Exclude antivirus and DLP applications from blocking Teams

  • Article
  • Applies to:
    New Microsoft Teams, Classic Microsoft Teams

Third-party antivirus and data loss prevention (DLP) applications can interfere with the Microsoft Teams app and prevent it from starting correctly. When you use non-Microsoft antivirus or DLP applications in PCs, you can include or approve the use of the Teams app on the computers. This action helps to enhance the performance of the PCs and mitigate the effect of the antivirus and DLP applications on security.

Classic Teams

To prevent issues with starting the classic Teams app, add the following processes to the exclusion list in the antivirus software that you’re using:

  • C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Teams\current\teams.exe
  • C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Teams\update.exe
  • C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Teams\current\squirrel.exe
  • C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Microsoft\TeamsMeetingAddin

Alternatively, you can add the processes to the allowlist for programs in your DLP application. The method to accomplish this addition varies. For specific instructions, contact your DLP application’s manufacturer.

New Teams

The MSIX installer installs the new Teams app in the WindowsApps folder instead of the user profile folder, where the classic Teams app is installed. Because users can’t write to the WindowsApps folder, this location adds better protection against attacks that try to alter the installation of the Teams app.

Note: The MSIX installer and all files in the same directory are signed with a Microsoft certificate.

The name of the folder where the new Teams app is installed is dynamic and it changes when the app’s version is updated. The folder name begins with MSTeams_, ends with _8wekyb3d8bbwe, and includes the app’s version number in between. For example, MSTeams_23247.1112.2396.409_x64_8wekyb3d8bbwe.

To prevent issues with starting the new Teams app, add the following processes to the exclusion list in the antivirus software that you’re using:

  • ms-teams.exe
  • ms-teamsupdate.exe

Alternatively, you can add the processes to the allowlist for programs in your DLP application. The method to accomplish this addition varies. For specific instructions, contact your DLP application’s manufacturer.

Location of the Teams installation folder

To add the Teams processes to either the exclusion list or the Safe list/Allow list, you can find their location by using the following steps:

  1. Open Windows PowerShell and type the following cmdlet to determine the location of the installation files: Get-AppPackage -name "msteams"

    The output includes the value of the InstallLocation parameter such as C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\ MSTeams_23247.1112.2396.409_x64_8wekyb3d8bbwe.

  2. To view the individual files, open Task Manager and select More details.

  3. On the Details tab, locate and right-click ms-teams.exe and select Open file location.

Still need help? Go to Microsoft Community.