How to Remove Teams from Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

Want to get rid of Microsoft Teams on Windows 11 — either to save space, reduce background apps, or just clean up your PC? You’re not alone. Windows 11 comes with a built-in version of Teams called Chat, plus many users have the full desktop Teams app installed. Whether you want to completely uninstall Teams or just hide it from your taskbar, this guide will walk you through every method step by step.

Table of Contents

Which Teams Are Installed on Your PC?

Before removing anything, figure out which version you have:

Teams Chat (Personal) – The lightweight chat app pinned to the taskbar by default.
Microsoft Teams (Work or School) – The full desktop app used with business or school accounts.
Teams Machine-Wide Installer – A background installer that can reinstall Teams automatically.

You may have one, two, or all three — so check carefully.

Why Remove Teams?

People uninstall Teams for many reasons:

You don’t use it – Avoid unnecessary background processes.
Prevent automatic launches – Stop it from opening every time you start your PC.
Declutter the taskbar – Get rid of the Chat icon if you never use it.
Corporate imaging – Create a clean Windows image for deployment.

Before You Start

A few quick tips before uninstalling:

Use an administrator account.
Back up important files or chat history if needed.
Reboot your PC after uninstalling to make sure everything is removed.

Method 1: Uninstall Teams from Settings

This is the simplest method for most users.

Press Windows + I to open Settings.
Go to Apps > Installed apps.
Scroll or search for Microsoft Teams.
Click the three dots next to it and choose Uninstall.
If you also see Teams Machine-Wide Installer, uninstall that too.

This ensures Teams won’t reinstall itself later.

Method 2: Remove Teams via Control Panel

For older installations:

Open Control Panel (search for it in the Start menu).
Go to Programs > Programs and Features.
Find Microsoft Teams or Teams Machine-Wide Installer.
Select and click Uninstall.

Method 3: Remove Teams Using PowerShell (Per User)

If Teams was installed as a system app, you can remove it using PowerShell.

Right-click Start and choose Windows PowerShell (Admin).
Run the following command:

This removes Teams for the currently signed-in user.

Method 4: Remove Teams for All Users

To remove Teams for every account on your PC:

If you also want to stop Teams from installing for new users in the future, remove it from Windows provisioning:

This is the method IT admins use when preparing company devices.

Method 5: Stop Teams from Auto-Starting

If you don’t want to uninstall it completely but hate that it auto-starts:

Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc).
Go to the Startup tab.
Find Microsoft Teams, right-click, and choose Disable.

Alternatively, open Teams, go to Settings > General, and uncheck Auto-start application.

Method 6: Hide the Teams Chat Icon

If you just want to hide the Chat button:

Right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
Under Taskbar items, toggle Chat to Off.

This removes the icon but doesn’t uninstall Teams.

Method 7: Enterprise and Imaging Solutions

For IT professionals deploying Windows 11:

Set ConfigureChatAutoInstall=0 in your unattend.xml to prevent Teams Chat from auto-installing.
Use Group Policy or MDM solutions to disable the Chat icon and block Teams provisioning.
Automate PowerShell scripts in Intune or Endpoint Manager for mass removal.

Optional: Clean Up Leftover Files

After uninstalling, you can delete leftover folders:

Go to %localappdata%\Microsoft\Teams and %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams and delete them.
Remove any remaining Teams shortcuts from the Start Menu or Desktop.
Restart your PC.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Fix
Teams reinstalls after removal	Uninstall Teams Machine-Wide Installer and remove provisioned package
“Uninstall” button is greyed out	Use PowerShell commands with admin rights
Chat icon still visible	Turn off Chat in Taskbar settings
Teams still auto-starts	Disable from Task Manager Startup tab

Conclusion

Removing Microsoft Teams from Windows 11 is easier than you might think. You can uninstall it from Settings, use PowerShell for a deeper cleanup, or simply hide the Chat icon if you don’t want to uninstall it completely. If you manage multiple PCs, using provisioning and PowerShell scripts will save you time and prevent Teams from coming back after updates.

FAQs

Q1: Will uninstalling Teams delete my chat history?
No, your chats are stored in the cloud. You can reinstall Teams and sign back in to access them.

Q2: Why does Teams reinstall after I remove it?
The Teams Machine-Wide Installer may still be on your system. Uninstall it and remove Teams provisioning to stop automatic reinstalls.

Q3: Can I remove Teams Chat but keep Teams for Work?
Yes, you can uninstall the Chat app while leaving the full Teams desktop client installed.

Q4: Is there a way to block Teams installation for all future users?
Yes, remove the provisioned package and configure unattend.xml or use Group Policy for enterprise environments.

Q5: I just want the icon gone — do I need to uninstall?
No, simply toggle the Chat button off in Taskbar settings to hide it.