Discord not opening usually comes down to a stuck background process, damaged cache, a broken install, or a network setting blocking the app. Start with the fastest checks, then use the Windows, Mac, mobile, or browser fix that matches your device. These steps stick to Discord's current supported platforms.
Restart Discord completely
This fixes Discord when it is already running in the background but will not appear on screen.
Close Discord from the app window.
On Windows, open the system tray, right-click Discord, and choose Quit Discord.
Open Task Manager, select any Discord process, then choose End task.
On Mac, press Option + Command + Esc, select Discord, then click Force Quit.
Wait 30 seconds, then open Discord again.
Check Discord status and open the web app
Before you reinstall anything, rule out a Discord-side outage and try signing in through the browser.
- 1.Open discordstatus.com.
- 2.Check Client, including Desktop, iOS, Android, and Web.
- 3.If an incident is listed, wait for Discord to resolve it.
- 4.If the desktop app still will not open, go to discord.com/login in a supported desktop browser.
- 5.Sign in with your email or phone and password, or use QR Code Login from the mobile app under User Settings, Overview, Scan QR Code.
Confirm your device is supported
Discord requires Windows 10 or newer, macOS 12 Monterey or newer, Android 7 or newer, or iOS 16.0 or newer. On Linux, Discord supports Ubuntu 20.04 or newer, Debian 11 or newer, openSUSE 16.2 or newer, and Fedora 32 or newer.
For Discord in a browser, use Chrome 108 or newer, Firefox 142 or newer, Opera 72 or newer, Microsoft Edge 86 or newer, or Safari 15.4 or newer. Discord does not support running in a mobile browser.
There is no current fix path for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, 32-bit Windows, rooted or jailbroken devices, beta operating systems, or mobile browsers. Move to a supported OS, device, or desktop browser, then install or open Discord again.
macOS 10.15 and macOS 11 are also unsupported, so upgrading to macOS 12 or newer is the real fix. If you cannot upgrade yet and Discord no longer launches, Discord still hosts a pinned legacy build for each version, linked from its known-issue pages: 0.0.336 for macOS 10.15 or lower, and 0.0.396 for macOS 11. That build keeps working without updating, but installing any newer version will stop Discord from launching, and it no longer receives updates or support. You can also use Discord in a supported desktop browser instead.
If Discord still will not open on a supported setup, clear the app cache next.
Clear Discord cache files
This applies when Discord starts to launch, hangs, shows a blank window, or keeps failing after a normal restart. Clearing cache removes temporary files without doing a full reinstall.
On Windows, close Discord completely, including any background process in Task Manager.
Open %appdata%/discord/Cache.
Delete the cached files inside that folder.
On Mac, quit Discord.
Open ~/Library/Application Support/discord/Cache.
Delete the cached files inside that folder.
Open Discord again.
Repair Discord on Windows
Use this when Discord still will not open, the installer fails, or the app keeps hitting update or JavaScript errors.
- 1.Close Discord from the system tray and end all Discord processes in Task Manager.
- 2.Press Windows + R, enter %appdata%, then delete the Discord folder.
- 3.Press Windows + R again, enter %LocalAppData%, then delete the Discord folder.
- 4.Restart Windows.
- 5.Download Discord from discord.com/download and reinstall it.
Allow Discord through Windows settings
Use these Windows fixes when Discord will not launch after reinstalling, or when it opens but gets stuck connecting. They target permissions, firewall rules, and proxy settings.
Right-click DiscordSetup.exe or Discord.exe, then choose Run as administrator.
Open the installed Discord application folder under %LocalAppData%/Discord.
Open the most recent version folder, open the app properties, and set compatibility mode to Windows 7 or Windows 8. This is only a troubleshooting fallback on Windows 10 and newer; Windows 7 and Windows 8 are not supported.
Open Windows Security, go to Firewall & network protection, choose Allow an app through firewall, select Change settings, and allow Discord.
If Discord is missing, choose Allow another app and add the Discord app path.
Open Settings, go to Network & internet, then Proxy.
Under Manual proxy setup, select Set up next to Use a proxy server and turn it off unless your network requires it.
On a work or school PC, ask your IT admin to allow Discord through the organization's approved firewall and network controls.
Reinstall Discord cleanly on Mac
Quit Discord with Command + Q, or choose Discord and Quit from the menu.
In Finder, press Shift + Command + G, or choose Go and Go to Folder.
Open ~/Library/Application Support and drag the Discord folder to Trash.
Open /Library/Application Support and drag any Discord folder there to Trash.
Open Applications, drag Discord to Trash, empty Trash, then restart your Mac.
Download Discord from discord.com/download, open Discord.dmg, and drag the Discord logo to Applications.
Use Discord's download page instead of third-party download sites.
Refresh Mac network settings
If Discord still will not open or update on macOS after reinstalling, refresh the network settings used by the connection and updater.
Open the Apple menu, go to System Settings, then Network.
Select your active network service, click Details, choose TCP/IP, click Renew DHCP Lease, then click OK.
For DNS, return to your active network service, click Details, then DNS.
Use the add button under DNS Servers and add 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4, 2001:4860:4860::8888, and 2001:4860:4860::8844.
Click OK.
If this method fails, use Discord in a supported desktop browser while you reinstall Discord or contact Discord Support.
Update or reinstall Discord on mobile
The most common mobile cause is an outdated Discord app or operating system.
Restart your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.
Install any available operating system updates before opening Discord again.
On iPhone or iPad, open the App Store, tap your account button or photo, then use App Updates to update Discord.
If Discord is not responding on iPhone or iPad, open the app switcher, find Discord, swipe up on it, then reopen it.
To reinstall on iPhone or iPad, touch and hold Discord, tap Remove App, tap Delete App, confirm with Delete, then redownload Discord from the App Store.
On Android, open Google Play Store, tap your profile icon, go to Manage apps & devices, then update Discord.
Open Android Settings, go to Discord's app info page, tap Force stop, then clear cache from the app storage screen.
If Android cache clearing does not help, uninstall Discord from Google Play Store under Manage apps & devices, then reinstall it from Google Play.
Clearing storage or data can sign you out and remove app-local data.
When Discord mobile becomes unstable around GIFs, animated emoji, or stickers, open Discord settings, go to Accessibility, turn off Automatically Play GIFs and animated emoji, and set stickers to Never animate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Discord run in the background but not open?
Discord can get stuck as a background process. Fully quit it from the system tray on Windows or force quit it on macOS, wait 30 seconds, then reopen it.
Can I use Discord without the desktop app?
Yes. Use discord.com/login in a supported desktop browser such as current Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, or Safari. Discord does not support mobile browsers.
Will clearing Discord cache delete my account?
No. Clearing cache removes temporary local files. Clearing storage/data on Android or reinstalling the app can sign you out and remove app-local data.
When should I contact Discord Support?
Contact Discord Support after the status page is normal and the relevant restart, cache, reinstall, device support, and network steps still do not fix the problem.
