How to Completely Remove or Disable Microsoft Teams on Windows 11

Microsoft Teams often comes preinstalled and set to launch automatically on Windows 11, even if you never use it. While Microsoft integrates Teams into the operating system, it can be fully uninstalled or disabled through several methods. Below are step-by-step ways to remove or stop Teams from loading automatically.

Method 1: Uninstall Microsoft Teams via Settings

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Apps > Installed Apps.
3. In the search box, type Teams.
4. You might see two entries: Microsoft Teams (work or school) and Microsoft Teams (free).
5. Click the three-dot icon next to each and select Uninstall.
6. Confirm the removal and wait until the process completes.
7. Restart your computer to ensure all background services are closed.

Method 2: Remove Microsoft Teams Using Command Prompt

If Teams reinstalls or doesn’t fully uninstall, Command Prompt can remove its system package.

1. Press Windows + R, type cmd, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run it as administrator.
2. Enter this command to remove the Microsoft Teams system app: winget uninstall "Microsoft Teams"
3. If you also want to remove Teams for all users, type: winget uninstall --id Microsoft.Teams -e --force
4. Press Enter and wait for the uninstallation to complete.
5. Restart your computer afterward.

Method 3: Uninstall Teams Using PowerShell

PowerShell provides a more advanced removal option if the normal uninstall fails.

1. Press Start, search for PowerShell, right-click it, and select Run as administrator.
2. Run this command to list all Teams packages: Get-AppxPackage *Teams* | Remove-AppxPackage
3. To remove it for all users, run: Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *Teams* | Remove-AppxPackage
4. Wait for the command to finish, then reboot your system.

Method 4: Disable Microsoft Teams from Starting Automatically

Teams often reopens on startup even after uninstalling. Disable it manually to prevent this.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Click the Startup Apps tab.
3. Find Microsoft Teams in the list.
4. Right-click it and select Disable.
5. This stops Teams from launching when Windows starts.

Method 5: Disable Teams Auto-Launch Through Settings

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Apps > Startup.
3. Scroll down to Microsoft Teams and toggle it Off.
4. This prevents Teams from starting in the background every time you log in.

Method 6: Stop Teams from Running in the Background

Even if Teams is installed, you can stop it from consuming resources.

1. Press Windows + I and go to System > Power & Battery.
2. Click Battery usage.
3. Find Microsoft Teams in the list.
4. Click the three-dot menu next to it and select Manage background activity.
5. Choose Never to block background activity.

Method 7: Delete Teams Auto-Update and Installer Services

Microsoft Teams includes background update services that can reinstall it automatically.

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Scroll down and locate Teams Machine-Wide Installer.
3. Right-click it and select Properties.
4. Under Startup type, choose Disabled.
5. Click Apply and OK.
6. Next, navigate to this folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Teams Installer
7. Delete the Teams Installer folder completely to prevent auto-reinstallation.

Method 8: Remove Teams Using Registry Editor (Advanced)

You can clean leftover Teams entries from the Windows Registry.

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
2. Navigate to the following paths and delete the Teams folders if present: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Teams HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Teams
3. Right-click the Teams folder and select Delete.
4. Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC.

Method 9: Use a Third-Party Tool for Complete Removal

If Teams keeps returning or leaves residual files, use one of these tools:

• Revo Uninstaller: Deep removal of Teams and leftover registry entries.
• O&O AppBuster: Removes preinstalled Windows apps including Teams.
• Bulk Crap Uninstaller (BCUninstaller): Deletes system-installed Teams packages safely.
  Install one of these, select Microsoft Teams from the list, and complete the uninstall process.

Method 10: Prevent Teams from Reinstalling After Updates

Windows 11 updates may reinstall Teams automatically unless blocked.

1. Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Chat.
3. Double-click Configures Chat icon on the taskbar and set it to Disabled.
4. This removes the Teams Chat integration from the taskbar permanently.
5. If you use Windows 11 Home (without Group Policy), open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, then turn off Chat.

By following these methods, you can completely remove Microsoft Teams from Windows 11 or at least prevent it from loading, updating, or running automatically in the background.