How to Fix Microsoft Teams Running Slow or Freezing on Windows 11

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to Fix Microsoft Teams Running Slow or Freezing on Windows 11. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Microsoft Teams is essential for many Australian businesses, but performance issues like freezing, lagging, or high CPU usage can disrupt your work day. This guide walks you through the most effective steps to get Teams running smoothly again on Windows 11.

Quick Fix Steps

Try these steps first. They resolve most Teams performance issues without requiring advanced settings.

1. Restart Microsoft Teams completely. Right-click the Teams icon in the system tray (bottom-right corner of your screen) and select Quit, then reopen the app.
2. Restart your computer to clear temporary files and refresh system resources.
3. Check your internet connection. Teams requires a stable connection for calls and meetings. If your connection is slow, see our guide on Computer running slow.
4. Update Windows 11. Go to Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.

Detailed Instructions

Clear the Teams Cache

Over time, Teams stores temporary files that can become corrupted and cause the app to freeze or run slowly.

1. Close Microsoft Teams completely. Ensure it is not running in the system tray.
2. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
3. Type %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams and press Enter.
4. Delete the following folders if they exist: Cache, GPUCache, IndexedDB, Local Storage, and databases.
5. Restart Microsoft Teams. The app will recreate the necessary cache files automatically.

Disable GPU Hardware Acceleration

If Teams is freezing or crashing, hardware acceleration may be conflicting with your graphics driver.

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. Select the Settings and more (three dots) menu in the top-right corner.
3. Choose Settings.
4. Select Devices from the left-hand menu.
5. Under Graphics hardware acceleration, toggle the setting to Off.
6. Restart Teams for the change to take effect.

Check for Conflicting Applications

Other applications can interfere with Teams, especially those that access your camera, microphone, or screen.

• Close unused browser tabs and applications, particularly video conferencing tools like Zoom or Google Meet.
• If you use antivirus software, ensure it is not scanning Teams processes in real-time. Add Teams as an exclusion if necessary.
• Check Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) for high CPU or memory usage and close unnecessary programs.

Further Assistance

If the steps above do not resolve the issue, the problem may be related to your overall system performance or network.

• Review our guide on Applications freezing or crashing for general Windows troubleshooting.
• If web pages are also loading slowly, see Browser not loading pages.
• Ensure your Windows 11 device meets the minimum system requirements for Microsoft Teams.

Still Having Issues?