How to fix slow performance and 'Not Responding' errors in Microsoft Teams

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to fix slow performance and 'Not Responding' errors in Microsoft Teams. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Microsoft Teams is a resource-intensive application that can occasionally experience performance degradation, leading to lagging video calls, slow message loading, or the dreaded 'Not Responding' error. Most of these issues are caused by a bloated local cache or outdated application data. Following these steps will help you optimise the application and restore stability.

Quick Fix Steps

Before performing a full cache clear, try these rapid solutions to see if the performance improves:

• Restart the application: Fully quit Teams (right-click the icon in the system tray and select Quit) and relaunch it.
• Check for updates: Click the three dots (...) next to your profile picture and select Check for updates.
• Disable Hardware Acceleration: Go to Settings > General and check the box for Disable GPU hardware acceleration. This is particularly helpful for users with older laptops.

Detailed Instructions: Clearing the Teams Cache

Clearing the cache is the most effective way to resolve 'Not Responding' errors without needing to reinstall the software. This process does not delete your chats or files, as these are stored in the cloud.

For Windows Users

1. Fully close Microsoft Teams. Ensure it is not running in the background by right-clicking the Teams icon in the taskbar tray and selecting Quit.
2. Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialogue box.
3. Type or copy and paste the following path: %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams and press Enter.
4. Once the folder opens, select all files and folders within this directory (Ctrl + A) and delete them.
5. If a message appears stating a file is in use, ensure Teams is completely shut down via the Task Manager.
6. Restart Microsoft Teams and sign back in.

For macOS Users

1. Quit Microsoft Teams completely (Command + Q).
2. Open Finder and select Go from the top menu bar, then choose Go to Folder....
3. Enter the following path: ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Teams and press Enter.
4. Delete all files and folders inside this directory.
5. Empty your Trash and relaunch Teams.

Troubleshooting Persistent Performance Issues

If you have cleared the cache and Teams is still lagging, the issue may be related to your broader system resources or network stability.

System Resource Analysis

Teams consumes a significant amount of RAM. If you have many browser tabs or other heavy applications open, you may experience freezes. If your entire system feels sluggish, please refer to our guide on Computer running slow.

Network and Connectivity

Lagging during calls or "Connecting..." messages are often network-related rather than application-related. If you notice other websites are also slow to load, please see Browser not loading pages.

Application Stability

If Teams continues to crash or hang despite the steps above, it may be a conflict with another background process. If you are seeing frequent crashes across multiple programs, check our article on Applications freezing or crashing. In extreme cases where the system restarts unexpectedly, refer to Blue screen of death (BSOD) - restart steps.

Still Having Issues?