Is clearing the Teams cache safe?

Yes. The cache is just temporary local data Teams keeps to load faster. Deleting it doesn't remove your chats, files, teams or account — those live in the cloud. Teams simply rebuilds the cache next time you sign in, so the first launch afterward may be a little slower than usual.

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Fix Microsoft Teams by
clearing its cache

Q: Where is the Microsoft Teams cache stored on Windows?

It depends on which version you have. New Teams (the default now) stores its cache under %userprofile%\appdata\local\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Microsoft\MSTeams. Classic Teams uses %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams. You must fully quit Teams before deleting anything in those folders.

When Teams starts misbehaving — stuck loading, showing old profile pictures, refusing to sign in or generally glitchy — clearing its local cache is one of the safest, most reliable fixes there is. Here's exactly how to do it on Windows.

Applies to: Microsoft Teams (new & classic) · Windows Time: ~5 minutes Level: Comfortable with Windows

Quick answer

Fully quit Teams (right-click its taskbar icon → Quit), then delete the contents of the Teams cache folder. For new Teams that's %userprofile%\appdata\local\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Microsoft\MSTeams; for classic Teams it's %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams. Reopen Teams and sign in. Your chats and files aren't touched.

WHAT THE CACHE DOES

It's a speed trick — until it goes stale.

The Teams cache is a folder of temporary files the app keeps on your PC so it can start quickly and show your chats, images and settings without re-downloading everything each time. Handy — but if those files get out of date or corrupted (after an update, a network drop or a crash), Teams can hang on the loading screen, show the wrong details or behave oddly. Deleting the cache forces Teams to fetch a fresh, clean copy from the cloud. It's a genuinely safe first move: your conversations, files, meetings and account all live on Microsoft's servers, not in the cache, so nothing important is lost. The only trade-off is that the first launch afterwards takes a little longer while the cache rebuilds.

HOW TO CLEAR IT

Follow these steps in order.

Work out which Teams you haveAlmost everyone is now on new Teams (the current default). If you're unsure, that's fine — the cache paths below cover both. If you still see the older purple app, you're on classic Teams and should use that path.
Quit Teams completelyClosing the window isn't enough — Teams keeps running in the background. Right-click the Teams icon in the taskbar (or the up-arrow tray near the clock) and choose Quit. To be certain, open Task Manager, find any Microsoft Teams entries and select End task.
Open the cache folderPress the Windows key + R to open the Run box. For new Teams, paste %userprofile%\appdata\local\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Microsoft\MSTeams and press Enter. For classic Teams, paste %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams instead.
Delete everything inside the folderSelect all the files and subfolders in that directory (Ctrl + A) and delete them. You're clearing the contents, not the folder itself. Teams will recreate whatever it needs on next launch.
Restart Teams and sign inReopen Teams from the Start menu. Give it a moment — the first start is slower while it rebuilds the cache. Sign in again if prompted, and check whether the original problem has cleared.
Prefer a no-fuss option? Reset the appFor new Teams you can skip the manual delete: go to Settings → Apps → Installed apps, find Microsoft Teams, choose Advanced options and select Reset. This clears the app's data (including personalisation) and achieves the same clean slate.

Still stuck after a cache clear? Clearing the cache fixes a huge share of everyday Teams glitches, but not everything. If Teams still won't load, keeps signing you out, or the same fault hits several staff at once, the cause is likely an update, a sign-in/identity issue or something at the account level — worth handing to your IT provider rather than repeating the fix on each machine.

TEAMS THAT JUST WORKS

Clearing the cache shouldn't be a weekly ritual.

If you're regularly clearing the Teams cache just to keep it working, something underneath needs attention. Our free IT Health Check reviews your whole Microsoft 365 setup — Teams, devices, updates, sign-in and licensing — and shows you exactly what to fix so your team stops losing time to it.

Book my free IT Health Check Call 07 5500 0457

KEEP READING

Fix Microsoft Teams byclearing its cache

It's a speed trick — until it goes stale.

Follow these steps in order.

Clearing the cache shouldn't be a weekly ritual.

Related resources

Fix Microsoft Teams by
clearing its cache