Regardless of the reason, you cannot just delete Skype account permanently by clicking on the magic button titled “Delete My Account.” If you don’t know the process of removing a Skype account before erasing it forever, you might end up losing access to your Outlook or Xbox Live account.
Microsoft has made closing Skype accounts more sophisticated than you need to. It is understood that no online provider will advertise the option to delete the account in front and center. With this in mind, permanently deleting your Skype account is a multi-step process, so you will usually need to remove payment methods, cancel any subscriptions you may have, and a lot more other things.
How to unlink a Microsoft account before deleting Skype
As mentioned earlier, Skype does not have a fast delete button and don’t worry; it is not unusual. These days, almost every service provider replaces the “delete” or “remove” buttons with a brief form or a list of checkboxes so that users do not mistakenly delete their accounts. Moreover, the services now take a few weeks or more to process the user account deletion request in the hope that the user has changed the processing period.
Regardless, Skype uses the same procedure, as the user needs to check some boxes to agree to remove his account with his consent. The VoIP provider then requests a 30 or 60 day period to process the request, and, finally, to delete the account.
However, before you delete your account and profile, it is necessary to unlink the email ID you were using for Skype. If you forget or ignore it, you will regret losing access to all other services associated with the same Skype Email ID.
How to delete Skype account permanently
Do you feel that you cannot delete your Skype account? This is because Microsoft has made it extremely difficult to do so. When Microsoft acquired Skype, it became an integral part of Microsoft Accounts. This means that in order to delete your Skype account permanently or forever, you must delete the entire Microsoft account.
When the process is complete, Microsoft will begin a 60-day grace period. During this time, you can still recover your account by logging in, and it will remain discoverable in the search directory. After that, they will permanently delete your Skype account.
How to delete a Skype account on desktop (Windows or Mac)
- Start by finding your profile icon in the upper-right corner. Click on it and choose Settings from the drop-down menu.
- This will open the account list and profile. Click Close Your Account. Skype will ask you to verify your identity in a few different ways, depending on the information you previously entered. You may have to re-enter your password and then verify your account via email or SMS. Once this is done, you will advance to the next window.
- Read the items in this window and follow their instructions if any of them are relevant to you. You’ll completely close your Microsoft account, so there may be some other accounts that you might want to take care of before moving on. Once you are sure you want to continue, click Next.
- The next window will contain a checklist to make sure you understand the consequences of deleting your Microsoft account. If you are not using any other Microsoft services, then this checklist will be mostly irrelevant to you. If you do so, review each item to make sure you want to delete your account. Then select the reason for deletion from the drop-down menu (or select the reason not listed) and click Mark Account to Close.
- Now wait 60 days, and your Skype account will be permanently deleted with the rest of your Microsoft account.
How to delete a Skype account on a mobile phone (Android or iOS)
Unfortunately, the account deletion process on the Skype mobile app does not seem to be currently working. We recommend that you delete your account on the desktop version or go directly to your Microsoft account.
How to delete Skype and keep your Microsoft account
If you don’t use any other Microsoft services, deleting a Microsoft account is probably an easy option. However, if you use Microsoft services or other products like Xbox Live or Outlook but want to stop using Skype, you may not want to delete your account entirely. But how do you delete Skype if you cannot delete your Microsoft account? Unfortunately, the only way is to reduce your personal information and then delete the app from all of your devices. Microsoft will not allow you to unlink your account.
How to cancel your Skype subscription
If you want to cancel your Skype subscription, you need to log in to your account. On the right side of the screen (under your profile picture), any active subscriptions will be listed – select Manage below the subscription you want to cancel.
You will then be taken to your subscription setup – under your billing information, there is an option to “unsubscribe.”
Click on this, and you will be asked again if you want to cancel your subscription and the list of reasons for leaving – if you are sure, click the unsubscribe button.
Once your subscription is canceled, you will still be able to use it until the expiration date (the normal renewal date). It is important to note that you must cancel “at least three days before the renewal date to avoid being charged for the next billing cycle,” according to the Skype Support Center.