How to deactivate Skype account completely

To deactivate Skype account is easy enough, but here another problem lies: it is the same as your general Microsoft identifier. And that means that if you cease your Skype activity completely, it will also remove your access to every Microsoft product or service associated with it, erase all your old data and emails, block access to certificates and exam results, which is especially awkward if you have important data in OneDrive or Outlook. Just keep this in mind before you go further.

Still, if it's OK, you have already saved all the things and you stick to the decision to get rid of that service, it will be easy to delete it.

How do I cancel the Skype maintenance permanently?

1. Go to Settings – Account & Profile. At the Manage section on the right, scroll down to Close your account option.
2. It will ask you to log in (check your credentials to make sure they are correct).
3. Then, get your identity verified (you'll be asked to enter the code sent to your mobile phone).
4. Read the information and the warnings and click Next if you still want to delete it completely.
5. Checkmark all the boxes to confirm that you've read, understood and accepted the consequences of doing that.
6. Specify the reason why you want to stop the service.
7. Click Mark account for closure.

That's all, you've expressed your wish to delete it, and it's been received. Now you'll need to wait until it will be removed permanently. Or you can change your mind.

How to disable the Skype account and restore it later?

Performing all the above steps won't make this service disabled immediately. For 60 more days it will remain alive, only marked for deletion. So, there is enough time to consider the decision, and if you think that you don’t want to delete this service for good,you can reactivate it within a couple of moments, and everything will be restored. Just do the following:

1. Open Skype. It will offer you to go to the official web portal and proceed there.
2. When you log in, you’ll see the system notification offering you to reopen your Microsoft account. Click the Reopen button and pass the verification procedure again.
3. Enter the verification code sent to you, and you're done.

And what if you want to delete Skype account, but you can't afford losing the rest of Microsoft products?

In this case, the best option would be to simply delete your personal details so that you won't be found by name, email address or the mobile phone number. After you remove them all, just uninstall the application.