Fix Teams freeze 2026

Technical Guide: Resolving Microsoft Teams Application Freeze (2026 Build)

This guide provides a comprehensive, systematic approach for IT professionals and advanced users to diagnose and resolve issues where the Microsoft Teams desktop client becomes unresponsive or freezes. Symptoms often include a non-interactive user interface, high CPU or memory consumption, and the inability to close the application gracefully. Follow these steps sequentially to isolate and fix the root cause.

Phase 1: Initial User-Level Troubleshooting

Begin with the least invasive solutions that resolve the most common problems. These steps can be performed by the end-user without administrative privileges.

• Force Quit and Relaunch: Completely close Microsoft Teams. On Windows, use the Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) to end all processes related to `Teams.exe`. On macOS, use the Force Quit option (Cmd+Option+Esc). Relaunch the application to see if the issue persists.
• Check for Updates: Ensure both Microsoft Teams and the operating system are fully updated. In Teams, click your profile picture, then select "Check for updates".
• Clear the Teams Cache: Corrupted cache files are a frequent cause of application instability. To clear the cache:
  1. Completely quit Microsoft Teams.
  2. Open the File Explorer and navigate to the following location: %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams
  3. Delete the contents of the following folders: Cache, blob_storage, databases, GPUCache, IndexedDB, Local Storage, and tmp.
  4. Restart Microsoft Teams. The application will rebuild these files upon launch.

Phase 2: System and Application Configuration

If initial steps fail, the issue may stem from a conflict between Teams and the local system configuration.

• Disable GPU Hardware Acceleration: This setting can cause freezes on systems with incompatible graphics drivers.
  1. Click your profile picture in Teams and go to "Settings".
  2. Under the "General" tab, check the box for "Disable GPU hardware acceleration".
  3. Restart Teams for the change to take effect.
• Update Graphics Drivers: Outdated or generic video drivers can lead to rendering issues. Install the latest stable drivers directly from the manufacturer's website (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, Intel).
• Investigate Software Conflicts: Temporarily disable third-party antivirus, security software, firewalls, or overlay applications to determine if they are interfering with Teams' operation.

Phase 3: Advanced Administrative Actions

These steps require administrative rights and involve more significant changes to the system.

• Perform a Clean Reinstallation: A standard uninstall may leave behind problematic configuration files.
  1. Uninstall Microsoft Teams from "Apps & features" (or "Add or remove programs").
  2. Delete the entire Teams directory located at %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams.
  3. Delete the Teams installation data at %localappdata%\Microsoft\Teams.
  4. Restart the computer to ensure all processes are terminated.
  5. Download the latest version of Teams from the official Microsoft website and install it.
• Verify Network Configuration: Ensure that corporate firewalls, proxies, or web filters are not blocking the required Office 365 URLs and IP address ranges. Consult Microsoft's official documentation for a complete list of endpoints that Teams needs to function correctly.
• Analyze System Logs: On Windows, use the Event Viewer to look for application errors. Check under "Windows Logs" > "Application" for critical errors or warnings related to `Teams.exe`. Note any faulting module names or exception codes, as these provide crucial data for further diagnostics.

Phase 4: Escalation and Data Collection

If the freezing issue persists after all troubleshooting, it is time to escalate the issue to Microsoft Support. Before doing so, collect all relevant diagnostic information.

• Generate Teams Diagnostic Logs: While Teams is running, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Shift + 1. This will download a set of diagnostic logs to your "Downloads" folder.
• Document Findings: Prepare a summary of all steps taken, the results of each step, any relevant error codes from the Event Viewer, and the diagnostic logs. Providing this comprehensive package to support will expedite the resolution process.