Fix Microsoft Teams Keeps Crashing: 9 Real Fixes

If Microsoft Teams keeps crashing, freezing, or closing on you, the fix is usually one of a few straightforward steps: clear the Teams cache, update the app, or repair the installation. Below are the exact fixes to try, in order, for both Windows and Mac, along with why Teams crashes in the first place and how to prevent it from happening again.

Why Teams Keeps Crashing

Teams is a resource-hungry Electron-based app, which means it bundles a full Chromium browser engine. That design makes it prone to memory leaks, high CPU usage, and conflicts with other software. Common triggers include:

• Corrupted cache files – Teams stores a lot of temporary data locally, and if that data gets corrupted, the app can crash on startup or during a call.
• Outdated app version – Microsoft pushes updates regularly; an old version may have known bugs that have already been fixed.
• Conflicting background apps – Antivirus, VPNs, or other communication tools can interfere with Teams’ network or file access.
• Insufficient memory or disk space – Teams needs a fair amount of RAM (roughly 2–4 GB when in a call) and free disk space for its cache.
• Graphics driver issues – Teams uses hardware acceleration for video calls; an outdated or buggy GPU driver can cause crashes.

Fix 1: Clear the Teams Cache

The single most effective fix for random crashes is clearing the cache. Teams stores cached files in a specific folder on your computer. Here’s how to do it safely:

1. Fully quit Teams. Right-click the Teams icon in the system tray (bottom-right on Windows, top-right on Mac) and select Quit. Also check Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and end any “Teams� processes.
2. Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
3. Navigate to the cache folder:
   • Windows: %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams
   • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Teams
4. Delete the contents of these subfolders (you can delete the whole folder if you prefer, but you’ll have to sign in again): Cache, Code Cache, GPUCache, blob_storage, and IndexedDB.
5. Restart Teams. It will rebuild the cache from scratch.

This clears temporary files that may be corrupted. You won’t lose your chats or files – those are stored in the cloud.

Fix 2: Update Teams

Teams updates automatically in the background, but sometimes the update fails or is delayed. To check for updates manually:

1. Open Teams.
2. Click your profile picture at the top right.
3. Select Check for updates.

Teams will download and install any available update, then prompt you to restart. If Teams won’t open at all, you can download the latest installer from the official Microsoft website and run it – it will overwrite the existing installation without losing your data.

Fix 3: Repair or Reinstall Teams

If clearing the cache and updating don’t work, the installation itself may be damaged. On Windows, you can repair Teams via Settings:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps (Windows 11) or Apps & features (Windows 10).
2. Find Microsoft Teams, click the three-dot menu, and select Advanced options.
3. Click Repair first. If that doesn’t help, try Reset (this will clear the app’s data, so you’ll need to sign in again).

On Mac, you can’t repair – you’ll need to uninstall and reinstall. Drag Teams from the Applications folder to Trash, then download the latest version from Microsoft’s site. Your chats and files are stored online, so you won’t lose them.

Fix 4: Disable Hardware Acceleration

Hardware acceleration uses your GPU to render video and graphics, but it can cause crashes on some systems. To disable it:

1. Open Teams.
2. Click your profile picture > Settings.
3. Under the General tab, find Disable hardware acceleration and toggle it on.
4. Restart Teams.

If you can’t get into Settings because Teams crashes immediately, you can edit the settings.json file in the Teams folder (same location as the cache). Look for a line like "disableHardwareAcceleration": false and change it to true.

Fix 5: Check Your Network and Firewall

Teams needs a stable internet connection. If your network drops or has high latency, Teams may freeze or crash. Also, corporate firewalls or VPNs can block Teams’ ports. Try:

• Disconnecting your VPN temporarily.
• Allowing Teams through your firewall (add it to the allowed apps list).
• Resetting your network adapter (Windows: ipconfig /flushdns and netsh winsock reset in an admin command prompt).

Fix 6: Update Your Graphics Driver

If you’re crashing during video calls, an outdated GPU driver is a likely culprit. Update your graphics driver via:

• Windows: Device Manager > Display adapters > right-click your GPU > Update driver.
• Mac: System Settings > General > Software Update.

If you have a dedicated GPU (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel), you can also download the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website.

Fix 7: Use the Web Version (Temporary Workaround)

If Teams keeps crashing and you need to get work done, use Teams in your browser at teams.microsoft.com. It offers most of the same features, and it bypasses the desktop app entirely. This is a good stopgap while you troubleshoot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Teams crash when I join a meeting?

Meeting crashes are often caused by hardware acceleration, outdated graphics drivers, or insufficient RAM. Try disabling hardware acceleration and closing other heavy apps before joining. Also, check that your webcam and microphone drivers are up to date.

Will clearing the cache delete my chats?

No. Your chats, files, and team data are stored in the cloud on Microsoft’s servers. Clearing the cache only removes local temporary files, like images and thumbnails. You’ll just have to sign in again.

Teams keeps crashing on my phone – what should I do?

On mobile, first update the app from the App Store or Google Play. Then clear the app cache (Android: Settings > Apps > Teams > Storage > Clear Cache; iOS: offload the app and reinstall). If it still crashes, restart your phone and make sure you have enough free storage.

Is Teams crashing because my computer is too old?

Possibly. Teams requires Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.15 or later, and at least 4 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended). If your machine is older than that, the web version may run better.

How do I stop Teams from auto-starting and crashing at boot?

If Teams crashes on startup, disable auto-start. In Teams, go to Settings > General and turn off Auto-start application. On Windows, you can also disable it in Task Manager > Startup tab. This won’t fix the crash, but it will stop the annoyance.

Does reinstalling Teams fix everything?

Reinstalling is the most thorough fix because it replaces all program files and clears all local data. It fixes crashes caused by corrupted installation or cache. However, if the crash is due to a network or driver issue, reinstalling won’t help – so try the other fixes first.

Related

• Deploy Microsoft 365 Copilot for SMBs
• How to Uninstall Avast Secure Browser
• How to Read WhatsApp Messages on PC