If Microsoft Teams freezes, first check whether only Teams is unresponsive or the whole computer is freezing. Quit Teams and restart Windows, then update Teams, Windows, and device drivers; if the problem continues, work through the app repair, cache, resource, and network checks below.
Test after each change so you can identify the trigger. If the entire desktop, mouse, keyboard, or other apps also stop responding, investigate Windows, drivers, overheating, memory, or hardware rather than assuming Teams is the cause.
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12 Ways to Fix Microsoft Teams Freezing Your Computer
1. Fully quit Teams and restart Windows
- Right-click the Microsoft Teams icon in the taskbar notification area and select Quit. Closing the window alone may leave Teams running.
- Restart the computer from Start > Power > Restart, then open Teams and test it again.
If Teams is completely unresponsive, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, select Microsoft Teams, and choose End task. End only Teams-related processes, not unrelated Windows processes.
2. Update Teams using its current menu
- Open Teams and select Settings and more (…) next to your profile picture.
- Select Update and restart Teams if it appears.
- If it does not appear, select Settings and more (…) > Settings > About Teams and check the installed version.
Teams normally updates automatically while idle. The web app does not need a separate desktop-client update; Microsoft says it is always updated. Microsoft’s Teams update instructions explain the current update options.
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3. Install Windows and device-driver updates
- Open Start > Settings > Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates, install available updates, and restart when prompted.
- Update graphics, camera, audio, and chipset drivers through Windows Update or the computer or component manufacturer.
Meeting freezes can involve Windows, audio or video drivers, graphics drivers, or WebView2—not just the Teams package. Microsoft recommends keeping audio and video drivers updated for Teams stability. Microsoft’s Teams client crash guidance covers possible driver and media-stack causes.
4. Turn on Teams Efficiency mode
- In Teams, select Settings and more (…) > Settings > General.
- Scroll to Efficiency mode and choose Always use efficiency mode as a diagnostic test if your computer is under resource pressure.
- If video changes are unacceptable, return to Use only when resources are low, the default.
Microsoft cautions that Efficiency mode can affect functionality, including camera resolution. See Microsoft’s Teams settings instructions.
5. Repair or reset the Windows Teams app
- Open Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps and search for Microsoft Teams.
- Select the More options (…) button beside it, then Advanced options.
- Select Repair if available. If the problem continues, select Reset, then restart Teams.
Repair attempts to fix the app without removing its data. Reset deletes app data, including personalization settings, and may require you to sign in and configure Teams again.
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6. Clear the current Teams cache
The often-repeated %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams path is for Classic Teams, not the normal cache location for current Teams. Microsoft ended Classic Teams support on July 1, 2024, and ended its availability on July 1, 2025. Microsoft’s Classic Teams notice has details.
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- Right-click the Teams icon in the taskbar notification area and select Quit.
- Press Windows key + R, enter %userprofile%\appdata\local\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Microsoft\MSTeams, and select OK.
- Delete the files and folders in that directory, then restart Teams.
Alternatively, use Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Microsoft Teams > (…) > Advanced options > Reset. The first restart after clearing the cache may take longer while Teams rebuilds its files. For macOS, follow Microsoft’s cache-clearing instructions; its listed Terminal commands delete local Teams data and may require sign-in or reconfiguration.
7. Reinstall Teams if repair and reset do not help
- Open Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Find Microsoft Teams, select More options (…) > Uninstall, and restart Windows.
- Install the current Teams client from Microsoft’s official Teams download or the Microsoft Store distribution used by your organization.
Do not reinstall Classic Teams. If Windows cannot install, update, or remove the app, Microsoft recommends its Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter for incomplete installation data or corrupted uninstall entries.
8. Test Teams in a supported browser
- Open Teams on the web and join the same meeting or try the same activity.
- Compare the result with the desktop app. Microsoft lists Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox as supported browsers for Teams on the web.
If the web app works while the desktop app freezes, the issue may be isolated to the desktop installation, local cache, WebView2, a desktop security product, or a device driver. If both versions freeze, also investigate Windows resources, network conditions, peripherals, or the account or service. This comparison is diagnostic, not proof of a single cause: browser extensions, permissions, and graphics acceleration can cause separate problems. See Microsoft’s guide to using Teams on the web.
