
February 15, 2026	Caller ID setups shut down and connected numbers deleted
March 2026	60 free Skype minutes removed from Microsoft 365 Personal and Family
April 1, 2026	Deletion of Skype data began
May 1, 2026	End of Skype subscription service; longer subscriptions converted to Skype Credit or refunded on request
May 2026	All Skype Number subscriptions ended; number port-out requests no longer accepted
June 15, 2026	Skype export portal closed; data of users not active in Skype and Teams Free was deleted after this date

Skype for Business is a separate product and was not part of this retirement. Its own timeline is covered in the Skype for Business section further down.

Before you uninstall Skype: chats, contacts and Skype Credit

Uninstalling the Skype app removes only the program from your PC. Your Microsoft account, Teams Free data and any remaining Skype Credit are untouched.

What you want to keep	Where it lives now
Skype chats and contacts	Microsoft Teams Free, if you signed in to it with your Skype account; contacts and chats transfer automatically
Old Skype chat and call history	Teams Free, but only for users active on Skype between December 2024 and February 2025 who used Teams Free before December 1, 2025
Skype Credit or an active calling subscription	The Skype Dial Pad inside Teams Free and on the Skype web portal
A Skype data export	No longer available; the export portal accepted requests until June 15, 2026
Chats with Teams work or school accounts, Skype for Business chats, chats with yourself, private conversations	Not migrated to Teams Free

Sign in to Teams Free with your Skype account before removing Skype if you have not done so yet. Microsoft notes that signing in to Teams Free does not stop you from using Skype data in either place.

Best way to uninstall Skype on Windows 11

Your situation	Use this	Why
Skype shows in the Start menu	Start > All apps > right-click > Uninstall	Fewest steps
You want to see every Skype entry at once	Settings > Apps > Installed apps	Shows every Skype entry in one searchable list
Settings has no Uninstall option for Skype	Control Panel > Programs and Features	Microsoft notes some apps can only be removed from Control Panel
You manage several PCs or prefer commands	PowerShell Remove-AppxPackage or winget uninstall	Scriptable, no clicking through dialogs
You need to remove Skype for Business	Control Panel for the standalone version, or remove Office	Skype for Business in Microsoft 365 is part of the Office suite
You only want Skype to stop opening at sign-in	Settings > Apps > Startup	Disables autostart without uninstalling

Uninstall Skype via Settings in Windows 11

Settings lists every installed app in one searchable list, so it also catches a second Skype entry if one exists.

1. Select Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Type Skype in the Search apps box.
3. Select More (the three dots) next to Skype.
4. Select Uninstall, then Uninstall again to confirm.
5. Repeat for any second Skype entry in the list.

On Windows 10, the same list is at Settings > Apps > Apps & features: select Skype, then Uninstall.

Uninstall Skype using the Control Panel

Control Panel lists desktop programs, and Microsoft points to it for apps that Settings cannot remove. The steps are identical on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

1. Type Control Panel in the taskbar search box and select it from the results.
2. Select Programs > Programs and Features.
3. Find Skype in the program list.
4. Right-click it, or press and hold it, and select Uninstall or Uninstall/Change.
5. Follow the on-screen prompts until the uninstaller finishes.

If Skype is not listed here, it is installed as an app package. Remove it from Settings or with PowerShell instead.

Uninstall Skype via PowerShell in Windows 11

PowerShell removes Skype when it is installed as an app package (an .msix or .appx package). Get-AppxPackage accepts wildcards in its name, so the command finds Skype without you typing the exact package name.

Type PowerShell in the taskbar search box, open Windows PowerShell, then run the command below.

Get-AppxPackage -Name *Skype* | Remove-AppxPackage

Get-AppxPackage -Name *Skype* finds any installed app package with Skype in its name for your account; Remove-AppxPackage removes each package passed to it. Run Get-AppxPackage -Name *Skype* on its own first if you want to see what will be removed.

You should see: The command returns to the prompt without an error, and Get-AppxPackage -Name *Skype* afterwards returns nothing.

This command removes packages for the current user only. Removing an app for every account needs -AllUsers and an administrator PowerShell window. If the command finds nothing but Skype is still installed, it is a desktop program, so use Control Panel or winget for it.

Uninstall Skype with winget command line

Windows Package Manager (winget) can uninstall both Store apps and desktop programs, including ones it did not install. List the match first so you uninstall the right entry.

winget list skype
winget uninstall --name Skype --source winget

winget list skype shows installed apps whose name contains skype, with their Id. winget uninstall –name Skype removes the app by name; –source winget avoids the Microsoft Store agreement prompt that winget can otherwise show during uninstall. If winget reports several matches, rerun with –id and the Id from the list.

You should see: winget reports that the app was uninstalled successfully, and winget list skype no longer shows it.

Uninstall Skype for Business on Windows 11

Skype for Business is a different product from consumer Skype. Skype for Business Online was retired on July 31, 2021, and Skype for Business Server 2019 reached the end of extended support on October 14, 2025.

If your Skype for Business came with Microsoft 365, you cannot delete it without uninstalling the rest of Office, because it is integrated with the other Office apps. The steps below are for the standalone version.

1. In Skype for Business, select the tools icon, then Tools > Options.
2. Select Personal, clear Automatically start the app when I log on to Windows and Start the app in the foreground, then select OK.
3. Select File > Exit.
4. Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > Uninstall or change a program.
5. Select Skype for Business > Uninstall.
6. At the Ready to uninstall? box, select Uninstall, then select Close when it finishes.

If Skype for Business is not in the program list, it is the Microsoft 365 version, and the only way to remove it is to uninstall Office. Steps 1 to 3 alone stop it from starting and hide it without uninstalling.

