Inability to Get Into Waiting Room

Question

Inability to Get Into Waiting Room

Carrie Leo 0

I've been using the same iPhone with Teams to log into meetings with no problems for well over a year now. Just recently, however, I have not been able to do so. I will get as far as the screen where it asks you for your name before it sends you to the waiting room and it gives me no option to get out of the screen so I'm sitting there with nowhere to go. I have found the first couple of times this occurred, it would work if I deinstalled the app then reinstalled it. But it would only work once before I would experience the same issues and would have to deinstall and reinstall the app again to get it to work. Now, the reinstall isn't even working. Nothing has changed on my end or the end of the meeting which is one I attend at least a couple of times a week over a year now. Anyone have any clue as to what's going on?

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2 answers

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Answer 1

Thomas4-N 22,050 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello Carrie Leo,

Since reinstalling Teams no longer changes the behavior, I’d narrow down whether this is specific to that recurring meeting or to Teams on the iPhone.

Could you confirm:

Your iOS version and Teams app version.
Whether the same problem happens when joining a different Teams meeting.
Whether the same recurring meeting can be joined normally from another device.
If possible, share a screenshot of the screen where you enter your name but cannot proceed, with any personal information removed.

Those results should tell us whether to focus on the meeting itself or the Teams client on the iPhone.

Carrie Leo 0 Reputation points

2026-09-18T11:48:20.7966667+00:00

IOS version 26.6.2, MS Teams iPhone app version 8.16.3. The same meeting can be joined normally from my PC desktop and it happens with other meetings that I try to join; although, I was just able to join my own meeting just now. I don't have the screenshot yet. However, when it happens again, I will take one. It does join when I access the link directly from my email on the iPhone. However, that will work for maybe once or twice, then the same issue arises.
Thomas4-N 22,050 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-19T12:47:11.8566667+00:00

Hello Carrie Leo,

Thanks for checking those different scenarios. Since the same meetings work normally from your PC, and the issue also happens with other meetings on the iPhone, it does seem to narrow this down to the Teams join process on the iPhone rather than that particular recurring meeting.

For now, if opening the meeting link directly from the email works, I’d continue using that as a workaround.

When the issue happens again, please share the screenshot you mentioned, with any personal information removed.

Answer 2

This behavior matches a Teams join issue on mobile where the app reaches the pre-join screen but does not complete entry to the lobby or meeting. Based on the available guidance, the most relevant checks are:

Try joining from a different method on the same iPhone.
- Open the meeting invite.
- Select the meeting link.
- Choose Continue on this browser instead of the app.
- Teams for web is supported on Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.
If the meeting requires identity verification, complete it when prompted.
- Some meetings require entering an email address.
- Then complete the one-time passcode verification sent to that email.
- After verification, select Join now.
If the app is challenging access, re-authenticate in Teams.
- If a sign-in banner appears, select it and complete sign-in, including MFA if prompted.
- If no sign-in window appears, close and reopen Teams, then sign in again.
Check network stability.
- Low connectivity can prevent joining a Teams meeting.
- If required by the organization, make sure the expected network path such as VPN is active and stable before launching Teams.
- Avoid switching between networks while using Teams.
Update Teams on the iPhone.
- In Teams, select the profile picture and choose Check for updates if that option is available in the app experience.
If the issue is only in the app, clear local app data by removing and reinstalling Teams.
- This has helped in similar cases where joining meetings hangs.
- Since reinstalling no longer helps, use the browser join path as the immediate workaround.
If the meeting is placing attendees in the lobby, wait for admission or contact the organizer.
- If no one admits the request within 30 minutes, the request times out and rejoining is required.

If the problem continues only on the iPhone app while the same meeting link works in a browser, that points to an app-side sign-in or local app state issue rather than a problem with the meeting itself.

References: