Fix: Microsoft Teams the Request is Not Properly Formatted

Is your screen displaying the ‘The request is not properly formatted’ error when attempting to use Microsoft Teams?

 

 

Coronavirus has impacted our lives in a way no one had ever imagined. Students, employees, and employers have shifted to online business communication platforms, and Microsoft Teams is one of them. 

Microsoft Teams was released in 2017 and is a part of the Office 365 family of products. As the name suggests, Microsoft Teams has played a significant role in keeping the teams organized during the pandemic and even before. Think of it as a house where everyone works as a team, and each member is included in everything that goes around the house. 

Some users recently reported that they could not log in at Microsoft Teams, and the error code states that the ‘The request is not properly formatted’.  It can be frustrating, and since Microsoft Teams is a business communication platform, such errors can cost you a lot. 

If you are facing the ‘The request is not properly formatted’ error on your PC too, you are in the right place. 

This guide will walk you through the process of fixing the login error and get you right back on track, that too, in no time. 

Let’s dive right into it. 

• 1. Clear Microsoft Teams Cache. 
• 2. Use Microsoft Teams Web App. 
• 3. Remove Microsoft Teams Credentials. 
• 4. Enlarge Microsoft Teams and Retry. 
• 5. Try Using CleanMyPC. 
• 6. Reinstall Microsoft Teams. 

 

1. Clear Microsoft Teams Cache. 

As you may already know, when you open an app on your device or visit a webpage, the operating system/browser stores temporary files for later use. These files are known as ‘cached files’, and they help the operating system retrieve data faster on your PC. 

While cached files have several benefits, they can sometimes get corrupt and cause issues within the application. Corruption errors can be caused by a variety of reasons, including viruses and malware. 

If your screen displays the ‘The request is not properly formatted’ error code, there is a good chance that corrupt Microsoft Teams cached files are causing the issue. In this scenario, you can solve the error by simply clearing the Microsoft Teams cache. 

Here is what you need to do:

1. Open the Run dialogue box by pressing Windows + R keys simultaneously. 
2. Type ‘%appdata%’ in the dialogue box and hit Enter. 
3. Doing so will display a list of folders on your screen. Locate Microsoft from the list and double-click on it. 
4. Now right-click on the Teams folder and select delete. Doing so will delete the contents of the entire Teams folder from your PC. 

 

5. Once the process is complete, try logging in to your Microsoft Teams account again and check if the error is resolved. 

If corrupt cached files were causing the issue on your PC, removing the Microsoft Teams cache will fix the error. You should now be able to log in to your Microsoft Teams account without any problems. 

 

 

2. Use Microsoft Teams Web App. 

If you face the login error on Microsoft Teams while you are in a hurry, we suggest using the Microsoft Teams web app. This is a temporary solution, so once you are done with your work, you can proceed with the lengthy troubleshooting steps such as reinstalling the application. 

 

 

All you need to do is log on to the Microsoft Teams Web Client by entering your credentials. Since the Microsoft Teams web app is as good as the desktop app, you don’t have to worry about the quality getting compromised. 

 

 

3. Remove Microsoft Teams Credentials. 

‘Credential Manager’ is a Windows program that allows users to manage their web and Windows login credentials. It stores usernames, addresses, and passwords to sign you in to apps and accounts that you use frequently. 

Unfortunately, the ‘Credentials Manager’ is as prone to errors as any other Windows program. Corruption errors within the Credentials Manager can prevent it from opening certain apps, and this might be the reason behind Microsoft Teams login error on your PC. 

In this scenario, removing the Microsoft Credentials via the Credential Manager will fix the issue. Once you remove the credentials, try logging in to your Microsoft Teams account again. Hopefully, doing so will resolve the error. 

 

 

4. Enlarge Microsoft Teams and Retry. 

Another easy yet effective method is maximizing the Microsoft Teams main window and then signing out of your user account. This might be one of the weirdest solutions you’ve come across until now, but since it worked for several users, we encourage you to give it a shot. 

Here is what you need to do:

1. Launch the Microsoft Teams desktop app and close the window with the error message. 
2. Now enlarge the Microsoft Teams main window and click on the signing out link. 

 

3. Once you are signed out of your user account, try logging in again.

You should now be able to log in to your Microsoft Teams account without any issues. 

 

 

5. Try Using CleanMyPC.

Another possible reason behind the ‘The request is not properly formatted’ is corrupt system files. Over time, system files, cache, and log files get piled up in your PC. These files do not just affect the overall speed of your PC but can also cause annoying errors within the system, frequently.

To avoid these frequent errors and boost the overall performance of your PC, we recommend downloading CleanMyPC.

CleanMyPC is a PC cleaner that comes with a wide range of system-maintenance tools and with little to no user input, it can scan through your system and remove junk files. Moreover, unlike other PC cleaners, CleanMyPC shreds the unwanted data and makes it impossible to recover. This helps protect your online privacy.

Whether you want to uninstall apps, remove junk files, or boost your PC’s performance, you can count on it.

Get your PC up and running like new in no time using CleanMyPC!

 

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Try CleanMyPC Now 

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6. Reinstall Microsoft Teams. 

If none of the methods mentioned above works for you, this means that the corruption error causing the issue cannot be fixed using the conventional methods. You can fix the corruption error by reinstalling the Microsoft Teams app. 

Reinstalling an app will revert it to its initial state, thus resolving the error in the process. 

Here is how you can reinstall Microsoft Teams on your PC:

1. Go to Settings and select Apps. 
2. Now go to the Apps and Features window and scroll down to locate Microsoft Teams and Teams Machine-Wide Installer. 
3. Uninstall both the programs by clicking on the Uninstall button. 

 

4. Once the process is complete, restart your PC and install Microsoft Teams desktop app again. 

Hopefully, uninstalling and reinstalling the app will fix the login error once and for all. 

This wraps up our guide on fixing the ‘The request is not properly formatted’ error. We hope our solutions helped you fix the error on your PC once and for all. If you have any questions regarding the troubleshooting methods we listed above, please let us know in the comment section below. We will try to help you out as much as we can.

 

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