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- Before launching Teams, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- On the Processes tab, sort by CPU, Memory, and Disk.
- Close unnecessary apps, browser tabs, virtual machines, games, screen recorders, or video editors. Do not end processes you do not recognize unless you have confirmed they belong to an app you opened.
Microsoft’s troubleshooting telemetry classifies meeting problems caused by insufficient processing or memory as Compute. Microsoft’s Teams client requirements state that higher video or screen-share resolution and frame rates require more resources; a four-core processor or better is recommended for those workloads.
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10. Disable Teams startup temporarily
- Open Start > Settings > Apps > Startup.
- Find Microsoft Teams and turn its toggle off.
Alternatively, open Task Manager, select Startup apps, select Microsoft Teams, and choose Disable. This can help determine whether Teams competes with other startup apps for system resources. You can also manage auto-start and background behavior in Teams under Settings and more (…) > Settings > General > System. See Microsoft’s Windows startup app instructions.
11. Test graphics, camera, and audio drivers
If freezing starts when you join a meeting, turn on the camera, share the screen, or use background effects, check the media and graphics paths.
- Update the graphics driver from Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, or your computer manufacturer, as appropriate.
- Update camera and audio drivers, and install Windows and WebView2 updates through supported update channels.
- For a browser-side GPU check, open edge://gpu/ in Edge or chrome://gpu/ in Chrome. If the page reports Software only or hardware acceleration unavailable, the system is not providing usable browser GPU acceleration.
Microsoft documents media-stack crashes related to audio and video drivers. Some Teams screen-sharing functions also require supported GPU hardware acceleration. See Microsoft’s screen-sharing GPU guidance.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors12. Check VPN, proxy, firewall, antivirus, or DLP interference
Network filtering is not usually the cause of a whole-computer freeze, but it can make Teams hang, fail to connect, or repeatedly retry requests. Test only in ways allowed by your organization’s security policy.
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- Try a different network, such as a personal hotspot.
- Test once without a VPN if your organization permits it.
- Ask IT whether Teams and Microsoft Edge WebView2 are approved by antivirus and data-loss-prevention software.
- Ask IT to confirm that required Microsoft 365 URLs, IP addresses, and ports are allowed.
Do not permanently disable security software on a managed computer without administrator approval. Microsoft says a short, direct network path can help Teams quality, and that VPNs and proxies can add latency or packet loss. Read Microsoft’s Teams connectivity guidance and network preparation guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do if all 12 steps fail
Reproduce the freeze, then collect Teams diagnostic logs promptly:
- Windows: Select the Teams icon in the system tray and choose Collect support files, or press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + 1.
- macOS: Select Help > Collect support files, or press Option + Command + Shift + 1.
If the entire computer becomes unresponsive, or the freeze persists across Teams and other apps, share the symptoms and diagnostic files with your IT administrator or device support team.
FAQ
Why does Teams freeze only when I join a meeting or share my screen?
That pattern can point to the graphics, camera, audio, or other media path. Update the relevant drivers and Windows, then compare the desktop app with Teams on the web.
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Should I delete files from %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams?
No, not as the normal cache fix for current Teams. That commonly repeated location belongs to Classic Teams. Use the current Windows Teams cache location in this guide or the app’s Advanced options reset instead.
Will resetting Teams delete my settings?
Yes. Reset deletes Teams app data, including personalization settings, and may require you to sign in and configure the app again. Try Repair first if it is available.
What if Teams freezes the entire computer?
Treat a whole-system freeze as a possible Windows, driver, overheating, memory, or hardware problem. Check whether other applications also freeze, update drivers, and contact IT or device support if the problem continues.
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Does Teams on the web prove the desktop app is the problem?
No. A successful web test suggests the issue may be desktop-specific, but browser extensions, permissions, and graphics acceleration can create separate issues. If both versions freeze, investigate system resources, network, peripherals, or the account or service too.
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