Skype Translator alternative: what to use now that Skype is closed
Skype closed on 5 May 2025 and its translator went with it. Here is how to translate live calls with Teams, Meet, Zoom or Akume, step by step.
Published · 3 min read
In short
- Microsoft closed Skype on 5 May 2025, and translation in Skype calls disappeared with it. Users were pointed to Teams.
- Teams, Google Meet and Zoom offer live captions; translated captions depend on the plan you choose.
- For spoken translation during the call, a translator like Akume can join a Meet, Teams or Zoom meeting.
In this article
Skype closed on 5 May 2025, and its built-in translator went with it. If you used it every week to talk to relatives abroad, you need another way. The good news: live captions and translation now exist in the big video-call platforms, and there is usually nothing to install.
This guide explains what happened, lays out the alternatives and gives families and small businesses a simple migration plan.
What happened to Skype and its translator
Skype's translator was a built-in feature: you spoke, and the other person received the translation. When Microsoft shut Skype down on 5 May 2025, the feature ended too. Microsoft pointed users to the free version of Microsoft Teams and allowed them to sign in there with their Skype account to keep contacts and chats.
So there is no like-for-like replacement inside the same app. You choose a platform for the call, then add translation on top.
Where to get live translation today
Microsoft Teams
Teams is Skype's official successor. Live captions in the spoken language are available in meetings. Translated captions depend on the plan, so check Microsoft's current information. Our guide to live translation in Teams walks through the settings.
Google Meet
Meet shows captions in one click and runs in the browser; guests do not need an account. Translated captions are only offered on certain Google Workspace plans. For a family call, plain captions are often enough.
Zoom
Zoom offers live transcription with captions. Translated captions are also tied to certain plans or add-ons. Zoom makes most sense if you already use it.
Phone features and translation apps
Some smartphones translate phone calls on the device itself. Our overview of the phone call translator shows which ones. To compare general-purpose translation services, see the article on Microsoft Translator.
Akume, a translator inside the call
Akume joins your Google Meet, Microsoft Teams or Zoom meeting as one more participant. You paste the meeting link, captions appear in the call, and anyone who opens the listener link hears the translation in their own language. It supports 60+ languages, nothing needs installing and no audio recording is kept after the call. The idea is explained in the article on the video call translator.
Comparison of alternatives
| Teams | Google Meet | Zoom | Akume | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live captions | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, in the call |
| Translated captions | Depends on plan | Depends on plan | Depends on plan | Yes |
| Spoken translation | No | No | No | Yes, via the listener link |
| Guests without an account | Often | Yes | Yes, with the link | Yes, with the link |
| Extra software | No | No | No | No |
| Works inside Skype | No | No | No | No |
Plan terms change regularly: check each service's help page before you migrate.
How a translated call goes
weekly call with Portuguese in-laws after Skype shut down
Scripted example, not a recording
French retireeBonjour Dona Maria ! Vous m'entendez bien ? On est passés sur Meet, comme convenu.
Olá, Dona Maria! A senhora me ouve bem? Mudamos para o Meet, como combinado.
| Said | Translation | |
|---|---|---|
| French retiree | Bonjour Dona Maria ! Vous m'entendez bien ? On est passés sur Meet, comme convenu. | Olá, Dona Maria! A senhora me ouve bem? Mudamos para o Meet, como combinado. |
| Portuguese in-law | Olá! Ouço muito bem. Os sub-títulos aparecem no ecrã, mas a Rita diz que é difícil acompanhar. | Bonjour ! Je vous entends très bien. Les sous-titres s'affichent à l'écran, mais Rita dit que c'est difficile à suivre. |
| French retiree | Je sais, ça va vite. Cette fois, la traduction est dans le lien d'écoute : vous pouvez m'écouter en portugais. | Eu sei, é rápido demais. Desta vez a tradução está no link de escuta: a senhora pode me ouvir em português. |
| Portuguese in-law | Que bom! E domingo que vem, vamos almoçar todos juntos. Consegues vir? | Super ! Et dimanche prochain, on déjeune tous ensemble. Tu peux venir ? |
| French retiree | Avec plaisir. J'apporterai le dessert, et on se retrouve sur le même lien à la même heure. | Com prazer. Levo a sobremesa, e nos vemos no mesmo link, no mesmo horário. |
Step by step: leaving Skype for a new platform
1. Choose the platform
Look at where your relatives already have an account. Teams suits anyone who uses it at work, Meet suits people with a Google account, and Zoom is fine if you already have it.
2. Recover your Skype data
Check that contacts and chats arrived in Teams, and note down important numbers and addresses.
3. Run a first test call
Start a meeting and send the link by message or email. The same link can serve all your future calls.
4. Turn on captions
In Teams use the three-dot menu, in Meet the captions icon, in Zoom the captions button. Pick the spoken language.
5. Add translation
If captions are not enough, invite a translator. With Akume you only need the meeting link; guests open the listener link.
6. Fix the appointment
Choose a fixed weekly slot so nobody has to hunt for the link.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install anything for captions? No. Teams, Meet and Zoom work in the browser or in the app, and captions are switched on during the call.
Do captions show for everyone? Usually each participant turns them on or off for themselves. The available languages depend on the platform and the plan.
What if everyone in the family uses a different platform? Agree on a single one. One meeting link is simpler than three different apps.
In short
Skype's translator cannot be replaced one-for-one, but the move is smaller than it looks: choose a platform, switch on captions, add a translator if needed. The hardest part is often getting the whole family around the same link.
Questions and answers
What happened to Skype Translator?
Translation was part of Skype and ended with the service. Microsoft closed Skype on 5 May 2025 and recommends Microsoft Teams instead.
Can I keep my Skype account?
Microsoft allowed people to sign in to Teams with their Skype account to bring over contacts and chats. Check in Teams what actually came across.
Is there a free alternative to Skype Translator?
For captions in the language being spoken, yes: Teams, Meet and Zoom all offer them. Translated captions are limited by plan. Akume's free demo lets you try live translation.
How do I move my whole family off Skype?
Pick the platform most of your relatives already use, send a meeting link and turn on captions. Guests can usually join from a browser without installing anything.
Does Akume work inside Skype?
No. Akume joins Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Zoom. For your Skype calls, you need to move to one of those platforms.
Sources
Prepared by the Akume editorial team with the help of AI tools. Platform facts come from official documentation, dated in the text.