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| Microsoft Teams Won't Open or Takes Forever to Load |
If Microsoft Teams has suddenly started taking a long time to open, or won't open at all, on a Windows device, you're not alone, and it isn't necessarily something wrong with your specific computer. Microsoft has acknowledged a known issue affecting the Teams desktop client on Windows, where opening the app for the first time in a session can delay loading by up to two minutes, or in some cases fail to load entirely.
Here's how to work around it while a fix rolls out, plus the general fixes worth trying regardless of whether this specific issue is the cause.
First: Is This the Known Microsoft Issue, or Something Local to You?
Microsoft's own guidance describes the symptom specifically as a delay of up to two minutes when first opening Teams on Windows, sometimes resolving on its own after that wait, sometimes not loading at all. If that matches exactly what you're seeing — a delay specifically on first launch, rather than Teams crashing mid-call or failing every single time no matter what — this is very likely the known, acknowledged issue rather than something specific to your machine.
If your symptom is different — Teams crashes after working fine for a while, or fails consistently with the same error every time regardless of how long you wait — treat this as a separate, local issue and work through the general fixes further down this post instead.
The Official Workaround While a Fix Rolls Out
Microsoft's own advice for this specific issue is to use Teams through the web browser or the mobile app instead of the Windows desktop client while the issue is active. This isn't a permanent fix, but it keeps you working without losing meeting access.
To use Teams in a browser: go to teams.microsoft.com and sign in with your work account — this gives you full meeting and chat functionality without relying on the desktop client that's currently affected.
To use Teams on mobile: the Teams mobile app is unaffected by this particular desktop issue, and works as a reasonable stopgap for joining meetings or checking messages if you're away from your main workstation.
General Fixes Worth Trying Regardless of Cause
Even with a known platform-level issue in play, these steps are worth running through, since they resolve a meaningful share of Teams loading problems on their own, and they're useful for Teams issues generally, not just this specific one.
Fully Quit and Restart Teams, Not Just Close the Window
Closing the Teams window often leaves the application still running in the background, particularly on Windows, where Teams is frequently configured to launch on startup and stay running. Right-click the Teams icon in your system tray (near the clock) and choose "Quit," then reopen it fresh, rather than just clicking the window's close button.
Restart Your Computer
This sounds repetitive across troubleshooting guides for a reason: a full restart clears out a wide range of stuck background processes, including ones related to app launching and caching, that a simple app restart doesn't touch.
Check for a Pending Teams or Windows Update
Microsoft frequently ships fixes for known issues like this one through routine app and OS updates. Check Teams' own update mechanism (usually under your profile picture → Check for Updates) and confirm Windows Update doesn't have anything pending.
Clear the Teams Cache
A corrupted local cache is a common cause of persistent loading problems, separate from any platform-wide issue.
- Fully quit Teams (via the system tray, as above)
- Open File Explorer and navigate to
%appdata%\Microsoft\Teams - Rename or delete the "Cache" folder found there
- Reopen Teams, which will rebuild a fresh cache automatically
This is a safe, routine maintenance step and doesn't delete your chat history or files, which are stored on Microsoft's servers, not locally in this folder.
If It's Not the Known Issue: Check for a Recent Windows Update Conflict
Teams and Outlook have both had documented launch failures tied to specific Windows security updates in recent months, particularly affecting certain device types. If your loading problem started right after a Windows update was installed, this timing is worth noting specifically, since Microsoft has shipped targeted fixes for exactly this pattern before. Checking Windows Update for the latest available cumulative update, rather than assuming your current version is current, is worth doing as part of this check.
If You're on a VPN
If your work requires a VPN to reach Teams or your company's network, confirm the VPN is actually connected successfully before assuming Teams itself is the problem — a VPN that's silently failed to connect can look identical to a Teams loading issue from the user's side. Our guide on VPN connections that won't connect at all covers that specific diagnosis if you're unsure which is actually happening.
When to Just Wait It Out
Platform-level issues like this one are, by definition, outside your control, and Microsoft typically resolves them within days once acknowledged publicly. If the browser and mobile workarounds are getting you through your immediate meetings, it's reasonable to simply wait for an official fix rather than spending significant time on deeper troubleshooting for an issue affecting many users simultaneously.
Quick Reference
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Delay of up to 2 minutes on first open | Known Microsoft issue | Use teams.microsoft.com or mobile app meanwhile |
| Fails every time, no delay pattern | Local cache or update issue | Clear Teams cache; check for updates |
| Started right after a Windows update | Update/driver conflict | Check Windows Update for a newer cumulative update |
| Teams opens but can't connect at all | Possible VPN issue, not Teams | Confirm VPN is actually connected |
If Teams is deployed and managed by your employer's IT team, let them know if you're affected — organization-wide issues like this are often easier for them to track and work around centrally once multiple reports come in.