This page shows you how to overcome the main hurdles when dialling into a Microsoft Teams meeting.
Please just go through the steps in this order and as soon as it's running, it will run again directly for new meetings in the future (if only The sound is missing, }, find audio issues at the very bottom as Item 8 in the checklist):
1.) Is this the right link?
If you were invited to a meeting with a specific link, this link will automatically contain further meeting details (as well as an option to download the Teams app). You may have received multiple links, e.g. one for the half-day workshop on Tuesday and another for the second part of the workshop on Thursday. Please ensure you use the correct link, so for Thursday's workshop, please use the corresponding link and not, for example, the one for Tuesday The links look exactly the same, but lead to different meetings. All the links do work at other times before/after the scheduled meeting, but there's no one else there and then you won't hear or see anything.
2.) Citrix/Virtualiser
You might be working on a virtual PC, meaning you're remotely controlling another PC via a browser window or a special app (for example, a virtual PC provided by your IT department in an internal data centre, so that in your home office you only need to set up the remote control software once, rather than all the programmes you'll use on the virtual PC). These virtual PCs repeatedly cause problems accessing the webcam and headset. Therefore, please do NOT open the Teams meeting link in Citrix/Citrix Receiver/the virtual PC, but directly on your „real PC“.
3.) The link does not open the meeting, but only displays a page with „How do you want to join your Microsoft Teams meeting?“ …
…or „For the best meeting experience, use the Teams app, or open the link in Microsoft Edge.“
Haha! Almost there. The only thing blocking automatic opening of any programs from the internet here is a security tool (which is a good thing, and it's set up exactly the same way on my end, by the way). Please look at the displayed page carefully, there should be a link there „Do you have the Teams app yet? Start now“ give, the Simply click and it should start or, depending on your browser, a button or similarly named link such as „Do you already have the Microsoft Teams app?" Try opening again“).
4.) App? What app are you talking about?
the participation works best with the Microsoft's official Teams app, which you can download for free and install without administrator rights can.
Open Please provide the meeting link., which you received, and after clicking this link in the next step then in the browser „Download Teams“ (or „Download for your office desktop“). If this option is not available, you can also find the app here: https://www.mmicrosoft.com/de-de/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/download-app#desktopAppDownloadregionOn the desktop... and then (for Teams for work...) select the Download Teams button.
5.) The TeamsApp asks for username/password…
…(or with a school/work account) to sign you in: Microsoft Teams attempts to identify you when it starts so that you can use all the features of your Office 365 account if you have booked Microsoft 365/Office 365 (for example, to invite yourself to meetings). There are now two options:
a.) If you are using Office 365/Microsoft 365, you can at this point (in the app, with the password) Sign in (the system will then automatically recognise your name and that you have been invited to the meeting. The sign-in prompt doesn't always appear, only after some system updates when you have signed out, and your IT department may have set specific periods for which you need to re-sign in for security reasons, e.g. once a week).
b.) You don't have an Office 365/Microsoft 365 account – in that case, please just close the app/login prompt and try the invitation link again afterwards. The link should now open the app once more, skipping the user data query. – You will be asked for your name instead, so that everyone else in the meeting knows that you are present, which chat questions are coming from you, etc.
6.) I clicked „Download“ but nothing is happening / the PC is just „whirring“
The download will take between five seconds and several minutes, depending on your internet connection. If the installation does not start automatically afterwards, you should see the downloaded file as a small icon at the bottom left of your browser (depending on your browser/settings) and may need to click it manually to start it. Please have a little patience in the meantime – depending on the system, it may first take a few minutes until the download is complete and, in particular looks Secondly during the installation, it seems like nothing happens for about one to two minutes (the downloaded and newly installed files are usually checked in the background and then stopped from executing). After this, Teams should open automatically and show you „Select audio and video settings for: MeetUp” (or the title of the meeting). Otherwise, please restart/reboot the PC and open the link again.
7.) I've tried everything, but Die #!/%%&$§§§!!! The app is still not working!
Should it, against all expectations, still not work, please select “Join in the web instead” after clicking the link.” (or depending on the browser…iContinue in this browser”(Take part in Microsoft Edge). Please note that this mostly only works with Microsoft Edge (with Windows 10/11) or Google Chrome works well as a browser (but e.g. only with limited functionality in Firefox or IE). Important: In your browser, you'll usually need to allow your microphone and camera for use with Teams when starting your meeting. This is typically done by clicking on the small padlock icon to the left of the URL (“web address”).” the website.
8.) No sound / others can't hear me / I can't hear anything:
- Is this the headset possibly mutedOr is the mute on in Teams?
- Your Is the headset connected correctly (cable plugged in or Bluetooth switched on)?
- Is the correct audio device selected?
- When connected correctly and not muted: In Microsoft Teams, you will usually find “Device settings” (Move the mouse, click on the three dots in the control bar/menu, and look for the cog/”Device settings”). Check that the correct microphone and speakers/headphones are selected (your PC may have multiple audio devices) and
- the volume is not turned down too low.
- There is another, central setting: in your taskbar at the bottom right of the screen (next to the clock), you will normally see a small speaker icon. If you right-click on this and select “Open Sound settings”, you can also select the audio devices. (depending on the system settings, it could be in the first or this second place; with thousands of different PCs, thousands of different headsets and hundreds of installable programmes, it can unfortunately be a bit tricky at times)...
- Still having trouble with the sound? Perhaps there are still an obvious hardware problem (headset not found...) or further, More complex problems (e.g. spilled coffee on the headset, cat chewed through the cable, virus scanner blocking audio recording...) and if the sound still doesn't work here, you can also dial in for the sound by phone However, it is significantly more comfortable with a headset. The dial-in telephone number is not available for every meeting as it needs to be booked as an additional service by the organiser. For all Teams invitations and online seminars created by me, you ALWAYS have a telephone dial-in number available.
For telephone dial-in, you will find the number in the meeting invitation/appointment under the dial-in link. Please dial in via PC for the video anyway; for this, simply dial the number provided in the appointment using your landline or mobile phone.n (tariff for calls to landline numbers) and then the conference ID followed by the hash symbol (passcode + #, on a smartphone, a click on the number is sufficient, which first dials the number and after a two-second pause automatically enters the passcode, which is contained in the number link).
