Discord has been the go-to app for gamers to talk to each other for 5 or more years now, and this is because the app is reliable and easy to navigate.
However, sometimes you may find the Discord app not opening as it should. If this is the case for you, we’re going to run through the solutions for both the Desktop app and the Mobile Discord app too.
Discord app won’t open – The Reasons
Discord not loading is a pretty standard problem to have. There are a few potential causes for this problem. This can consist of;
- A Discord outage
- Internet connection issues
- Settings and processes blocking the app launching
- A lack of recent software updates
- Potentially even corrupted system files too
In some cases, all you need is to restart your device to fix the problem. But with some Discord errors, it may take a little more effort.
Let’s run through the things you should do if you find that Discord won’t load on your device.
Check there’s not a temporary Discord outage
First things first, head over to the Discord Reddit and the moderators will post if there are any server side issues. Typically Discord servers are reliable, but a Discord outage is still a possibility.
If this is the case, then sadly the only thing to do is to wait for things to be resolved on Discord’s side. You can keep checking Discord for updates just in case.
Check your internet connection
Discord needs an internet connection to work, this the most common problem users will have when it comes to opening and using the Discord app.
A very simple check here, open your browser and try loading a page, any page. If it is your internet do the usual checks;
- Check if you knocked your cable out
- See if your Wi-Fi is turned on
- Look if your router flashing red?
If all of these aren’t showing any issue, then reset your router anyway – this will resolve your issue in the vast majority of cases.
Checking Connection on Mobile
Connectivity issues tend to be some of the main issues that you’ll come across with an app like Discord.
You can usually tell if this is the case by looking for a connecting icon, which will show up on the app’s loading screen.
If it doesn’t, you’ll then be met with an error message that says “Network connectivity limited or unavailable.”
If you want to fix Discord, then there are a couple of different ways that you can do that if your poorly configured internet connection is to blame.
This can usually be divided into;
- Airplane mode – If your device is in Airplane mode, the Mobile app and the web version of Discord won’t be able to access the internet. Make sure that airplane mode isn’t on before you launch Discord.
- Wi-Fi connectivity – The next potential solution is your home Wi-Fi. You’ll want to look at how you’re connected to your internet, and the device you’re using (phone, laptop etc).
If you’ve checked your internet options are working properly, you may want to go ahead and clear your Discord cache.
Clear cache
As Discord is a messaging service this will depend a lot on how many servers you are a part of and how many IM’s you’re receiving.
Essentially the more you’re using Discord the bigger your cache will become and the more potential it has for errors.
Here’s a step-by-step process on how to clear the cache.
Step 1: Open your start menu and search for “%appdata%”.
Step 2: Once you’ve opened appdata find the “Discord” file.
Step 3: In this file delete the “cache,” “code cache,” and “GPUcache” folders. (If you hold shift while you delete these files it will permanently delete them and you can skip the next step!)
Step 4: Finally, make sure to empty your recycle bin so the files are gone for good.
After you’ve done this, be sure to reset your device. A hard reset will not only remove any problematic processes from Discord but any other apps which may be interfering with the program.
Clear Discord cache (Mobile)
When you first launch Discord, you start with a fresh slate. But over time, files begin to get saved and cached by your device.
In some circumstances, your Discord app may have stored data or corrupted files. This can, in turn, have an effect on the loading speed of your device.
Clearing your cache out and then proceeding to relaunch Discord is a good way to combat this. With Discord stuck or seemingly running slowly, clearing the cache can help.
All you’re really doing here is clearing out all of the old files on your device, which is a necessity. This will get rid of all the saved data on your device – files, usernames, and accounts.
You can do this pretty easily on both iOS and Android devices. The best way for you to do this on iPhone is to uninstall and then reinstall the app completely.
For Android, you can do this from the app settings without the need to launch Discord.
- Go to settings.
- Then, select apps.
- Select Discord
- Go into your storage.
- You should then be able to hit the Clear Cache button.
Corrupt and damaged files can be an issue with most apps. However, following this process will ensure that any corrupt files are deleted.
Background process stuck (Desktop only)
One of the more frustrating issues which can occur when you’re using Discord on desktop is that a background process is stuck.
This may be the cause if you are attempting to open the app and nothing is happening, or if you get the brief loading screen and don’t get further.
Usually you would open task manager, navigate to the processes tab and check for anything related to Discord. Then, you can select the process and choose to “End Task”.
Whilst Task Manager is one way you can fix this, you can also follow this step by step:
Step 1: Press windows + R key
Step 2: Type “cmd.exe” and click ok
Step 3: Type “taskkill /F /IM discord.exe”
This closes all tasks associated with Discord, effectively hard resetting the program and letting it open fresh with no interference.
Check the Discord app has been updated
Having Discord errors occur can often be because of an outdated software – in fact, that’s one of the most common causes of errors across all apps.
If you want to get this fixed, you’ll want to follow the below, and then restart Discord.
On iPhone, you can do this by;
- First, open up the app store.
- Then, go ahead and access your profile.
- You’ll then be met with a list of different apps to scroll through – you should find Discord buried in the list somewhere.
If you’re an Android users, you can instead force an update by;
- Going to the Play Store home screen.
- Hit My apps & games.
- You should then be able to select Discord.
You can also just go ahead and update all of the apps you’ve got downloaded. This isn’t a bad idea as you should be keeping your apps updated regularly anyway.
Restart Your Device
If the problem persists, then you can consider restarting your device. Phones can often have issues when running them, but usually closing down your Discord app and relaunching it can fix Discord not opening properly.
As a last resort, you could uninstall the app and then reinstall Discord again. This will help any caching issues, corrupted file data or can help if you find Spotify not working with Discord, which is another issue some Discord users face.
Conclusion
When you close your Discord app or go idle on Discord, you can usually come back and resume your chat seamlessly.
For the most part, Discord rarely has any issues. But sometimes, you may run into trouble trying to open the app. By running through the above you should be able to get the problem resolved.
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