Why Won’t Discord Open? 7 Quick Fixes

Discord is a feature-rich app but the features do not drag down its performance. The app remains robust and you won’t run into problems with it often. However, sometimes you’ll see Discord not opening. You might have closed/quit it one day, and the next day it may stop working. In some cases, Discord may be running but you won’t be able to get the app window to open. Here are a few things you can try if Discord won’t open.

Reasons Discord Won’t Open

If you’re wondering, “why won’t Discord open on my PC?” it could be due to a random software issue or bug that’s preventing it from launching properly. Sometimes, your cache can become full or even corrupted, which might be the culprit here. Clearing out Discord’s cache is a quick fix that often gets things back in working order. Another possibility is that a VPN is interfering with Discord’s connection, which might be causing it to stay stuck while trying to load.

When you’re asking yourself, “why won’t Discord open?” it’s also worth checking if the app or your PC is outdated. If either of them hasn’t been updated in a while, that could be blocking the launch. Don’t forget to check your date and time settings too—Discord can be picky about that. If the date and time on your computer are incorrect, it might prevent the software from opening. Fixing these small issues can usually get you chatting again without too much hassle.

Key Points

• Quit the Discord app
• Clear app files
• Turn off your VPN
• Update Discord/PC
• Reset date and time
• Log in to Discord web
• Uninstall and reinstall Discord

7 Fixes to Try When Discord Won’t Open

Discord not opening may be a fluke, or there may be a problem with the app. If you’re persistently unable to open Discord, the installation may have been corrupted. Regardless, here are some solutions that will help you fix whatever’s wrong with the app.

RELATED READING: Discord ‘No Route’ Error [FIX]

1. Quit the Discord app

Sometimes apps have trouble starting up. It’s not something that happens with just Discord. It can happen with almost any app. To fix it, you need to quit the app using a behind-the-scenes technique, since it’s probably hanging around in the background. Then, you should be able to properly open it again.

1. Press Win+R keyboard shortcut to open the Run box.
2. Type this and then press Enter:

Taskkill /IM discord.exe /f

3. A Command Prompt window will appear briefly. When tit closes, all instances of Discord will have been shut down.
4. Now see if Discord opens.

2. Clear app files

Discord saves files to your user folder. These aren’t files that are added as part of the app’s installation. They’re mostly related to settings and profiles. If there’s a problem with these files, the app may not open.

1. Open File Explorer. The Win+e shortcut is one way to get there fast.
2. Navigate to the following location. Replace ‘YourUserName’ with your actual username.

C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming

3. Delete the Discord folder.
4. Open the following folder. Again, replace ‘YourUserName’ with your actual username.

C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local

5. Delete the Discord folder.
6. See if you can open Discord now.

3. Turn off your VPN

If you’re using a VPN on your system, it may be interfering with Discord. The program normally runs fine with VPN apps and the developers do not advise against using one, however, not all VPNs are the same. It’s possible that the one you’re using is interfering with the app. Turn it off, and try running Discord.

ALSO READ: How to fix Audio not working on Discord

4. Update Discord/PC

Unresolved bugs are a huge reason programs like Discord won’t open. The fix is simple (assuming the developers pushed one out): update the app. While you’re at it, we recommend checking your PC for updates, too, since Windows bugs could be to blame, too.

The normal way to update Discord is to close the app and then reopen it, since it checks for updates automatically upon opening. The only problem is that you won’t open it, which is why you’re here. So, repeat step 1 to really shut it down, or reboot your computer. Then, search for the shortcut again in the Start menu or on your desktop, and click it to attempt to launch Discord. If that doesn’t work, skip down to the last step to reinstall the app.

Before you move on, don’t forget to update Windows:

1. Search for Check for updates in the Start menu.
2. Open the update utility from the results.
3. Press Check for updates.
4. Follow the prompts to install any updates, if applicable.

5. Reset date and time

When Discord is stuck and won’t open, correcting the system date and time could be all you need to do. Here’s how that works in Windows 11:

1. Press Win+i to open Settings.
2. Select Time & language from the left menu.
3. Choose Date & time.
4. Make sure the following are turned on: Set time zone automatically and Set time automatically. If, for whatever reason, the automatic options don’t work, turn them off and set the time manually.

6. Log in to Discord web

You don’t necessarily need to use the Discord desktop app to use the service, but it makes for a better experience. It does have a web app that you can use, and sometimes, simply logging in that way will fix problems with the desktop app. Even if not, you could use the web version of Discord in the meantime while any bugs are worked out of the desktop version.

1. Visit Discord.
2. Sign in with your account.
3. Close/kill Discord on the desktop.
4. Send a few messages over the web app.
5. Launch Discord on the desktop and it should open.

7. Uninstall and reinstall Discord

If all else fails, uninstall and reinstall Discord. It’s not the most elegant solution, and it will take a little time, but it will resolve the issue.

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Go to Programs > Uninstall a program.
3. Look for Discord in the list of installed programs and select it.
4. Click the Uninstall button at the top and follow any prompts to delete it from your PC.
5. Reboot your computer. This step is essential to fully remove the app.
6. Once Discord has been uninstalled, download and install it again.

Discord not opening: Conclusion

Discord is a stable app. It can run into problems but it’s rare for the app to be rendered unusable. When you’re experiencing Discord won’t open, note that a reinstall will fix whatever problems it’s having when nothing else will; so getting it up and running again, is quite easy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why won’t Discord Audio work?

Discord audio issues can be caused by a number of things, including outdated audio drivers and software conflicts. However, the first place to check is the mute option; ensure you haven’t muted yourself or the person you’re trying to talk to. If you suspect that a server admin muted you, you’ll need to reach out to them and ask to have your mute status lifted.

Why is Discord just a black screen when I open it?

A black screen on Discord may indicate a GPU or cache issue. Updating your drivers and clearing Discord’s cache might help.

Is the Discord server down?

You can check if Discord is down by visiting their status page at DiscordStatus.com or using third-party sites like Downdetector.

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Fatima Wahab

Fatima has been writing for AddictiveTips for six years. She began as a junior writer and has been working as the Editor in Chief since 2014. Fatima gets an adrenaline rush from figuring out how technology works, and how to manipulate it. A well-designed app, something that solves a common everyday problem and looks

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