Fix Teams App Permission Request Is Pending for a Guest User

When you invite a guest to your Microsoft Teams tenant, the guest may see an app permission request stuck in a pending state. This typically happens when the guest has not accepted the consent prompt or when the admin has not approved the app for external users. The pending state blocks the guest from using the app, which can slow down collaboration. This article explains why the request stays pending and gives you step-by-step fixes for both the guest and the admin.

You will learn how to check the guest’s consent status, how to approve the app in the Teams admin center, and how to avoid common mistakes that keep the request stuck. The fixes work for both the classic Teams and the new Teams desktop client.

Why the Teams App Permission Request Stays Pending for a Guest User

A pending permission request means the app is waiting for approval from either the guest or the admin. In Microsoft Teams, guest users are external identities that are added to your tenant as Azure AD guest accounts. When you add an app that requires permissions, Teams sends a consent request to the guest’s email. If the guest does not open that email and click the approval link, the request stays in a pending state.

Another common cause is that the admin has not enabled guest access for third-party apps. Even if the guest accepts the consent prompt, the app will not work if the tenant-level policy blocks external users. The Teams admin center has a specific setting that controls whether guests can use apps at all.

A third cause is that the app requires Azure AD admin consent. Some apps, like those that read user profiles or access Exchange data, need tenant-wide admin approval before any user can use them. If the app is listed as requiring admin consent, the guest’s request will remain pending until an administrator approves it.

Steps to Fix the Pending Permission Request for a Guest User

Step 1: Have the Guest Accept the Consent Prompt

1. Open the consent email
   Ask the guest to check the email from Microsoft Teams. The email contains a link that says Review permissions. The guest must click that link and then click Accept on the consent screen.
2. Sign out and sign back in
   If the guest does not see the email, have them sign out of Teams and sign back in. This action triggers a new consent prompt in many cases.
3. Check the app in Teams
   After signing back in, the guest should open the app from the left sidebar. If the app still shows a pending request, proceed to the admin steps below.

Step 2: Enable Guest Access to Third-Party Apps

1. Open the Teams admin center
   Go to admin.teams.microsoft.com and sign in with an account that has the Teams Administrator or Global Administrator role.
2. Navigate to guest access settings
   In the left navigation, select Org-wide settings and then Guest access.
3. Turn on the app permission toggle
   Locate the setting called Allow guests to use apps. Set the toggle to On. Click Save and wait for the change to propagate, which can take up to 24 hours.

Step 3: Approve the App for All Users

1. Open the Manage apps page
   In the Teams admin center, go to Teams apps and then Manage apps.
2. Search for the app
   Type the name of the app in the search box. Click the app name to open its details page.
3. Set the permission policy
   On the app details page, look for the section called Permission policy. Click Edit and select Allow all users. This option includes guest users. Click Apply.
4. Verify the app is available to guests
   Go to Teams apps and then Permission policies. Check that the policy you applied includes the guest user. If you have a custom policy, edit it to add the app.

Step 4: Grant Azure AD Admin Consent if Required

1. Open the Azure portal
   Go to portal.azure.com and sign in with a Global Administrator account.
2. Navigate to Enterprise applications
   Select Azure Active Directory, then Enterprise applications.
3. Find the app
   Search for the app by name. Click the app and select Permissions from the left menu.
4. Grant admin consent
   Click the button that says Grant admin consent for [your tenant]. Review the permissions and click Accept.

If Teams Still Shows a Pending Permission Request

Guest User Cannot See the Consent Email

The consent email may be blocked by the guest’s spam filter. Ask the guest to search their inbox for Microsoft Teams and check the junk folder. If the email is not there, the guest can trigger a new one by going to Teams > Settings > Permissions and clicking Review permissions.

App Permission Policy Does Not Apply Immediately

Policy changes in Teams can take up to 24 hours to take effect. If the guest still sees a pending request after you have changed the policy, wait a few hours and then ask the guest to sign out and sign back in. Also, check that the guest is not assigned to a different policy that blocks the app.

Guest Account Has Not Been Fully Provisioned

Sometimes the guest invitation has not been fully accepted. Go to Azure Active Directory > Users and find the guest. Check that the Invitation accepted field shows Yes. If it shows No, resend the invitation from the Azure portal.

Teams Admin Center vs Azure AD Consent: Key Differences

Item	Teams Admin Center	Azure AD Admin Consent
Purpose	Controls app availability and policies for Teams users	Grants tenant-wide permission for apps that need Azure AD scopes
Where to manage	Teams apps > Manage apps and Permission policies	Azure Active Directory > Enterprise applications > Permissions
Applies to guests	Yes, if guest access is enabled	Yes, if the app requires Azure AD consent
Typical delay	Up to 24 hours	Immediate after clicking Accept
Required role	Teams Administrator or Global Administrator	Global Administrator

After you complete the steps, the guest should see the app as available and the pending request should disappear. Start by having the guest accept the consent prompt, then check the tenant-level settings. If the problem persists, use the Azure AD admin consent option for apps that require it. As a final tip, always verify that the guest is in the correct permission policy group before troubleshooting further.