| Solution | Difficulty | Estimated Time |
|---|---|---|
| Clear Teams Cache | Easy | 3 Minutes |
| Disable Hardware Acceleration | Easy | 2 Minutes |
| Update Graphics Drivers | Medium | 10 Minutes |
| Reset/Reinstall Teams | Medium | 5 Minutes |
What is Teams keeps crashing when joining a call?
Microsoft Teams crashing when joining a call occurs when the application unexpectedly closes or “Crashes to Desktop” (CTD) the moment you attempt to connect to a meeting. This usually happens during the transition from the lobby to the active call window.
This issue is typically caused by corrupted cache files, conflicts with video drivers, or hardware acceleration bugs. It prevents users from participating in video or audio conferencing, often without displaying a specific error code.
Step-by-Step Solutions
1. Clear the Microsoft Teams Cache
Corrupted temporary files are the most common cause of crashes. Clearing the cache forces Teams to rebuild its configuration files.
For New Teams (Work or School):
# Close Teams completely
# Press Win + R, type the following and hit Enter:
%localappdata%\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Microsoft\MSTeams
# Delete all files and folders inside this directory
For Classic Teams:
# Press Win + R, type:
%appdata%\Microsoft\Teams
# Delete all files and folders in this location
2. Disable GPU Hardware Acceleration
If your graphics card drivers conflict with Teams’ rendering engine, the app will crash when trying to load video feeds.
- Open Teams and click the three dots (…) next to your profile.
- Go to Settings > General.
- Check the box “Disable GPU hardware acceleration”.
- Restart Teams for changes to take effect.
3. Update Graphics and Camera Drivers
Outdated drivers often fail during the handshake process when Teams initializes your camera or screen-sharing hardware.
- Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters and Cameras.
- Right-click your device and select Update driver.
- Choose Search automatically for drivers and follow the prompts.
4. Check for Windows and Teams Updates
Ensure you are running the latest version of the client. Compatibility patches are released frequently to fix “Crash to Desktop” bugs.
- In Teams, click the three dots (…) and select Check for updates.
- Go to Windows Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click Check for updates.
5. Reset the Teams App
If the app remains unstable, a local reset can fix underlying registry or installation path errors.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps.
- Find Microsoft Teams and click the three dots.
- Select Advanced options.
- Scroll down and click Reset.