Microsoft Teams can show more people in the meeting count than it can show on screen at once, so “missing” participants usually mean pagination or gallery limits, not a broken call. If you misread the view, you may miss who is present, who is speaking, or whether a layout setting is hiding video tiles. This guide explains the three limits, then walks you through fixes by symptom so you can tell whether Teams is broken or just using a different view.
What this symptom means
The fastest first check is the gallery itself: if you see page numbers such as 1/2 or 2/2, Teams is paging participants across screens. That is different from the attendee count, which can be higher than the number of video tiles shown at once. It is also different from a layout problem, where the meeting is using a mode that hides or shrinks some tiles.
Separate attendee count from on-screen tiles
Gallery view normally shows attendees in 2 x 2 or 3 x 3 grids, and it can show up to 9 attendees on the same screen. Large Gallery can show up to 49 participant videos, but it still may rearrange the screen as the participant count or active video feeds change. Teams cannot show more than 49 participants at once in that view. (Microsoft Learn)
Read the 1/2 and 2/2 signs
If the gallery shows 1/2 or 2/2, the meeting is not failing to load people. It is paging the grid across more than one screen. If a larger meeting shows 1/2 in gallery view, some attendees are likely on the next page. That usually means some attendees are on the next page, not that they disappeared.
Check whether video is missing or only paged
If names appear in chat, attendance, or the participant list but not on the video grid, the issue may be layout choice, not meeting membership. A common first-timer mistake is to treat the attendee count as the number of tiles that should be visible. Teams often separates those two numbers.
📊 Large Gallery can be enabled when there are more than 9 participants. Source: Microsoft.
Participant fix table
| Exact symptom | Likely cause | Who can change it | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 or 2/2 gallery pagination | Gallery view is paging across screens | Any attendee can change their own view | Open the gallery controls and switch to Large Gallery if available |
| Only some video tiles show | Some participants have video off, or a layout mode is limiting tiles | Attendees can change their own layout; the organizer can change meeting options | Check Spotlight, Together mode, and whether the missing people have video on |
| Large gallery missing | The client does not support it, or the new meeting experience is off | Meeting owner or attendee, depending on the setting | Update Teams and turn on the new meeting experience in settings |
| Web app works but desktop app does not | Desktop cache, version mismatch, or a client display glitch | That user can fix the desktop app | Install the latest Teams desktop version, clear cache, and compare with the web version |
How do you fix gallery pagination?
If you see 1/2 or 2/2, the fix is usually to switch from default gallery to a larger layout. Gallery view can split across more than one screen, so the meeting may already be showing everything it can. The goal is to move from paging to a denser layout, or confirm that no denser layout is available.
Use the next layout available
- Open the meeting controls.
- Select View or the gallery layout button.
- Choose Large gallery if it appears.
- If Large Gallery is missing, stay in gallery view and look for page arrows.
- Use the arrows to move between 1/2 and 2/2.
Ask the organizer if the view is restricted
- Ask whether the meeting is being shown in Spotlight or another focused layout.
- Ask the organizer to switch the meeting back to a standard gallery view.
- If you are an attendee, leave and rejoin after the organizer changes the layout.
Picture a 14-person team call where only 9 tiles fit on the first screen. The remaining people are not lost. They are on the second gallery page, or available only after switching to Large Gallery if the client supports it.
How do you turn on large gallery?
Large Gallery is the main way to show more tiles on one screen, and it is available only when there are more than 9 participants. It can show up to 49 participant videos, but only in a modern Teams client. If the option is absent, the app version or meeting settings are usually the first places to check.
Check the new meeting experience setting
- Open Teams.
- Go to Settings > General.
- Turn on New meeting experience.
- Restart Teams.
- Rejoin the meeting in the separate window if it opens that way.
Update the Teams desktop app
- Open Teams.
- Select Settings and more > Check for updates, if available.
- Install the latest version.
- Close Teams fully and reopen it.
- Return to the meeting and open the View menu again.