Remove Skype from startup in Windows 11

Disabling Skype at startup is the lighter option when you only want it to stop opening at sign-in. Settings and Task Manager show the same startup list.

1. Select Start > Settings > Apps > Startup.
2. Find Skype in the list.
3. Set its toggle to Off.
4. Alternatively, right-click Start, select Task Manager, open the Startup apps tab, select Skype and select Disable.

Check that Skype is uninstalled from Windows 11

1. Open Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps and search for Skype; no result should appear.
2. Select Start > All apps and confirm Skype is gone from the alphabetical list.
3. Open Settings > Apps > Startup and confirm Skype is no longer listed.
4. In PowerShell, run Get-AppxPackage -Name *Skype*; an empty result means no Skype app package remains.
5. Open Microsoft Teams Free and confirm your Skype contacts and chats are there if you migrated.

Third-party uninstaller for Skype: is it needed?

Not needed. Skype removes cleanly through the Windows tools above, and Microsoft documents no extra cleanup step for it.

Use Start, Settings, Control Panel, PowerShell or winget instead of third-party uninstaller software. Every built-in route calls Skype's own uninstaller or the Windows app package system, while third-party removal tools add another program to trust with administrator rights for no documented gain.

Skype won't uninstall on Windows 11: fixes

Skype has no Uninstall option in Settings

Microsoft notes some apps cannot be removed from Settings yet.

1. Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
2. Right-click Skype and select Uninstall or Uninstall/Change.
3. If it is not listed there either, run Get-AppxPackage -Name *Skype* | Remove-AppxPackage in PowerShell.

Skype uninstalled but still running

A second copy of Skype is still installed, or the old process is still open.

1. Restart your PC through Start > Power > Restart.
2. Search Installed apps for Skype again and uninstall any remaining entry.
3. Check Settings > Apps > Startup and turn off any Skype entry left there.

The Skype uninstaller fails or shows an error

The installation is incomplete or its app data is corrupted.

1. Restart your PC and try the uninstall again.
2. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select Skype, then Advanced options and Repair if it is offered; use Reset if repair does not help.
3. Uninstall Skype again from Settings.
4. Follow any troubleshooting steps Windows 11 offers in the error message.

Can't uninstall Skype for Business on Windows 11

The Microsoft 365 version is integrated with Office and is not listed as a separate program.

1. Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features and look for a separate Skype for Business entry.
2. If it is listed, select it and Uninstall.
3. If it is not listed, turn off its automatic start under Tools > Options > Personal, or uninstall Microsoft 365 entirely.
4. On a work or school PC, ask your IT administrator before removing Office.

winget finds more than one Skype entry

The name matches several installed apps.

1. Run winget list skype and note the Id of the entry you want to remove.
2. Run winget uninstall --id followed by that Id.

Uninstall Skype on Windows 11 FAQ

Can Skype be uninstalled?

Yes. Skype is a regular app on Windows 11 and Windows 10, so it uninstalls from the Start menu, Settings or Control Panel. Microsoft retired Skype on May 5, 2025, so removing the app loses nothing; your chats and contacts live on in Teams Free if you migrated.

How do I delete Skype from Windows 11?

Select Start > All apps, right-click Skype and select Uninstall. You can also go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select More next to Skype, then Uninstall. Restart afterwards and search Installed apps again to confirm no Skype entry remains.

How do I uninstall Skype on Windows 10?

Open Settings > Apps > Apps & features, select Skype and select Uninstall. Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features works too: right-click Skype and select Uninstall. The PowerShell and winget commands are the same as on Windows 11.

How do I uninstall Skype from a laptop?

A laptop uses the same steps as any Windows PC. On Windows 11, open Start > All apps, right-click Skype and select Uninstall, or use Settings > Apps > Installed apps., then restart and check the list again.

Is Skype still working in 2026?

No. Skype retired on May 5, 2025. Paid Skype subscriptions ended on May 1, 2026, Skype Numbers ended in May 2026, and the data export portal closed on June 15, 2026. Microsoft Teams Free is the replacement and signs in with your Skype account.

Will uninstalling Skype delete my chats and contacts?

No. Uninstalling removes only the app. Chats and contacts transferred automatically when you signed in to Teams Free with your Skype account. Skype chat and call history stays in Teams Free only for users who were active on Skype in early 2025 and used Teams Free before December 1, 2025.

Can I still export my Skype data?

No. Microsoft accepted Skype export requests until June 15, 2026. Data of users who were not active in Skype and Teams Free during the qualifying period was deleted after that date. Anything that migrated to Teams Free is still available there.

How do I uninstall Skype for Business on Windows 11?

For the standalone version, open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features, select Skype for Business and select Uninstall. If it is not listed, it came with Microsoft 365 and can be removed only by uninstalling Office. It was not affected by the consumer Skype retirement.

How do I stop Skype from starting with Windows 11?

Open Settings > Apps > Startup and set the Skype toggle to Off. In Task Manager, open the Startup apps tab, select Skype and select Disable. For Skype for Business, clear Automatically start the app when I log on to Windows under Tools > Options > Personal.

What happened to my Skype Credit?

Skype Credit can still be used for calls through the Skype Dial Pad in Teams Free and on the Skype web portal. Subscriptions running past May 1, 2026 were converted into Skype Credit, and Skype customer support handles refund requests for those cancelled subscriptions.

Should you uninstall Skype from Windows 11?

Yes. Sign in to Microsoft Teams Free with your Skype account first, then uninstall Skype from the Start menu or Settings. Skype has been retired since May 5, 2025 and its data export closed on June 15, 2026, so the app no longer connects to a service, while Teams Free holds your migrated chats, contacts and Skype Dial Pad.