How to Fix Microsoft Teams Not Opening or Loading
Applies to
Microsoft Teams for Windows, macOS, web, work, school, and personal accounts
Last updated
6 July 2026
Problem
Microsoft Teams does not open, gets stuck on the loading screen, shows a blank window, or closes shortly after launching. In some cases, Teams may appear in the taskbar but never fully loads, or it may keep asking you to restart the app.
This is usually caused by a temporary app fault, cached Teams data, a failed update, a sign in problem, or a local device issue.
Solution
Restart Teams fully, check your internet connection, update the app, clear the Teams cache, and reinstall Teams if the problem continues. If the desktop app still will not load, use Teams on the web as a temporary workaround while fixing the installed app.
Step by step instructions
Fully close Microsoft Teams
Right click the Teams icon in the taskbar or system tray.
Select Quit.
If Teams does not close properly, restart your computer.
After restarting, open Teams again and check whether it loads normally.
Check your internet connection
Open a web browser and test a normal website.
If other websites are slow or unavailable, restart your router or switch to another network.
Teams needs a stable internet connection to load chats, meetings, files, and account data.
Try Teams on the web
Open your browser and go to:
Sign in with your Microsoft account.
If Teams works in the browser, the issue is likely with the desktop app rather than your account or Microsoft service.
Check for Teams updates
If Teams opens but behaves badly, check for updates from inside the app.
Select Settings and more near your profile picture.
Choose Check for updates if the option is available.
Restart Teams after the update completes.
Clear the Microsoft Teams cache
Close Teams completely first.
On Windows, open Run by pressing Windows key + R.
Enter:
%appdata%\Microsoft\Teams
Delete the contents of the Teams folder, then reopen Teams.
For the newer Teams app, you may also need to repair or reset it from Windows app settings.
Repair or reset Teams in Windows
Open Settings.
Go to Apps.
Find Microsoft Teams.
Open Advanced options if available.
Try Repair first.
If Teams still will not load, try Reset.
Resetting the app may remove local app data, but your Teams chats and files are stored online.
Reinstall Microsoft Teams
If Teams still will not open, uninstall it.
Restart your computer.
Download Teams again from the official Microsoft page:
Install it, then sign in again.
Check Microsoft 365 service status
If Teams is not loading for multiple users or devices, the issue may be with Microsoft’s service.
For work or school accounts, ask your IT administrator to check the Microsoft 365 admin centre service health page.
Optional methods or tools
- Use Teams in a browser while fixing the desktop app
- Try another browser if Teams web does not load correctly
- Restart your device before reinstalling Teams
- Ask your IT team to check service health if many users are affected
- Check whether security software or a firewall is blocking Teams
Best practices or tips
- Keep Teams updated to reduce loading and sign in problems
- Restart your computer after major Windows or macOS updates
- Avoid running old and new Teams versions side by side
- Use the official Microsoft download page when reinstalling
- Clear the Teams cache only after fully closing the app
Microsoft Teams not opening or loading is usually a local app issue rather than a permanent account problem. Restarting the app, clearing cached data, and checking for updates will fix many cases where Teams gets stuck on a blank screen or loading window.
If the desktop version continues to fail, using Teams on the web at https://teams.microsoft.com can keep you working while the app is repaired or reinstalled. For business and school users, repeated loading problems across several devices should also be checked against Microsoft 365 service health.
