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When a Microsoft Teams message stays on Sending, shows a red exclamation mark, or never appears in the conversation, the cause is usually one of three things: a broken connection, a stuck Teams session, or a restriction on the chat, channel, file, or account.
Work through these fixes in order. After each one, send a short test message such as Test before retrying the original message.
1. Check whether Teams is actually online
First, test the connection outside Teams. Open a browser and visit a few websites. If pages do not load, reconnect to Wi-Fi or Ethernet before troubleshooting Teams.
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If websites work but Teams does not, check these common network causes:
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- Disconnect from a VPN temporarily.
- Try a different network, such as a phone hotspot.
- Reconnect to Wi-Fi or restart the router if other Microsoft 365 services are also failing.
- Check whether your company firewall, proxy, or security software is blocking Teams.
A useful test is to open Teams on the web. If the message sends in the browser, the problem is probably limited to the desktop or mobile app rather than your account.
2. Look for a Microsoft Teams service outage
If messages fail in the desktop app, mobile app, and web version, the issue may be on Microsoft’s side. Ask your Microsoft 365 administrator to check Microsoft 365 admin center > Health > Service health.
For a personal or small-business account, check the Microsoft 365 service-status page or Microsoft’s official service-status announcements. An outage normally cannot be fixed from your computer, so avoid repeatedly reinstalling Teams while Microsoft is investigating a service problem.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3. Restart Teams completely
Closing the Teams window may leave the application running in the background. Quit it fully, then start a new session.
- Windows: right-click the Teams icon in the notification area of the taskbar and select Quit. If the icon is hidden, select the upward arrow first.
- If Teams will not quit, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, select Microsoft Teams in Task Manager, and choose End task.
- macOS: select Microsoft Teams > Quit Microsoft Teams. If it is unresponsive, press Option + Command + Esc, select Teams, and choose Force Quit.
- Reopen Teams and try sending a new message.
On a phone, swipe Teams away from the recent-apps screen, reopen it, and pull down on the chat list to refresh the connection.
4. Sign out and sign back in
A stale authentication token can leave Teams looking connected while preventing messages from being submitted.
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On desktop or the web, select your profile picture at the top of Teams and choose Sign out. Close and reopen Teams, then sign in with the account that owns the chat.
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If you use more than one work, school, or guest account, check the profile menu after signing in. You may be viewing the right person or team under the wrong organization.
5. Test a different chat or channel
Send a short message in a new one-to-one chat or in another channel. The result helps identify the scope of the problem:
| Result | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Nothing sends anywhere | Connection, sign-in session, service outage, or app problem |
| New chats work, but one chat fails | That conversation may be hidden, restricted, removed, or affected by a participant/account issue |
| Chat messages work, but channel posts fail | You may lack permission to post, or the channel may be moderated |
| Text works, but one attachment fails | File size, file type, upload, storage, or permission problem |
In a channel, check whether the channel permits members to post. Some channels allow only owners or moderators to start new posts. In a group chat, you may also have been removed or left the conversation.
6. Remove the attachment or simplify the message
If a message containing a file, image, link, emoji, or pasted formatting will not send, try sending plain text first. Then add the content back in smaller pieces.
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- Copy the text of the failed message somewhere safe.
- Delete the unsent draft or select the retry option shown beside the error.
- Send a short plain-text message.
- Upload the file separately from the chat’s Files tab, or try a smaller copy.
Large files can fail because of upload limits, a disconnected OneDrive or SharePoint connection, insufficient permissions, or a temporary storage error. A file that is open exclusively by another application can also behave unpredictably; close it and try again.
Do not keep pressing Send on a message that is stuck. Teams may eventually submit it after the connection returns, creating duplicate messages.
7. Use Teams on the web or another device
Open teams.microsoft.com in a supported browser, sign in, open the same conversation, and send a short test message.
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- Update or repair the desktop app.
- Quit Teams fully and reopen it.
- Try a private browser window if the web version also behaves strangely.
If the web version and desktop app both fail but mobile works, report the problem to your IT team with the affected client, approximate time, chat or team name, and the exact error text.
8. Update Teams and the operating system
An outdated client can fail after a Teams service change or an operating-system update.
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In the desktop app, select Settings and more (…) > Settings, then look for the version and update option. Teams may also check for updates when you select Settings and more (…) > Check for updates, depending on the current app build.
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Install pending updates for Windows or macOS and restart the computer. On mobile, open the Microsoft Teams page in the App Store or Google Play and select Update if available.
If you use Teams in a browser, update the browser and try a private window. A private window bypasses many stale cookies and extensions without requiring you to delete all browser data.
9. Repair or reinstall Teams as a last resort
If messages fail only in the Windows app after the connection, account, and web tests work, repair or reset the app rather than manually deleting random cache folders.
- Open Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Find Microsoft Teams, select the … menu, and choose Advanced options.
- Try Terminate, then Repair.
- If Repair does not help, use Reset. This can remove local app data, so make sure any unsent text is copied first.
- Reopen Teams and sign in.
If those options are unavailable or ineffective, uninstall Teams, restart Windows, and install the current version from Microsoft. Reinstalling will not restore a message that was never sent, so save important drafts before removing the app.
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| Symptom | What to try first |
|---|---|
| Sending remains beside the message | Check the connection, quit Teams, and test the web version. |
| Red exclamation mark | Select the symbol to read the error, then retry after signing in again. |
| Message disappears from the draft | Search the conversation or ask the recipient whether it arrived before sending again. |
| Only a channel post fails | Check channel posting permissions and moderation settings. |
| Only a file message fails | Send plain text, then upload the file separately. |
When to contact your administrator
Contact IT or the Microsoft 365 administrator if messages fail across clients, several coworkers have the same issue, the error mentions policy or permissions, or you cannot access a team or channel that you previously used.
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Include your account or organization, desktop/mobile/web client, operating system, time of failure, conversation or channel name, and a screenshot of the error. Do not include confidential message content or files in an unapproved support ticket.
FAQ
Why is my Teams message stuck on Sending?
The usual causes are an interrupted connection, a stale Teams sign-in session, an outage, or a problem with the specific chat or attachment. Test a plain-text message in Teams on the web to separate account problems from app problems.
Why can I receive Teams messages but not send them?
Receiving can continue from an existing session even when sending is blocked by a lost connection, expired authentication, channel permissions, moderation, or an account policy. Sign out and back in, then test another chat.
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Will reinstalling Teams recover an unsent message?
No. Reinstalling may fix a damaged local app installation, but it cannot recover text that was never submitted to Teams. Copy important drafts before resetting or uninstalling the app.
Can a VPN stop Teams messages from sending?
Yes. A VPN, proxy, firewall, or security filter can interfere with Teams traffic. Disconnect from the VPN temporarily or test another network, following your organization’s security rules.
What should I do if Teams messages fail for everyone?
Ask your Microsoft 365 administrator to check Microsoft 365 admin center > Health > Service health. If multiple users and clients are affected, an outage or tenant-wide policy issue is more likely than a local app problem.
The Bottom Line
Start with the fastest isolation test: send plain text in Teams on the web. If that works, restart, update, or repair the affected app. If it fails everywhere, check the network, account, permissions, and Microsoft 365 service health. Save the original text before retrying or resetting Teams so an unsent draft is not lost.
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