How to Fix Microsoft Teams White Screen

If you’re launching Microsoft Teams and all you get is a blank white screen, you’re not alone—and you’re not stuck. This issue is usually tied to corrupted cache files, outdated software, or a glitch in how Teams loads. Here’s how to fix it fast.

1. Quit Teams Completely (Not Just Close It)

Closing the Teams window doesn’t always shut it down. Make sure it’s not running in the background.

On Windows:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• Find Microsoft Teams, right-click it, and choose End task.

On Mac:

• Press Command + Option + Esc, select Microsoft Teams, and click Force Quit.

Then relaunch Teams to see if the issue is gone.

2. Clear the Teams Cache

Corrupted cache files are the #1 cause of the white screen problem.

Windows:

1. Press Windows + R, type: %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams
2. Delete all files and folders inside this folder.

Mac:

1. Open Finder → Go → Go to Folder and enter: ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Teams
2. Delete the contents inside.

Restart Teams after clearing the cache.

3. Run Teams as Administrator (Windows Only)

Sometimes permissions get in the way.

• Right-click the Teams shortcut.
• Choose Run as administrator.

If this works, set Teams to always run as admin by editing the shortcut properties.

4. Update Microsoft Teams

Outdated versions can crash or fail to load properly.

• If you can open Teams, click your profile picture → Check for updates.
• If not, uninstall and reinstall the latest version from the official Microsoft Teams site.

5. Disable GPU Hardware Acceleration

This one’s especially helpful if you’re using Teams on a low-spec machine.

If you can open Teams:

• Click your profile picture → Settings → General
• Uncheck Disable GPU hardware acceleration
• Restart Teams.

If you can’t open Teams:

1. Right-click the Teams shortcut → Properties
2. In the Target field, add this at the end (outside the quotes): --disable-gpu
3. Click OK and relaunch Teams.

6. Try the Web Version

Still stuck? Open https://teams.microsoft.com in your browser. Chrome or Edge works best. This isn’t a long-term fix, but it’ll keep you productive while you troubleshoot the desktop app.

7. Reinstall Microsoft Teams

If nothing else works, reinstalling may be the cleanest solution.

1. Uninstall Teams.
2. Delete the leftover cache:
   • Windows: %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams
   • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Teams
3. Reinstall from Microsoft’s official site

Final Tips

• Check for system updates. Sometimes Teams issues come from the OS.
• Disable antivirus/firewall temporarily to see if they’re interfering (turn them back on afterward).
• If you’re using a company-managed device, reach out to your IT team. Admin policies might be causing the block.

No more white screen. Just Teams working like it should.

Still having issues? Drop your question in the comments—I’ll help you troubleshoot.