When Microsoft Teams shows max_reload_exceeded, the app usually is not failing in one clean step. It is reloading the sign-in or app state too many times and never reaches a stable session. In plain terms, Teams is trying to finish authentication, rebuild local data, or load trusted Microsoft endpoints, and one part of that chain keeps breaking. In day-to-day use, the pattern most often points to a browser cookie rule, a stale local cache, a hidden sign-in prompt, or a network rule that blocks Microsoft 365 traffic. [✅Source-1]
Start with the shortest path: finish the sign-in prompt, clear the correct Teams cache folder, test in a supported browser with cookie restrictions relaxed for Microsoft domains, then check VPN, proxy, firewall, and endpoint allowlists.
Table of Contents
What This Error Usually Points to
max_reload_exceeded usually behaves like a reload loop, not like a one-time crash. Teams tries to load the account session, web shell, or embedded sign-in handoff again and again, then stops after too many attempts. This looping pattern appears in several related Microsoft Teams sign-in and loading errors, where the client repeatedly retries authentication or session restore before giving up. That is why this error often appears after a sign-in screen flashes, after a browser tab refreshes on its own, or after the desktop client opens to a blank or half-loaded window.
- If it fails only in one browser profile, the browser profile is usually the problem.
- If it fails in both web and desktop, shared account, network, or conditional access rules move higher on the list.
- If it starts after switching accounts or tenants, stale cookies or cached session data are common.
- If it starts only off-site, VPN, proxy, or firewall checks matter more.
What Most Often Triggers It
The trigger is usually not random. Teams sign-in depends on cookies, redirects, account handoffs, and Microsoft 365 web endpoints. If those pieces do not persist correctly between screens, the page reloads and tries again. Browser settings that block or isolate cookies are a very common cause, especially when the browser does not allow Microsoft sign-in domains to save and read data normally. [✅Source-2]
- Cookie restrictions: blocked third-party or cross-site cookies, strict privacy settings, or isolated site data.
- Broken local state: damaged Teams cache, stale thumbnails, old local message history, or outdated stored sign-in state.
- Hidden authentication prompts: Teams is waiting for MFA or account confirmation in a small window, tray notification, or a secondary sign-in dialog.
- Network path issues: VPN split tunneling problems, proxy inspection, blocked Microsoft 365 domains, or firewall rules.
- Unsupported browser conditions: older browser builds, mobile browser use, or extension conflicts in Teams for web.
Fix the Error Step by Step
Complete the Sign-In Window First
Before clearing anything, look for a hidden sign-in window or a Teams icon with a badge in the system tray. Teams can pause there while waiting for credentials, MFA, or a security confirmation. Close Teams fully, reopen it, and finish every account prompt that appears. If your organization requires a VPN or a specific network location, connect to that first and then relaunch Teams. [✅Source-3]
- Quit Teams from the taskbar or menu bar, not only from the window close button.
- Reopen Teams and watch for a second sign-in dialog.
- Complete MFA, password update, or account selection.
- If you use a company VPN, connect it before launching Teams again.
Clear the Correct Teams Cache Folder
This is one of the fastest fixes because Teams stores local data aggressively. On classic Teams for Windows, the cache path is %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams. On new Teams for Windows, you can either reset the app in Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Microsoft Teams > Advanced options > Reset or delete files from %userprofile%\appdata\local\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Microsoft\MSTeams. On macOS, Microsoft lists separate cache-removal steps for classic and new Teams as well. [✅Source-4]
A useful detail: Teams cache can last longer than many people expect. Microsoft notes that general user data can be cached by the service for up to three days, some local client data such as display name and phone number can remain for up to 28 days, and profile photos can remain cached for up to 60 days. That helps explain why a stale sign-in state can keep reappearing until you clear it properly. [✅Source-5]
Check Browser Cookie and Trusted-Site Rules
If the error appears in Teams for web, treat the browser as the first suspect. Teams depends on Microsoft sign-in domains being trusted and allowed to keep session data. Microsoft’s Teams load troubleshooting specifically lists these domains for browser cookie exceptions in managed environments: [*.]microsoft.com, [*.]cloud.microsoft, [*.]microsoftonline.com, [*.]teams.skype.com, [*.]teams.microsoft.com, [*.]sfbassets.com, and [*.]skypeforbusiness.com. [✅Source-6]
- Test in a fresh InPrivate or Incognito window.
- Temporarily disable strict tracking protection or cookie-blocking rules for Microsoft domains.
- Turn off browser extensions that inject scripts, block ads, rewrite headers, or isolate cookies.
- Remove old Teams tabs, then open only one clean session at
teams.microsoft.com.
