After you change your Microsoft 365 password, Teams may refuse to open or show a sign-in loop. This happens because the cached credentials on your device still point to the old password. The Teams app tries to authenticate with stale tokens and fails, so the window closes or freezes. This article explains why the cached credentials break the sign-in process and gives you step-by-step fixes to get Teams running again.
You will learn how to clear the credential cache, sign out from all cached sessions, and repair the Teams installation if the problem persists.
Key Takeaways: Fix Teams Not Opening After a Password Change
- Windows Credential Manager > Windows Credentials > Teams: Remove the cached Teams entry to force a fresh sign-in with the new password.
- Teams sign-out and cache folder cleanup: Delete the %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams folder to reset the local state.
- Repair the Teams installation via Settings > Apps: Fix corrupted app files that block Teams from starting.
Why Teams Fails to Open After a Password Change
When you change your Microsoft 365 password, the Teams desktop app continues to use cached credentials that were stored during the previous sign-in. These credentials include an access token and a refresh token. The token is still valid for a short period, but once it expires, Teams tries to refresh it using the old password. The refresh fails because the password is no longer correct.
Instead of showing a sign-in prompt, Teams may close immediately, display a blank window, or loop back to the sign-in screen. This behavior is more common on shared computers or when you use a work account that has multi-factor authentication enabled.
The core issue is that the Windows Credential Manager stores the Teams credentials separately from the app. Even if you sign out of Teams, the credential entry may remain. The next time you launch Teams, it uses that stale entry and fails.
How the Credential Cache Works
Windows Credential Manager stores login information for apps and websites. Teams saves a credential entry named Microsoft AAD or Teams under Windows Credentials. When Teams starts, it reads this entry. If the password inside is outdated, the app cannot authenticate and shuts down.
In addition, Teams caches user data in the local AppData folder. This includes chat history, settings, and the sign-in state. If the sign-in state is corrupted, Teams may fail to launch even after you enter the correct password.
Steps to Clear Cached Credentials and Repair Teams
Follow these steps in order. Stop after each section and try to open Teams. If Teams opens, you do not need to continue.
Step 1: Sign Out of Teams Using the Web
- Open a web browser and go to account.microsoft.com
Sign in with your Microsoft 365 account and the new password. This confirms that the password is correct and the account is active. - Review your active sessions
On the Security page, select Review activity or Sign out everywhere. This revokes the old tokens that Teams might still be using. - Wait 5 minutes
This gives the server time to invalidate the old tokens. Then try to open Teams again.
Step 2: Clear the Windows Credential Manager Entry for Teams
- Open Windows Credential Manager
Press the Windows key, type Credential Manager, and press Enter. The Control Panel app opens. - Select Windows Credentials
Click the Windows Credentials tab. You will see a list of saved credentials for apps and network shares. - Find the Teams entry
Look for an entry named Microsoft AAD or Teams. The name may include your organization’s domain, such as Microsoft AAD: https://login.microsoftonline.com. - Expand and remove the entry
Click the arrow next to the entry, then click Remove. Confirm the deletion when prompted. - Close Credential Manager and try Teams
Double-click the Teams icon. Teams will now ask for your password. Enter the new password and sign in.
Step 3: Clear the Teams Cache Folder
- Close Teams completely
Right-click the Teams icon in the system tray and select Quit. Then open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Escape and end any process named Teams.exe. - Open the Run dialog
Press the Windows key and the R key at the same time. Type %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams and press Enter. The Teams cache folder opens in File Explorer. - Delete the contents of the folder
Press Ctrl+A to select all files and folders inside. Press the Delete key. If any file is in use, restart the computer and try again. - Relaunch Teams
Open Teams from the Start menu. It will rebuild the cache and prompt you to sign in. Enter your new password.
Step 4: Repair or Reinstall Teams
- Open Windows Settings
Press the Windows key and the I key. Select Apps and then Installed apps. - Find Teams in the list
Scroll down or search for Microsoft Teams. Click the three-dot menu next to it, then select Advanced options. - Click Repair
Windows will attempt to fix the app without deleting your data. Wait for the repair to finish, then open Teams. - If Repair does not work, click Reset
Resetting deletes the app’s data, including the cache and sign-in state. This is a more thorough fix. After the reset, launch Teams and sign in with your new password.
If Teams Still Has Issues After the Main Fix
Teams Opens but Shows a Sign-in Loop
A sign-in loop means the old token is still active somewhere. Go back to the Microsoft account security page and sign out from all sessions again. Then clear the credential entry as described in Step 2. If the loop continues, check if your organization requires multi-factor authentication. You may need to complete the MFA prompt again after the password change.
Teams Opens but Shows a Blank Window
A blank window usually indicates a corrupted cache. Delete the entire Teams folder under %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams again, but this time also delete the %localappdata%\Microsoft\Teams folder. Then restart the computer and launch Teams.
Teams Fails to Open on a Shared Computer
On shared computers, the credential cache may belong to another user. Sign out of Windows completely and sign in with your own account. Then clear the credential entry for Teams. If you are using a work computer, contact your IT admin. They may need to reset your Teams policy or remove the device from the organization’s device list.
New Teams vs Classic Teams: Comparison of Recovery Options
| Item | New Teams | Classic Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Cache folder location | %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams | %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams |
| Credential entry name | Microsoft AAD (same) | Microsoft AAD (same) |
| Repair option in Settings | Available in Apps > Installed apps | Available in Apps > Installed apps |
| Reset option in Settings | Available, removes all local data | Available, removes all local data |
| Sign-out from web recommended | Yes | Yes |
The recovery steps are identical for both versions. The only difference is that New Teams may require you to switch back to Classic mode if the reset does not work. You can do this by clicking the ellipsis menu in the top-right corner and selecting Download classic Teams.
Conclusion
You can now clear the cached credentials that prevent Teams from opening after a password change. Start with the web sign-out, then remove the Windows Credential entry, and finally clear the Teams cache folder. If the problem persists, use the Repair or Reset option in Windows Settings. To avoid this issue in the future, always sign out of Teams before changing your Microsoft 365 password. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+M to mute and unmute yourself during calls, which is unrelated but useful to remember.