Dealing with presentation viewing issues on Microsoft Teams, whether on the desktop app or the web, can be frustrating, especially during important meetings. Sometimes it’s just a cache glitch or a credential mismatch, but other times it’s browser-related or codec issues. These fixes are aimed at addressing the common culprits that stop that snazzy slide deck from loading properly. When everything’s working, it’s a smoother flow, but if not, here’s where to look. Basically, by going through each of these, you might just reclaim the ability to see all those stellar slides and share content seamlessly.
How to Fix Presentation Viewing Issues on Microsoft Teams
Fix 1 – Clear MS Teams cache to fix display hiccups
This cache problem is kind of weird, but clearing it often helps Teams show presentations correctly. Corrupted cache files can mess with how Teams loads the content, so wiping it out gives things a fresh start. This applies if you notice the presentation isn’t loading or if Teams appears laggy or frozen during sharing.
On some setups, this seems to fix the problem almost immediately. Just be aware that when you delete cache, you might need to sign back into Teams afterward. To do it:
- Close the Microsoft Teams app completely. If it’s still running in the taskbar, right-click the icon and select Quit Teams.
- Open a Run window by pressing Win + R.
- Paste this folder path into the box:
%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Teams\Cache - Press Enter or click OK. In the folder that opens, delete everything inside (it might be a lot of files).
- Repeat this process for these subfolders:
%AppData%\Microsoft\Teams\Blob_storage%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Teams\databases%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Teams\IndexedDB%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Teams\GPUCache%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Teams\Code Cache%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Teams\Cache
- Once done, reopen Teams and sign in again.
This cleanup often frees Teams from sneaky cached data. Because, of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
Fix 2 – Verify your login credentials and profile
This one trips up folks when they’re logged into the wrong account or have switched to a personal account instead of work or school. Presentation sharing permissions are tied to account status, so if Teams isn’t recognizing your main profile, that’s probably why you can’t see the slides.
Check your profile picture in the top right corner of Teams. If it looks off or if you see a different account than expected:
- Click the profile picture/icon.
- Select Sign Out.
- Re-log in with your main organizational account — make sure it’s the same account you’re using for the meeting.
In some cases, switching accounts or signing out and back in fixes the presentation display issue. It’s weird, but on some setups, it simply refuses to show the slides under the wrong login. If you’re on a browser, ensure you’re logged into the right profile and that session cookies aren’t causing trouble.
Fix 3 – Clear browser cache if using Teams on web
Browsers can be stubborn about cached content, especially with dynamic apps like Teams. Clearing your browser data resets the stored files and cookies that might be preventing presentations from showing up.
Here’s how to do it in Chrome (other browsers have similar options):
- Open Chrome, then hit chrome://settings/clearBrowserData in the address bar.
- Set the Time Range to Last 4 weeks or All time if the problem is persistent.
- Check the boxes for Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data.
- Click Clear Data.
This refreshes your login tokens and data, so after it’s done, just go back to Microsoft Teams online and sign in again. Note: clearing cookies might mean you need to re-authenticate on some sites.
Fix 4 – Enable the OpenH264 codec in Firefox
If using Firefox for Teams meetings, having the OpenH264 plugin enabled is key for video sharing and WebRTC features. If it’s turned off, video feeds like shared presentations sometimes refuse to show up.
Here’s what to do:
- Paste about:addons into Firefox’s address bar.
- Search for “OpenH264” in the extensions menu.
- If the Cisco Systems version is listed and disabled, click the three-dot menu beside it and select Always Activate.
Once activated, restart Firefox just to be sure and check if the presentation pops up now. Sometimes, on a different machine, this needs to be checked, so don’t forget to verify codec status if things seem weird.
Fix 5 – Switch browsers for better compatibility
If all else fails, trying another browser might be the easiest workaround. Of course, Edge, Chrome, or Firefox all play nicely with Teams web, but if one browser’s giving you grief, switching them up could be all it takes. Sometimes, browser extensions or settings conflict with Teams’ scripts, so a fresh start in another browser can be a lifesaver.
Just pick the one you like most — on one setup it worked, on another, not so much. But usually, Chrome or Edge tend to have the least issues with WebRTC and presentation sharing.
Hopefully, these tips help some folks get their presentation game back on track. It’s annoying when tech breaks at the worst moment, but these fixes tend to fix the common snags pretty reliably.
Summary
- Clear Teams cache by deleting temp files from the AppData folders
- Make sure you’re logged into the right account with the right permissions
- Clear your browser data if using Teams Web
- Enable OpenH264 codec in Firefox if that’s your browser
- Switch browsers if problems persist
Wrap-up
Most of the time, presentation issues come down to cached data or login mismatches. Going through these steps should give a good shot at fixing things without diving into complex settings. If nothing works, it might be worth checking for updates or resetting app settings, but these fixes cover the bulk of the common issues. Fingers crossed this helps — because nothing’s worse than missing out on sharing that killer slide deck during a critical virtual meeting.