How to Fix Microsoft Teams High Memory Usage on Windows

What Causes This?

Microsoft Teams can use a lot of memory because it keeps chat history, cached files, notifications, and background services loaded so the app opens quickly and stays synced. Memory usage often gets worse when the Teams cache becomes bloated or corrupted, when many apps are running at the same time, or when Teams is left running in the background all day. Outdated app files or browser-based components used by Teams can also cause unusually high RAM use.

Common Symptoms

• Teams uses several hundred MB or more in Task Manager
• Your PC feels slow when Teams is open during calls or meetings
• Fans run louder than usual or the laptop gets warmer
• Switching between apps becomes laggy
• Memory usage stays high even after closing the Teams window

How to Fix It Manually

1. Check how much memory Teams is using

   • Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
   • Click More details if Task Manager opens in compact mode.
   • Under the Processes tab, find Microsoft Teams.
   • Check the Memory column to confirm whether Teams is using an unusually high amount of RAM.

2. Fully close Teams

   • Right-click the Teams icon in the system tray near the clock.
   • Click Quit.
   • If Teams is still listed in Task Manager, select it and click End task.
   • This matters because simply closing the window often leaves Teams running in the background.

3. Clear the Teams cache

   • Press Windows + R to open Run.
   • Type %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams and press Enter.
   • Delete the contents of these folders if they exist:
     • Cache
     • Code Cache
     • GPUCache
     • IndexedDB
     • Local Storage
     • tmp
   • Restart Teams and sign in again if prompted.
   • If you use the newer Teams app and the folder above does not help, also check:
     • %LocalAppData%\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache

4. Disable Teams from running in the background at startup

   • Open Settings with Windows + I.
   • Go to Apps > Startup.
   • Find Microsoft Teams and turn it Off if you do not need it launching with Windows.
   • Then open Teams, click your profile picture > Settings > General, and disable background or auto-start options if available.

5. Update Teams and Windows

   • In Teams, click your profile picture > Check for updates.
   • Then go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates.
   • Updates often fix memory leaks and performance bugs.

6. Reduce background load

   • Open Task Manager again with Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
   • Sort by the Memory column to see what else is using RAM.
   • Close apps you do not need, especially browsers with many tabs, video tools, and other chat apps.
   • If your PC regularly runs out of memory, restart Windows to clear stuck background processes.

7. Repair or reinstall Teams if memory use stays high

   • Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
   • Find Microsoft Teams, click the three dots, then choose Advanced options if available.
   • Try Repair first. If that does not help, choose Reset or uninstall and reinstall Teams.
   • Reinstalling replaces damaged app files and removes leftover cached data.

Fix It Automatically with Kudu

Kudu can automatically detect bloated cache files, unnecessary startup apps, and background processes that make Teams use more memory than it should. Instead of digging through folders and settings manually, you can use Kudu to clean up the system and improve overall app performance in a few clicks.

Download Kudu Free →