Discord Keeps Crashing on PC? Fixes for Windows Users

A Discord that closes itself is maddening when you're mid-call with a client, running a community event or about to go live. Crashes tend to have a handful of causes, and Discord's help centre lists fixes in a sensible order.

This page follows three Discord articles: its general troubleshooting guide, its Windows corrupt installation article and its voice and video troubleshooting guide. Discord doesn't publish a single article called "keeps crashing", so where its help is thin I've said so, and kept the page to what Discord documents.

Checking whether Discord itself is down

Before you change anything on your PC, Discord says to check its Status page for real-time updates on service availability. If there's an outage, the app can behave oddly for everyone and nothing you do on your side will help. Wait it out and try again later.

Then run a quick check on your connection. Discord's troubleshooting guide suggests a speed test, and trying a different network if you can. It's a basic step, but it rules out problems that look like crashes.

Fully closing and restarting Discord on Windows

Discord's list of common steps starts here. Close Discord completely, including the icon in the system tray, then check Task Manager to make sure no Discord process is still running. Wait around 30 seconds before opening it again.

1. Right-click the Discord icon in the system tray and quit it, if it's there.
2. Open Task Manager and end any Discord tasks still listed.
3. Wait 30 seconds.
4. Open Discord again.

A stray process left over from the last crash can stop the next launch from working, which makes it look like Discord keeps crashing when it hasn't started cleanly.

Updating Discord and checking your PC meets the requirements

Discord's guide says to check for updates in Settings, and to download a fresh install from discord.com if you need to. It also lists system requirements: Windows 10 or newer, with at least 4GB of RAM recommended. If your PC is older or short of memory, running other heavy programs at the same time can make crashes more likely.

• Keep Windows up to date. Discord's voice and video guide says to do this.
• Keep graphics, audio and webcam drivers up to date, using Windows Device Manager.
• Close big programs you aren't using before you start a call or screen share.

Clearing the Discord cache on a PC that keeps crashing

Discord's guide gives the Windows cache location as %appdata%/discord/Cache, and says clearing Discord's cache and temporary files is a fix for loading screen freezes. If you'd like a longer walkthrough, my guide to clearing the Discord cache on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android goes through it step by step.

Make sure Discord is fully closed before you delete anything, or Windows may say a file is still in use.

Running Discord as administrator on Windows

Discord's guide says to try running it as administrator. Right-click the Discord shortcut and choose Run as administrator. If Discord launches and stays open, it points to a permissions problem on your PC, and you can set the shortcut to always run that way in its properties.

Discord's corrupt installation article suggests going a step further if needed: set the Discord application, found in the newest version folder inside LocalAppData, to run as Administrator, and try Compatibility set to Windows 7 or 8 (it says to try both).

Turning off Hardware Acceleration when Discord crashes

Discord names Hardware Acceleration in two places. For loading screen freezes, it says to disable it in User Settings under Advanced. For video problems, it points to User Settings, Voice & Video, Video tab, scroll to Advanced and switch off Hardware Acceleration.

If Discord crashes only when you share your screen, stream a game or use your camera, this is a good one to try. The same goes for crashes that start while you play clips in voice chat, for example with the Discord soundboard. If it opens at all, switch it off, restart Discord and test again. If Discord crashes before you can reach the menu, move on to the reinstall below.

Checking antivirus, malware and firewall interference

Discord's voice and video guide says to scan your device for malware and remove anything found. It also says to try temporarily disabling your antivirus and testing Discord again, and its connection advice mentions checking VPN or firewall interference.

Please be careful here. Only switch security software off briefly, as a test, and turn it back on straight away. If Discord works with it off, add Discord to the allowed list rather than leaving yourself unprotected.

Reinstalling Discord on Windows to fix repeated crashes

When the app itself is damaged, Discord's corrupt installation article gives a clean reinstall. It's the heavy option, so keep it for after the fixes above.

1. Close Discord in the system tray and end all Discord processes in Task Manager.
2. Press the Windows key and R, type %appdata% and press Enter. Delete the Discord folder.
3. Open the Run box again, type %localappdata% and press Enter. Delete the Discord folder there too.
4. Restart your PC.
5. Download Discord again from Discord's official download page and install it.

If Windows says a file can't be deleted because it's in use, Discord says to end every Discord instance in Task Manager and in the Startup tab. Your account, servers and messages live with Discord, not in those folders, but you'll need to log back in.

Discord's installer errors article lists the same steps, and says to reach out to Discord's support team if you still can't install it. Its troubleshooting guide also mentions running the installer as administrator and temporarily disabling antivirus during installation.

Trying Discord Beta when Discord keeps crashing

Discord's guide suggests the Beta build as a test, because the newest code might fix your problem. Discord warns that it's a pre-release build and may break occasionally, so use it to check, not as a long-term home. If you use Discord for business calls, you may prefer to go back to the normal version afterwards.

When a Discord crash needs a bug report

Discord separates troubleshooting issues, which standard fixes solve, from bugs, which need its development team. If you've tried every relevant step and it still crashes, Discord's guide says to:

• Write down any error message and the steps that cause the crash.
• Note your system details, such as your Windows version.
• Search Discord's support forum to see whether others have the same issue.
• Send a bug report through the Discord support portal with everything you've gathered.

The debug log under Voice & Video, Debugging helps if the crash is linked to calls.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Discord keep crashing on my PC?

Discord's help lists several causes: a stuck process, a damaged install, an out-of-date app or drivers, Hardware Acceleration, security software interference and Discord outages.

How do I fully close Discord on Windows?

Quit it from the system tray, then end any Discord tasks in Task Manager and wait around 30 seconds before reopening.

Will reinstalling Discord delete my messages?

Discord's reinstall steps delete local folders on your PC. Your account and servers stay with Discord, but you'll need to log in again.

Should I turn off Hardware Acceleration?

Discord suggests it for loading freezes and video problems. Switch it off, restart Discord and see if the crashes stop.

What are the Discord system requirements for Windows?

Discord's guide lists Windows 10 or newer, with at least 4GB of RAM recommended.

What if Discord still crashes after a reinstall?

Check the Status page, then send a bug report through the Discord support portal with your system details and what you've tried.