How to Fix Discord Not Opening

One of the worst issues to deal with is a program failing to open. The Discord app, a frequently used piece of software, is subject to these problems just like everything else.

But don’t worry. If you are having problems with Discord not opening, this guide will give you all the answers you need to connect with your community and get chatting, sharing, and streaming in no time.

We will cover the most common issues that cause Discord not to open and the steps you can take to remedy the problem.

So, how do you fix Discord not opening?

There are a few different reasons why Discord may not open properly. Below we will cover a few of the most common issues people experience when they cannot open Discord.

Discord is down

Sometimes Discord won’t open simply because the developers have taken the Discord application offline. Generally, this is to fix a problem with Discord not functioning properly.

If there is a temporary Discord outage, there is literally nothing you, as a user, can do about it. You must wait until the servers are back online to launch Discord again.

In reality, this usually doesn’t happen. And if it does, the dev team will most likely have it back up and running as soon as possible.

To check if Discord is currently offline, you can head to discordstatus.com and check if things are operational.

Internet Connection is Down

Another simple but generally infuriating issue is that your internet is down.

There are a few ways to check to see if this is the case.

1. From your PC

   

   Open your PC’s Network and Internet Settings and open your status or connections tab to see if you have a connection

2. Call Your ISP (Internet Service Provider)

   

   Dial the phone number of your ISP’s support and ask them if there is a problem in your area

3. Third Party Website

   

   There are a number of websites that compile data about internet outages for practically anyplace people have internet access

Discord is Blocked by an Internet Security Program

A fairly common problem with many apps and software is for them to be blocked by a firewall or security software. You will need to whitelist the Discord in the security program’s settings to access the app.

Your preferred security software will require different steps to do this than any others, so consult a guide specific to your particular program for information on how to unblock applications.

Missing Files and Damaged or Infected Files

Another reason for Discord not opening may be missing or corrupted system files. Many things can cause damaged files, but ultimately the best way to deal with the issue is to reinstall Discord simply.

This will create new Discord files that should not have the same issues as the corrupted files you previously installed on your PC.

Windows-related issues

Your Windows Operating System can sometimes cause issues with opening Discord.

Some of these problems can include, but are not limited to:

• Launching Discord with the wrong compatibility mode
• Cache and app data issues
• Discord is blocked by other background apps
• Not enough RAM or disc space

Now that we have looked at some of the problems that cause Discord not to open, we will cover some possible fixes to get you connected with your community.

If you try one of these options and the problem persists, try another to see if you can fix Discord not opening another way.

Restart Discord

The easiest and simplest way to remedy most problems is to just restart.

Close Discord and make sure that every background Discord process has been terminated.

To ensure all background processes have stopped, open Task Manager and look for anything from the Discord app.

Right-click and select End task.

This will ensure that Discord has stopped running before you try restarting the program.

Update Discord

Discord occasionally has updates to improve the program, roll out new features, or fix bugs. If you are not running the current version of Discord on your computer, this can cause Discord not to open properly.

To check for updates, you can type “Ctrl + R” on your keyboard while the Discord window is open or right-click the Discord icon in your system tray and select “Check for updates“

If you cannot check for updates with either of these two methods, head to Discord.com and check if there have been any updates you have missed.

Launch Discord as Admin

Sometimes applications in Windows need admin privileges to open properly. This can be caused by a number of different reasons but can be dealt with pretty easily.

Find the Discord icon on your desktop and right-click. Select Run as Administrator from the drop-down list.

Discord will now launch with Admin privilege and should alleviate any issues you may have encountered with Windows blocking the program.

Clear the Local App Data

This fix is slightly more complicated than others. Local app data is basically a folder where programs store information like custom user settings so it can load your preferences when it launches.

One of the folders in AppData is named “Temp.” This is where temporary files are stored that should have no effect on a program once the program is terminated.

Sometimes these temporary files have issues, especially with software updates. Deleting them can sometimes fix issues you may encounter with Discord not opening.

To delete Local AppData Temp files:

1. Step 1

   

   Open the Run Command in Windows.

2. Step 2

   

   In the Run window, type “%Temp%” and hit OK or press enter.

3. Step 3

   

   This will open the temporary file storage in your Local AppData folder.

4. Step 4

   The files inside the Temp folder can be deleted. You may want to restart you PC after you clear app data.

Delete Discord Cache

Like almost every other software, Discord stores information in a cache folder. This cache stores Discord’s temporary files, much like the Local AppData Temp folder covered above.

Clearing the cache can sometimes solve issues with Discord not opening. If you use the Discord web version, your PC will not have these folders.

To clear the Discord cache:

1. Step 1

   First, make sure the Discord app is completely closed.

2. Step 2

   

   Open the Run command and type “%AppData%.”

3. Step 3

   Find and open the Roaming folder.

4. Step 4

   

   Now find and open the Discord folder.

5. Step 5

   Select the “Cache,” “Code Cache,” and “GPUCache” folders.

6. Step 6

   

   Right-click and select Delete.

7. Step 7

   The Discord cache is now clear. You may want to restart your PC before re-opening Discord.

Uninstall Discord and Redownload

If your Discord installation has corrupted system files, the best way to deal with it is to uninstall it and try a fresh download. Trying to repair corrupted system files is hard unless you know exactly where and what to look for.

So, the best option is to remove Discord from your computer and start again completely.

Follow these steps to remove Discord from your PC completely:

1. Step 1

   Close Discord completely. To ensure it has been fully stopped, open task manager and manually shut down any Discord processes.

2. Step 2

   Delete the ” %AppData%/Discord ” and ” %LocalAppData%/Discord ” folders. To find these folders paste the name into the run command and hit enter.

3. Step 3

   Restart your computer.

4. Step 4

   

   Go to Discord.com and download and install a fresh version of the program from the Discord servers.

Reset Windows to a Restore Point

Sometimes there isn’t a lot you can do about corrupt or damaged files except to restore your PC to a point before the system files were unusable. This isn’t exactly repairing corrupt files but loading a previously saved version of your PC when things are working properly.

Open the Control panel on your PC and select System and Security > Backup and Restore.

Choose a restore point and follow the instructions to reset your computer to the previously saved state.