How to clear Teams cache on Mac
Microsoft suggests you clear Teams cache on Mac for a few problems with the Teams app itself, not for everything: it won’t bring back missing messages or chat history. Your chats, channel posts and files stay in Microsoft 365, and Teams rebuilds its local data on the next start. This guide explains when it helps, how to do it the way Microsoft documents it and what you may need to set up again.
- Open MacWashing and choose System Junk in the sidebar.
- Click Start Scan.
- Look through what it found and click Clean. Anything debatable stays unchecked.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
When does clearing the Teams cache help?
Microsoft recommends it as a targeted step for a few problems with the Teams app itself, not as a first step for everything. It doesn’t fix missing messages, chat history that won’t load, a team or channel that doesn’t appear, or wrong notifications and unread counts — and it deletes the logs support would need to find the cause.
The steps below are for the current Microsoft Teams. Classic Teams has been retired.
Clear Teams cache on Mac
- Quit Teams: Control-click its icon in the Dock and choose Quit, or press Command-Q.
- Open Terminal from Applications › Utilities.
- Run the two commands below, pressing Return after each.
- Open Teams again. The first start takes longer while Teams rebuilds its cache.
These commands delete Teams’ two folders on this Mac, with its cache, logs and local settings. Nothing in your Microsoft 365 account is deleted.
rm -rf ~/Library/Group\ Containers/UBF8T346G9.com.microsoft.teamsrm -rf ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.teams2Prefer Finder? Quit Teams, choose Go › Go to Folder (Shift-Command-G), open ~/Library/Group Containers and move UBF8T346G9.com.microsoft.teams to the Trash, then do the same with com.microsoft.teams2 in ~/Library/Containers.
What stays and what you may set up again
- Chats, channels, files and meetings stay: they’re stored in Microsoft 365, and Teams downloads them again.
- Settings kept only on this Mac may return to their defaults, and Teams may ask you to sign in again.
- Teams’ logs are deleted. If your IT department is looking into a problem, ask them before you clear the cache.
If Teams still misbehaves, reinstalling it is the next step: see how to uninstall Microsoft Teams on Mac.
With MacWashing, it’s one click
System Junk in MacWashing finds the caches of Teams and your other apps, shows how much each takes and clears them in one go. Anything debatable stays unchecked until you decide.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Questions and answers
Will MacWashing delete my own files when it cleans?
No. It removes only what it can match to a known app or a known kind of junk, in places apps leave files; macOS and Apple’s files are never touched. Anything debatable is marked and stays unchecked until you decide.
What about apps that are open?
If an open app holds files being cleaned, MacWashing waits for it to quit or quits it at your request, and opens it again afterwards.
Is it free?
Yes, within the free trial: System Junk and the Uninstaller free up to 25 GB in total, with no account or card needed.
Will clearing Teams cache on Mac delete my chats?
No. Chats, channel posts and files are stored in Microsoft 365. After you clear the cache, Teams downloads what it needs again.
Will clearing the cache fix missing messages in Teams?
No. Microsoft says it doesn’t help with missing messages, chat history or channels, and it removes the logs needed to find the cause. Contact your IT department instead.
Why is Teams slow to start after clearing the cache?
Teams rebuilds its cache files on the first start. Later starts are back to normal.