UPDATE: Skype for Business Online retirement on July 31, 2021

Originally published: July 30, 2019
Updated: September 16, 2021

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Last year we announced the July 31, 2021 retirement of Skype for Business Online. After that time, the service will no longer be accessible. Below are additional details:

• Services that integrate with Skype for Business Online will not be supported beyond the July 31, 2021 retirement. This includes support for third-party audio conferencing providers (ACP), Skype for Business Online Cloud Connector Edition (CCE), hybrid voice configurations, and Skype Meeting Broadcast.

• Customers will not be able to move online users out of Teams Only mode after retirement.

• Coexistence modes continue to exist unchanged for on-premises users of Skype for Business Server. Coexistence modes enable customers to operate Skype for Business Server and Teams in various side-by-side experiences until customers are ready to move users to Teams Only.

• Users can be moved directly from Skype for Business Server to Teams Only after configuring Skype for Business hybrid with Microsoft 365 or Office 365.

• Current Microsoft Teams Room customers should update their Teams Room devices to "Teams Only" mode. Teams Only mode is available with Microsoft Teams Room version 4.9.12.0. In Teams Only mode, users may still join Skype for Business meetings as a guest. This mode can be changed via the Teams Admin Center or using XML configuration. See Supported Meeting modes App version 4.9 for more details.

To enable customers to plan and implement a successful upgrade from Skype for Business Online to Teams or Skype for Business Server, Microsoft offers the following resources:

• Microsoft Teams admin documentation
• Online upgrade guidance
• Teams upgrade planning workshops
• Microsoft Chalk Talks workshops
• Microsoft Partners

The Skype consumer service and Skype for Business Server are not affected by the retirement of Skype for Business Online. Customers with hybrid deployments of Skype for Business Server or Lync Server 2013 should review Implications of the upcoming retirement of Skype for Business Online.

In addition to the retirement of Skype for Business Online, customers using Skype for Business Online Cloud Connector Edition and "Hybrid Voice" configurations will require changes as well. Go here to learn more.

Current Skype for Business Online customers with existing Microsoft 365 tenants will experience no change in the service up to its retirement date.

For more detailed information about the Skype for Business retirement, see the Teams blog.

Change Log

^{September 16, 2021
ADDED: Guidance for customers using Microsoft Teams Rooms devices.}

^{September 29, 2020
ADDED: Skype for Business Online Cloud Connector Edition and "Hybrid Voice" configurations detail.}

^{April 29, 2021
ADDED: 3 month EOS notification; updated impacts and resources}