What to do if you can’t see a shared presentation or video in Teams?

A few days ago, i was participating in a Microsoft Teams meeting with several colleagues and customers. I then noticed that the presenter was describing a slide which i wasn’t able to see. I then opened a private chat with a colleague and quickly understood that the presentation was fully visible to other participants but not to me.

In this short post i would like to describe the simple troubleshooting process i went through to be able to access that presentation. I use a Windows 10 operating system, so this should be relevant for previous Windows versions. Took 2 minutes and i was up and running.

Can’t join / view Microsoft Teams presentation – how to fix?

Step #1: Check your network

I initially thought the issue was related to my Virtual Private Network connection (VPN). I disconnected, and the issue wasn’t solved. I then look into the WIFI signal in home office – all good. Problem still there.

Step #2: Re-start Microsoft Teams

Quit and restart the Microsoft Teams app.

  • From the Windows taskbar (bottom of your screen), find the Microsoft Teams icon.
  • Make a right Click and hit Quit.
  • Then from taskbar hit the Search icon (Magnifying Glass).
  • Then type Microsoft Teams and hit Enter to launch the application.
  • Next step was to try again to view the presentation, again – no luck.

Step #3: Clear Teams cache

My third step was to reset the application cache. Here’s how that is done:

  • First off, quit Microsoft Teams. Note that Teams won’t allow you to clear the cache if the app is still running in the background.
  • From the Task bar, hit the Search button. Alternatively, use the Windows button + S shortcut.
  • Type %appdata%.
  • The Windows Explorer dialog will open. Now navigate to the Microsoft folder.
  • You’ll see a folder named Teams. Make a copy of that folder, and store it in a safe place in your PC.
  • Now enter the Teams folder and delete the Cache folder.
  • Restart Teams, the problem should be gone.

Related Learning:

How to fix Microsoft Teams meeting link not opening app?