Verify Browser Support and Version
Teams for web is supported on the latest three versions of Edge, Chrome, and Firefox, plus the latest two versions of Safari on macOS. Microsoft also notes that some third-party or line-of-business apps in Teams for web need the browser configured to allow third-party cookies to function correctly. Teams for web is not supported on mobile browsers, and VDI use can reduce reliability. [✅Source-7]
Simple test, strong signal: if Teams works in a fresh supported desktop browser but fails in your normal browser profile, the issue is almost always local browser state, policy, or an extension.
Check Network, VPN, Proxy, and Firewall
When max_reload_exceeded appears on both the desktop app and the browser, look at the network path. Microsoft lists Teams media traffic on UDP 3478–3481, core Teams web access on TCP 443 and 80 plus UDP 443, and required Teams endpoints such as *.teams.microsoft.com, teams.microsoft.com, *.teams.cloud.microsoft, and *.lync.com. If a proxy, SSL inspection rule, or firewall policy interferes with those flows, Teams can keep reloading instead of finishing sign-in cleanly. [✅Source-8]
| What You Notice | Most Likely Layer | What to Do First |
|---|---|---|
| Browser loops back to sign-in | Cookie or trusted-site rule | Test InPrivate, then allow Microsoft cookie domains |
| Desktop and web both fail on one network | Firewall, proxy, VPN, or conditional access | Change network or validate Microsoft 365 endpoints |
| Works in another browser profile | Local browser state | Clear site data and disable extensions |
| Works after cache delete, then breaks again | Corrupted local state or account switch residue | Sign out fully and clear the right cache path again |
| Loads on hotspot but not office Wi-Fi | Managed network policy | Review proxy, SSL inspection, and allowlists |
Repair or Reinstall the Desktop App
If Teams still reloads after you clear cache and verify sign-in and browser settings, move to app repair. On Windows, Microsoft’s repair flow for Microsoft 365 apps uses Installed apps or Apps and Features, then Modify, followed by Quick Repair or Online Repair. If Teams is installed as a standalone app, repair or reset that app first from Windows settings; if the Microsoft 365 stack itself is damaged, the broader repair path can help. [✅Source-9]
- Quit Teams fully.
- Clear cache.
- Repair or reset the app.
- Restart the device.
- Reopen Teams and sign in once, slowly, without switching accounts mid-flow.
- Reinstall only if the repair path and cache reset both fail.
Signs That Help You Find the Real Cause
Only One Account Fails
Look at tenant switching, stale account tokens, or a hidden sign-in approval. This often happens after signing into multiple work, school, or guest accounts in the same browser.
Only the Browser Fails
Focus on cookies, privacy protection, site storage, ad blockers, and old extensions. Most desktop-app files are irrelevant in that case.
Only the Desktop App Fails
Look at cache corruption, reset or repair paths, stored credentials, or a broken local install. Short path first. Then repair.
Checks for Admins and Managed Devices
On managed devices, repeated reload loops often come back to policy. Microsoft’s network preparation guidance is clear: Teams should be able to reach Microsoft 365 on the required internet path, and organizations should open the TCP ports and IP ranges listed for Teams and related Microsoft 365 services. That matters even more when users move between office Wi-Fi, home internet, and VPN tunnels. [✅Source-10]
- Confirm that browser policies do not block Microsoft sign-in domains or force cookie isolation.
- Check whether SSL inspection or proxy rewriting touches Microsoft 365 authentication traffic.
- Make sure the required Teams and Microsoft 365 endpoints are allowed on the real egress path users take.
- Test the same account on a clean unmanaged network. If it works there, the device or managed network policy is the better lead.
- When users must be on VPN to satisfy access policy, require the VPN connection before Teams launches.
FAQ
What Does max_reload_exceeded Usually Mean in Teams?
It usually means Teams has entered a repeated reload or sign-in loop and stops after too many attempts. The app is trying to restore session state, authentication, or app data but cannot finish that chain cleanly.
Why Does It Happen Only in the Browser?
That pattern usually points to browser storage, cookie rules, privacy protections, or an extension conflict. A fresh private window is a strong test because it removes most old session state in one move.
Which Cache Folder Should I Delete for New Teams on Windows?
For new Teams on Windows, Microsoft documents the local cache path as %userprofile%\appdata\local\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Microsoft\MSTeams. You can also use the app reset option from Windows settings.
Can VPN, Proxy, or Firewall Rules Trigger This Error?
Yes. If Microsoft 365 sign-in endpoints or Teams service endpoints are filtered, rewritten, or only partly reachable, Teams may keep retrying and reloading instead of completing sign-in.
Should I Repair Teams or Reinstall It First?
Repair or reset comes first. Reinstall after that. If the issue is only stale local data, reinstalling too early wastes time because the real problem is still the cached or blocked sign-in path.
Can an Ad Blocker Cause Teams for Web to Misbehave?
Yes, it can. Microsoft’s reconnect troubleshooting for Teams specifically suggests disabling ad blockers in Teams for web when connection problems persist. [✅Source-11]