How to Fix Microsoft Teams Running Slow or Freezing
Applies to
Microsoft Teams for Windows, macOS, web, work, school, and personal accounts
Last updated
6 July 2026
Problem
Microsoft Teams runs slowly, freezes during meetings, lags when switching between chats, or becomes unresponsive when opening files and channels. You may also notice high CPU or memory usage, delayed typing, slow screen sharing, or the app taking a long time to start.
This is usually caused by cached app data, limited device resources, outdated Teams versions, poor internet connection, too many background apps, or large teams and channels loading lots of content.
Solution
Restart Teams fully, close unnecessary apps, update Teams, clear cached data, and check whether the issue happens in both the desktop app and Teams on the web. If Teams remains slow, repair, reset, or reinstall the app.
Step by step instructions
Restart Teams fully
Do not just close the Teams window.
On Windows, right click the Teams icon in the taskbar or system tray.
Select Quit.
On macOS, quit Teams fully from the dock or menu bar.
Reopen Teams and check whether performance improves.
If Teams still feels slow, restart your computer.
Check whether Teams is slow everywhere
Before changing settings, identify whether the problem is with Teams itself, your device, or your connection.
Test the following:
- Open Teams desktop app
- Open Teams in a browser at https://teams.microsoft.com
- Open another Microsoft 365 app such as Outlook or OneDrive
- Test a normal website in your browser
- Check whether other people in your organisation have the same issue
If Teams web works normally but the desktop app is slow, focus on the installed app. If everything online is slow, check your internet connection.
Close unnecessary background apps
Teams can slow down when your computer is short of memory or processing power.
Close apps you do not need, especially:
- Other video meeting apps
- Browser tabs with video or large websites
- Screen recording software
- Video editing apps
- Cloud sync tools during large uploads
- Games or high performance apps
After closing background apps, restart Teams and test again.
Check Task Manager or Activity Monitor
On Windows, open Task Manager.
On macOS, open Activity Monitor.
Look for high usage of:
- CPU
- Memory
- Disk
- Network
If Teams is using very high resources, quit and reopen it. If another app is using most resources, close that app or restart the device.
Update Microsoft Teams
Open Teams.
Select Settings and more near your profile picture.
Choose Check for updates if available.
Allow the update to complete.
Restart Teams afterwards.
If Teams was already open for several days, a restart after updating can make a noticeable difference.
Clear Teams cache
Cached data can sometimes cause slow loading, freezing, or blank screens.
Close Teams completely first.
On Windows, open Settings.
Go to Apps.
Find Microsoft Teams.
Open Advanced options if available.
Try Repair first.
If that does not help, use Reset.
Resetting removes local app data, but your chats, teams, and files are stored online.
Try Teams on the web
Open your browser and go to:
Sign in with the same account.
Use Teams for a few minutes and compare performance.
If the web version is faster, the desktop app may need resetting or reinstalling.
If the web version is also slow, the issue may be network, browser, Microsoft 365 service health, or account related.
Check your internet connection
Teams needs a stable connection for chat, meetings, files, and calls.
If Teams is slow during meetings, check your network.
Useful checks include:
- Move closer to the WiFi router
- Use wired Ethernet where possible
- Pause large downloads or uploads
- Disconnect from VPN temporarily if allowed
- Restart your router if all internet apps are slow
- Test on another network if available
Reduce meeting load
Teams can freeze if your device struggles during video calls.
During a meeting, try:
- Turning off your camera
- Turning off incoming video if available
- Closing screen sharing when not needed
- Using audio only
- Closing other apps before joining
- Avoiding virtual backgrounds on low powered devices
These changes can reduce CPU, memory, and network usage.
Reinstall Microsoft Teams
If Teams remains slow after updating and resetting, reinstall it.
Uninstall Microsoft Teams from your device.
Restart your computer.
Download Teams from the official Microsoft page:
Install it again and sign in.
Optional methods or tools
- Use https://teams.microsoft.com while fixing the desktop app
- Use Task Manager or Activity Monitor to check CPU and memory usage
- Try wired Ethernet for important meetings
- Ask your IT team to check Microsoft 365 service health if many users are affected
- Use the official Microsoft download page when reinstalling Teams
Best practices or tips
- Restart Teams regularly if it is open all day
- Keep Teams and your operating system updated
- Close heavy apps before meetings
- Avoid using virtual backgrounds on older devices
- Keep enough free storage and memory available on your computer
Microsoft Teams running slow or freezing is usually caused by local device performance, cached app data, or network quality. Closing background apps, restarting Teams, and checking performance in https://teams.microsoft.com can quickly show whether the desktop app or the wider device is the problem.
For regular Teams users, keeping the app updated and restarting it periodically helps prevent lag and freezing. If slow performance affects many users at the same time, it may be worth checking Microsoft 365 service health or asking your IT administrator to investigate.
