Microsoft Teams: Troubleshooting

Overview

This article provides common troubleshooting steps to help resolve issues with Microsoft Teams. Follow the recommendations below before submitting a Service Desk ticket.

Common issues include problems launching Teams, signing in, joining meetings, performance issues, and unexpected application behavior.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• A Northwood Tech account.
• Access to Microsoft Teams.
• An internet connection.
• A Windows or macOS computer.

Before You Begin

Before reinstalling or resetting Microsoft Teams, try the least disruptive troubleshooting steps first. In many cases, a simple restart or update resolves common issues.

Instructions

Check for Microsoft Teams Updates

Keeping Microsoft Teams up to date helps resolve bugs, improves performance, and ensures you have access to the latest features and security updates.

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. Click the ... to the left of your profile picture.
3. Click Settings.
4. Click About Teams.
5. Locate the Version information.
6. If an update is available, click to install it.
7. Restart Microsoft Teams if prompted.

Restart Microsoft Teams

Restarting Teams refreshes the application and often resolves temporary issues.

1. Right-click the Teams icon on your taskbar.
2. Click Quit Teams.
3. Reopen Microsoft Teams.
4. Test the issue again.

Sign Out of Microsoft Teams

Signing out and back in refreshes your connection to Microsoft 365 and can resolve authentication-related issues.

1. Click your profile picture.
2. Click Sign out.
3. Close Microsoft Teams.
4. Reopen Teams.
5. Sign back in using your Northwood Tech account.

Verify Your Internet Connection

A slow or unstable internet connection can prevent Teams from signing in, joining meetings, or synchronizing messages.

1. Open a web browser.
2. Visit another website.
3. Verify pages load normally.
4. If you're on Wi-Fi, move closer to the wireless access point or connect to a wired network if available.

Check Your Audio and Video Devices

If you're experiencing issues during meetings, verify that Microsoft Teams is using the correct audio and video devices.

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. Click your profile picture.
3. Click Settings.
4. Click Devices.
5. Verify the correct:
   • Speaker
   • Microphone
   • Camera
6. Test the devices.

Check for Windows Updates

Keeping Windows updated helps ensure Teams runs correctly.

1. Click the Start Menu.
2. Open Settings.
3. Click Windows Update.
4. Click Check for updates.
5. Install any available updates.
6. Restart your computer if prompted.

Reset Microsoft Teams

Resetting Microsoft Teams clears cached application data without requiring a full reinstall.

1. Click Start and search for Add or Remove Programs.
2. Click Add or Remove Programs.
3. Search for Microsoft Teams.
4. Click the ... next to Microsoft Teams.
5. Click Advanced options.
6. Scroll to the Reset section.
7. Click Reset.
8. Wait for the process to complete.
9. Open Microsoft Teams again.

Uninstall & Reinstall Microsoft Teams

If the previous troubleshooting steps don't resolve the issue, uninstalling and reinstalling Microsoft Teams can replace missing or corrupted application files.

First, uninstall Microsoft Teams.

1. Click Start and search for Add or Remove Programs.
2. Click Add or Remove Programs.
3. Search for Microsoft Teams.
4. Click the ... next to Microsoft Teams.
5. Click Uninstall.
6. Restart your computer.

Then, reinstall Microsoft Teams using one of the following methods:

Personal Computer (Windows or Mac)

1. Open your preferred web browser.
2. Navigate to https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-teams.
3. Click Download Teams.
4. Download the installer for your operating system.
5. Open the downloaded file.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Northwood Tech Device

1. Navigate to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/download-app.
2. Click Download Microsoft Teams for Windows.
3. Open the downloaded file.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

If the issue continues after completing the previous steps, try these additional recommendations before contacting the Service Desk.

1. Close any unnecessary applications or web browsers.
2. Check for pending Windows updates.
3. Restart your computer if updates were installed.
4. Verify your internet connection is stable.
5. Open Microsoft Teams again and test the issue.

When to Contact the Service Desk

If you've completed the troubleshooting steps in this article and Microsoft Teams still isn't working correctly, the Service Desk can help investigate the issue.

• Submit a Service Desk ticket.
• Include a description of the issue.
• Include any error messages or screenshots.
• Include the device you're using (Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android).
• Include the version of Microsoft Teams, if known.