Fix Microsoft Teams video freezing during calls

The short answer

When Microsoft Teams video freezes during a call, the cause is usually one of three things: an unstable or congested network connection, a computer that cannot keep up with video processing, or a webcam whose USB connection is dropping or resetting. Each cause has a different fix, so first work out which one applies. The quickest clue is what your audio does at the moment the picture stalls.

Conferencing software generally gives audio priority over video when bandwidth runs short. If the picture freezes while speech keeps flowing, the network or processing load is the more likely cause, and the webcam hardware is less likely. If the webcam's built-in microphone goes silent at the same instant, suspect the webcam or its USB connection first. A device that drops off the USB connection takes its camera and its microphone with it.

A note on evidence: this guide relies on the general, verifiable behavior of webcams, USB devices and conferencing software. No test measurements, version-specific data or vendor statements were available for it. Menu names and locations may differ between Teams versions. Treat each cause below as a hypothesis until a check confirms it.

Pin down exactly what is freezing

Before you change any settings, note the pattern. Each observation narrows down the likely cause.

Observation | What it suggests | Where to look next

Only your outgoing video freezes for others; you see them normally | Upload limits, local processing load, or the webcam's USB connection | Network upload, computer load, webcam connection

Everyone's video freezes on your screen | Download limits or your computer struggling to decode video | Network, computer load, incoming video settings

Video freezes and your webcam microphone goes silent at the same time | The webcam is disconnecting or resetting | USB port, cable, hub, power management, drivers

Video freezes but audio continues normally | Bandwidth adaptation or processing load rather than device failure | Network and computer load

Freezing begins only after the call has run for a while | Heat, resource buildup, power management or a degrading connection | Long-session checks

Freezing happens in Teams but not in another camera app | Teams settings, effects or the Teams installation | Teams-specific checks

Reversible checks, in order

1. Watch call health while the freeze happens

Recent versions of Teams include a call health view, reached from the meeting controls. It reports network, audio and video statistics as the call runs, though its exact location and labels can vary by version. Open it and watch it while the freezing occurs. If packet loss, jitter or round-trip time rise as the picture stalls, the network is the likely cause. Jitter is uneven timing in how data arrives. If the network figures look steady but the sent video frame rate drops, look at your computer or camera instead.

2. Test the network

For one test call, use a wired Ethernet connection or move closer to the Wi-Fi router. Pause large uploads, cloud file syncing and streaming on the same network. If you use a VPN and your organization's policy allows it, try a call without it, because a VPN can add delay. If freezing stops on a wired or less congested connection, the network is the cause. Focus there, or contact whoever manages the network. If nothing changes, move on to the next check.

3. Reduce load on the computer

Close other video apps and unneeded browser tabs, and turn off background blur and other video effects, since these add processing work. On a laptop, plug in the charger, because battery-saving modes can slow the processor. During a freeze, open Task Manager on Windows or Activity Monitor on a Mac and check whether processor use is near its limit. If freezing stops with effects off or other apps closed, processing load was the cause. Keep effects off for calls, or plan for more capable hardware if the problem persists.

Teams also lets you turn off incoming video during a meeting. If your own video stops freezing for other participants when you do this, your connection or computer was overloaded by sending and receiving video at the same time.

4. Test the webcam outside Teams

Quit Teams completely and open the system camera app, such as Camera on Windows or Photo Booth on a Mac. Leave it running for about as long as it usually takes a freeze to appear in Teams. Only one app can use the camera at a time, so close any other app that might be using it. If the image freezes in the camera app too, the camera, cable, port or driver is the cause. If it stays smooth there, the problem lies with Teams or the network.

5. Check the USB connection

Plug the webcam directly into the computer instead of through a hub, dock or extension cable. Try a different port, ideally one not shared with other high-bandwidth devices, and try a different cable if the webcam's cable is detachable. Watch for a device-disconnect sound, or for the camera briefly disappearing from the device list in Teams settings. Both point to a connection problem. On Windows, USB power-saving features can switch off devices the system considers idle. Disabling USB power saving for a test shows whether power management is responsible. Because the webcam's microphone shares the same connection, fixing the connection usually fixes video freezes and audio dropouts together.

6. Update or reset the software

Update Teams, the operating system and, where the manufacturer provides them, the webcam's driver and firmware. Some Teams versions have a hardware acceleration setting. Hardware acceleration means using the graphics processor for video work. Where the setting exists, switching it is a reversible test. If the problem happens only in Teams and survives every check above, repair or reinstall Teams. On a work or school account, an administrator may control some settings and policies, so involve IT if the evidence points to Teams itself.

Freezes that appear only in long calls

If video is smooth at the start of a call and degrades later, the cause is often gradual. A laptop that gets hot and loud may be slowing itself down to manage heat, so improve ventilation and see whether that delays the freezing. Restarting Teams between long meetings tests whether resource buildup in the app plays a part. Sleep and USB power-saving settings can also take effect partway through a session. Note when freezing begins and what else is running at that time. A consistent pattern makes the cause much easier to identify than a single occurrence.

What this means for your webcam microphone

If you rely on your webcam's built-in microphone, video freezes matter even when your speech seems fine, because the same conditions can affect audio. Network congestion bad enough to freeze video can also make speech choppy or garbled when audio data is lost or delayed. An overloaded computer can cause audio glitches as well. A USB reset silences the webcam microphone completely, and Teams may switch to another available input, such as a laptop's internal microphone. After any freeze, check which microphone Teams has selected in its device settings. A fallback microphone farther from your mouth may pick up more room echo and background noise.

If the webcam connection stays unreliable while you troubleshoot, use a separate microphone, such as a headset or a dedicated USB microphone. This keeps your speech separate from camera faults. It is a workaround, not a fix, but it keeps your voice clear while you track down the video problem.

When service or replacement is justified

• The webcam freezes in the system camera app on more than one computer, even when connected directly with different ports and cables. This points to the webcam, so warranty service or replacement is reasonable.
• The camera and its microphone drop out together on multiple machines, even with power-saving features disabled. This also points to the webcam hardware.
• The problem follows the computer rather than the webcam. Look at that computer's USB ports, drivers or overall performance.
• The problem occurs on only one network. Take it up with the network administrator or internet provider.
• The problem occurs only in Teams after every other check passes. Repair or reinstall Teams, and on managed accounts, contact IT.