How to find the Microsoft Teams shortcut location?

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Where is Microsoft teams located in my computer system?

“Our IT department recently updated Microsoft Teams across the organization, and now I can’t find the application shortcut on my desktop. I need to create a custom shortcut and maybe even troubleshoot some startup issues, but I’m not sure where the Teams executable is actually stored on my computer. How can I locate the Microsoft Teams application files and create a proper shortcut?”

Teams.exe location matters for troubleshooting

Understanding where Microsoft Teams is installed on your system is crucial for several administrative tasks. Whether you’re creating custom shortcuts, troubleshooting performance issues, or setting up automated startup configurations, finding the exact teams folder location is the first step. This knowledge is particularly important after updates when file paths might change or when you need to verify which version you’re running. We’ll explore how to locate Microsoft Teams executable files on Windows systems.

Microsoft Teams shortcut location finder

This tutorial will guide you through finding where Microsoft Teams is located on your computer, identifying both the classic and new Teams executable location, and creating proper shortcuts. If you’re having trouble with Teams shortcuts, you might also want to check our guide on how to fix Teams taskbar icon issues. This approach works for both personal and organizational Microsoft 365 accounts, though specific paths may vary slightly depending on your installation method.

Find where Microsoft Teams exe is located on your system

Locating classic Teams application files

  • Check the Start Menu first by clicking the Start button and typing “Teams” – right-click on the app icon and select “Open file location” to view the shortcut, which will point to the actual executable.
  • For most Windows 10/11 installations, the classic Teams client is typically located at C:\Users[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Teams\current\Teams.exe where [YourUsername] is your Windows account name. If you’re experiencing sync issues while trying to locate Teams files, you may want to review our guide on fixing Teams folders not syncing with OneDrive.
  • If you’re using a corporate-managed device, the Teams installation might be in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Teams\current\ or a similar enterprise deployment location determined by your IT department.
  • Access the hidden AppData folder quickly by pressing Win+R to open the Run dialog, then typing %localappdata%\Microsoft\Teams and pressing Enter to jump directly to the Teams folder location.
  • Verify you’re looking at the correct version by right-clicking the Teams.exe file, selecting Properties, and checking the Details tab to confirm the version number matches what you expect to be running.

Finding the new Teams executable location

  • The new Teams client (Microsoft Teams 2.0) is typically installed at C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\ms-teams.exe as it uses a different architecture than the classic client.
  • For Microsoft Store installations, the actual executable may be in a protected WindowsApps folder that requires special permissions to access directly – in this case, working with shortcuts is your best option.
  • Enterprise deployments of new Teams might use C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\MicrosoftTeams_[version] though this location requires administrator privileges to access directly.
  • Determine which Teams version you’re using by opening Teams, clicking on your profile picture, selecting “About”, and checking whether it says “New Teams” or just shows a version number for the classic client.

Create a shortcut to Teams on your desktop

  • Right-click on the Teams.exe file once you’ve located it, then select “Create shortcut” and drag the resulting shortcut to your desktop or another preferred location for easy access.
  • Customize your Teams shortcut by right-clicking it, selecting Properties, and adding parameters to the Target field – for example, adding --processStart "Teams.exe" can help with specific startup configurations.
  • Set a custom keyboard shortcut by right-clicking your new Teams desktop shortcut, selecting Properties, clicking in the “Shortcut key” field, and pressing your desired key combination (like Ctrl+Alt+T).
  • Pin Teams to your taskbar permanently by right-clicking the Teams icon while the application is running and selecting “Pin to taskbar” for even faster access without creating desktop clutter.

Troubleshooting Teams shortcut and location issues

  • If you can’t find the Teams folder in the expected location, check if you’re using a web-only version by opening your browser history and looking for teams.microsoft.com visits, as some organizations deploy Teams as a web app without local installation.
  • When Teams updates fail or shortcuts break, try repairing the application by going to Windows Settings > Apps > Microsoft Teams > Advanced options > Repair, which will reset the application files without losing your data or settings.
  • For hybrid workers needing to set work location in Teams, open Teams, click on your profile picture, select Settings > Privacy, and look for the “Set status message” option where you can indicate your current work location that will be visible to colleagues.
  • If you’re seeing multiple Teams versions installed, this is common during transitions – the new Teams (2.0) and classic Teams can coexist, but you may want to coordinate with IT about which version your organization officially supports.

Pro Tip: Create a PowerShell script to automatically find and launch Teams regardless of its location by using the command: Start-Process (Get-ChildItem -Path "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\Teams" -Filter "Teams.exe" -Recurse).FullName