The old desktop app will be retired in September

Microsoft is once again redesigning its Skype app for Windows today. While the software giant released a universal app for Windows 10 users previously, the Skype classic desktop app is getting updated today with a new design that’s similar to the mobile version of Skype. Microsoft has been testing the new design over the past year, and it’s now planning to force all Skype classic desktop users to upgrade to the 8.0 version by September 1st.

The new classic desktop app for Skype includes many of the features from the Windows 10 or mobile versions. Microsoft has tweaked group chats to make it easier to share photos or screen sharing during calls. The new @ mentions, message reactions, notification panel features are also included, and there’s even a gallery to make it easier to find shared links, documents, or photos in a conversation.

Microsoft is also planning to bring some additional features to Skype classic later this summer. Read receipts will be added to conversations, alongside the ability to create private conversations. The private conversations will be powered by the Signal Protocol to ensure audio calls and conversations are end-to-end encrypted. Microsoft is even adding call recording to Skype, so users won’t have to rely on third-party apps anymore.

While today’s Skype classic app is heavily inspired by Microsoft’s mobile Skype design, the company has been listening to lots of feedback on both the mobile and desktop apps over the past year. Microsoft’s radical Skype mobile design debuted a year ago, and it’s fair to say it wasn’t well received. Microsoft has been tweaking it ever since and it’s starting to get to the point where Skype feels familiar across phones, tablets, and desktop PCs.