Use Large Gallery only when the client supports it
- Join a meeting with more than 9 participants.
- Open the gallery layout options.
- Choose Large gallery if it appears.
- If it does not appear, compare the desktop app with the web version.
Why only some video tiles show?
When only some tiles appear, the issue may be the layout rather than the participant list. Spotlight can pin one person in the center and keep others as smaller thumbnails. A participant may also have camera off, which leaves a name tile or no video tile at all. If the desktop app acts up, the web version can show the same meeting in a different layout.
Rule out Spotlight and other layout modes
- Open the meeting controls.
- Check whether Spotlight is active.
- If it is, ask the organizer to remove Spotlight.
- Return to View and select Gallery or Large gallery.
Check whether participants have video
- Open the participants list.
- Look for camera status icons next to names.
- Ask a missing participant to turn on video.
- Have the organizer confirm whether the meeting is allowing video feeds.
Try the web version if the app is glitching
- Open https://teams.microsoft.com/ in a browser.
- Sign in to the same account.
- Join the meeting from the web version.
- Compare the video grid with the desktop app.
Suppose the desktop app shows only 6 tiles, while the browser shows 12. That points to a client problem on the device, not a meeting problem. The fix is to keep troubleshooting the app, not the call.
Still not working?
If none of the layout checks help, move to the desktop app itself. Install the latest Teams desktop version, then clear the Teams cache on that device. If the web version works and the desktop app does not, the issue is likely limited to the local client. If the problem affects only one account or one device, the next step is vendor or internal support.
Clear the Teams cache on desktop
- Quit Teams completely.
- Close it from the system tray if needed.
- Open the Teams cache folder used by the desktop app.
- Delete the cache files that support replies commonly flag for display issues.
- Restart Teams and rejoin the meeting.
Use the web app as the fallback
- Open https://teams.microsoft.com/.
- Sign in.
- Join the same meeting in the browser.
- If the browser works, keep using it until the desktop app is repaired.
Escalate when the issue stays on one device
- Test the same account on another computer or browser.
- Note whether the issue follows the account or stays on the original device.
- If it stays on one device, collect the app version and OS version for support.
- If it follows the account, ask the meeting organizer or IT support to check account-side settings.
Keep Teams updated and turn on the new meeting experience before you rely on layout-heavy meetings. That reduces the chance that Large Gallery or other modern views will be missing when you need them.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Microsoft Teams not showing all participants?
Teams often shows a participant count that is higher than the number of video tiles on screen. Gallery view commonly fits about 9 attendees on one screen before paging or switching layout. Check for 1/2 or 2/2, then open View and look for Large gallery or another layout.
How do I see everyone in a Teams meeting at once?
Use View > Large gallery when it appears. Large Gallery can show up to 49 participant videos, but it requires a modern Teams client and may depend on the new meeting experience setting. If the meeting has more than 49 people, no layout will show everyone at once. (Microsoft Learn)
Why am I getting 1/2 or 2/2 in Teams gallery view?
That means Teams is paging the gallery across multiple screens. It is not a count error. Use the page arrows to move between screens, or switch to Large Gallery if the option is available. If Large Gallery does not appear, update Teams and check the new meeting experience setting.
How do I turn on large gallery in Teams?
Turn on New meeting experience in Settings > General, then restart Teams. After that, rejoin a meeting with more than 9 participants and open View. If Large Gallery still does not appear, install the latest desktop version or try the web version.
How many participants can Teams show in gallery view?
Default gallery view can show up to 9 attendees on the same screen. Large Gallery can show up to 49 participant videos, but Teams cannot show more than 49 participants at once in that layout. Above that, you will still need paging, another view, or the participant list.
Can the web version of Teams show participants better than the app?
Yes. The web version is a useful fallback when the desktop app misbehaves or shows a broken layout. Open https://teams.microsoft.com/ and compare the meeting there. If the browser shows the correct grid, the problem is likely local to the desktop client or its cache.