Microsoft Groups Replace Will Quickly Repair Its Largest Home windows Drawback

Microsoft is getting ready to handle probably the most persistent efficiency points affecting Microsoft Groups on Home windows, aiming to scale back crashes and slowdowns skilled by customers. In response to a latest replace revealed within the Microsoft 365 Admin Middle, the corporate plans to introduce a brand new system course of to enhance how the appliance handles calling options.

The desktop model of Microsoft Groups for Home windows will quickly include an additional background process named ms-teams_modulehost.exe. This course of shall be liable for managing call-related features independently from the principle utility. By isolating these elements, Microsoft expects to scale back system pressure, decrease crash charges throughout conferences, and shorten general startup time.

This method builds on the structure of the present Groups consumer, which is predicated on WebView2, a framework that primarily permits web-based apps to run as desktop software program. In idea, offloading complicated options—equivalent to audio and video modules—right into a separate course of ought to forestall the principle utility from turning into overloaded. Microsoft has taken an analogous path with File Explorer in Home windows 11, the place sure parts are modularized to enhance responsiveness.

Over the previous few years, Microsoft Groups has acquired a major variety of new capabilities, together with expanded collaboration instruments, AI-powered assembly features, and deeper integration with Microsoft 365. Whereas these upgrades have improved usability, they’ve additionally elevated the app’s useful resource consumption.

Many Home windows customers report frequent freezes, delays when launching Groups, and RAM utilization exceeding 1 GB, even throughout primary chat or video calls. These complaints have grown extra widespread as organizations depend on Groups for every day workflows.

The brand new course of is Microsoft’s try and mitigate these points with out totally redesigning the appliance. Nevertheless, some observers argue {that a} more practical long-term resolution can be to rebuild Groups as a native Home windows utility, utilizing frameworks equivalent to UWP or WinUI, that are recognized for higher efficiency and decrease useful resource calls for. A local model may run extra effectively and scale back reminiscence utilization with out counting on further background processes.

This example echoes comparable selections made by different firms; Meta, for instance, just lately launched a brand new WhatsApp desktop consumer based mostly on WebView2 as nicely. The outcome has been elevated useful resource utilization and slower efficiency in comparison with a local utility.

For now, Microsoft’s modular method goals to ship rapid enhancements, although it stays to be seen how a lot affect the brand new course of could have on on a regular basis use of Microsoft Groups on Home windows.

Filed in Computers. Learn extra about Microsoft Teams and Windows 11.