Others

Fix SharePoint Site Creation Freezes While Loading Templates

Maira Mehtab Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is unable to create a new SharePoint site because the process freezes on the template loading screen.

How to Fix SharePoint Site Creation Freezing While Loading Templates

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating a new SharePoint Team site or Communication site via the web interface.
Observed behavior: After selecting a site template, the creation dialog continues buffering indefinitely, and the close or exit controls become unresponsive.

Before you start

Verify that your internet connection is stable and ensure that your Microsoft 365 account has the necessary permissions to create SharePoint sites.

Solution 1Recommended

Use an InPrivate or Incognito Browser Window

Bypassing your browser cache and active extensions can resolve front-end freezing issues during site creation.

Browser extensions or corrupted cache files can sometimes interfere with SharePoint's complex JavaScript elements, causing the creation dialog to hang.

Open a private browsing window

Launch your web browser and open a new InPrivate window (Edge) or Incognito window (Chrome).

Log in to SharePoint

Navigate to your SharePoint portal and log in with your Microsoft 365 credentials.

Attempt site creation

Click 'Create site', select either a Team site or Communication site, and observe if the templates load correctly without buffering.

Use an InPrivate or Incognito Browser Window

Clear Browser Cache: If site creation works in a private window, clearing your regular browser cache and cookies should permanently resolve the issue.

Solution 2

Create the Site via SharePoint Admin Center

Administrators can bypass the standard user interface and create the site directly from the backend.

Solution 3

Submit a Microsoft 365 Support Request

If local troubleshooting fails, Microsoft support can analyze your network traffic to identify backend loading issues.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Seamless Document Collaboration

If you are experiencing ongoing issues with Microsoft's cloud services, consider WPS Office as a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative. While it doesn't replace SharePoint site hosting, WPS Office provides excellent built-in cloud collaboration tools for sharing and co-authoring documents without the complex setup.

1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installer for your operating system.
2. Sign in to WPS Cloud: Create a free account or log in to access 1GB of free cloud storage for your documents.
3. Create and Share: Create a new document, save it to WPS Cloud, and generate a sharing link to collaborate with your team instantly.

Free, lightweight, and easy-to-use Office suiteFully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formatsBuilt-in WPS Cloud for easy document sharing and team collaborationFamiliar user interface with a seamless migration process

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does SharePoint freeze when loading site templates?

This usually happens due to corrupted browser cache, conflicting browser extensions, or a temporary disruption in communication between your browser and Microsoft's backend servers.

How do I know if I have permission to create a SharePoint site?

If you do not see the 'Create site' option on the SharePoint start page, your IT administrator has likely restricted site creation permissions. You will need to contact them to request a new site.

What is a HAR log and why does Microsoft support need it?

A HAR (HTTP Archive) log records the communication between your web browser and a website. Microsoft support uses it to identify exactly which network request is failing or hanging when the template loading screen freezes.

Office Quick Solutions