Skype users cannot sign back in unless they update the app [Updated]

So, this morning, I powered up my computer and grabbed a cup of coffee as I was getting ready for a new work day. I heavily rely on Skype for both work purposes and keeping in touch with family and friends but, boy, was I in for a big surprise!

Apparently, Microsoft decided that I can no longer use my current version of Skype and I need to update if I ever want to sign back in.

Just a few seconds after I launched Skype, the app closed down automatically with the following alert:

It looks like Skype hasn’t been update for some time.
What happens if I don’t update now?
The next time you sign in or restart your computer, you’ll need to update Skype before you can sign back in.

And here’s the visual proof of this:

Microsoft leaves users no choice but to update Skype

As you can see, starting from this day, if you want to use Skype, you need to install the latest app version. Personally, I really don’t like this pushy approach but I need Skype for work. As a result, I did hit the ‘Update Skype’ button.

At the same time, I’m also looking for a reliable Skype alternative. I believe users should have the right to choose whether to update Skype or not. If Microsoft doesn’t offer me this option, I’ll look elsewhere.

What’s your take on this? Were you met with this Skype alert as well? Let me know in the comments below.

Update: Three of my colleagues just got the same Skype alert.

Update 2: We contacted Skype Support asking for more information about this alert. We also asked them whether more users should expect to see this alert today or these are only isolated cases. We’ll update this post as soon as we have an answer.

Update 3: We just got a response from Skype. Microsoft is indeed retiring older Skype versions in batches, hence the alerts that me and my colleagues received recently.

Hi Madeleine! From time to time we retire older versions of Skype to introduce new features, improve existing ones and fix bugs. When this happens, you won’t be able to sign in until you upgrade to the latest version.

And now you know.