Discord Keeps Freezing? Here’s How to Fix It

Discord is a fan favorite among users because of its functionality. But at times, the Discord app freezes without any warning signs or error messages. The app screen becomes unresponsive, and you are stuck on the same screen. The problem can appear randomly out of the blue or on a frequent basis.

The problem can occur due to misconfigured app settings or some fault in your device. Also, if the cache file becomes malicious, you are likely to face the issue. 

So, let’s not wait anymore and dig directly into the methods to help fix the issue.

What Causes Discord to Freeze

How to Fix When Discord Keeps Freezing?

When you face the Discord keeps freezing issues, you can restart your device and run the Discord app again. It can refresh the background processes and remove minor bugs or loops.

Also, you can close other apps and programs and negate the possibility of them conflicting with Discord. After this, run Discord again and see if it solves the problem.

Moving from these fixes, below are various other ways to fix the issue.

Remove the Keybinds

Using Keybinds, you can assign different tasks to keyboard keys. But the feature can turn villain and cause the freezing issue. Thus, removing Keybinds can be the likely solution.

1. Launch the Discord app.
2. Open User Settings by clicking the Gear icon alongside your username.
3. Scroll down and choose Keybinds on the left pane.
4. Now, delete the Keybind by selecting the Red Cross. Do these for other added keybinds as well.
   

Run Discord Audio Setup in Legacy Mode

The Discord freezing issue can occur when the audio subsystem is wrongly set. It causes the audio hardware incompatibility. In that case, you can switch to Legacy mode, which can probably help solve the issue.

1. Open the User Settings on Discord.
2. Click Voice & Video on the left sidebar.
3. Scroll down and locate the Audio Subsystem option.
4. Open the extended menu and choose the Legacy option.
   
5. Hit the Okay option when asked.

Toggle Off the Hardware Acceleration Option

The issue can also emerge when the hardware acceleration option is turned on. Generally, this feature helps the app work around various activities but can also cause trouble. So, you can turn off this feature to resolve the issue in several instances.

1. Open the User Settings menu and select the Advanced option.
2. Then, toggle off Hardware Acceleration.
   
3. Press Okay for confirmation.
   

Toggle Off the Autoplay for GIFs and Stickers

When you turn on the autoplay features for GIFs and stickers, they consume a vast range of Discord resources. So, entering the server filled with GIFs and stickers, the app can fail to balance everything and end up freezing.

You can turn the autoplay for stickers and GIFs from the Discord settings.

1. Choose Accessibility in the User Settings.
2. Then, toggle off the Automatically play GIFs when Discord is focused option.
3. Also, turn off the Play animated emoji option as well.
4. Next, select Never animate for Stickers.
   

Open Discord With Admin Privilege

The problem can occur as the app is running with limited system access. If the system access is lacking for Discord, the app cannot get the necessary permissions to the system files. So, clearing the issue is possible when you operate Discord with admin rights.

1. First, close the Discord app.
2. Head to the Start menu by pressing the Windows logo key on the PC’s keyboard.
3. Then, type Discord.
4. With the app highlighted, choose the Run as administrator option.
   
5. A User Account Control dialog box will appear. You need to select Yes.

Check the Compatibility Mode for Discord

You can also encounter the problem if the app experiences a compatibility issue. It means that the app and the computer’s OS version are not synchronizing properly. So, you can run Discord in the compatibility mode and try working your way around the app.

1. Type Discord in the Start menu.
2. Select the Open file location option.
   
3. Now, select and right-click Discord.
4. Click Properties.
5. Select the Compatibility tab.
6. Check Run this program in compatibility mode for:
7. Now, select the drop-down menu and choose any Windows version.
8. Then, select Apply > Ok.
   

Erase the Cache Files of Discord

The problem also appears when the temporary Discord files become malicious. The cache files storing the temporary data of the application need to be erased in such a scenario. The process of removing Discord’s cache file varies depending on your device. You can get comprehensive detail on how to clear Discord cache in our other article.

Operate SFC and DISM

The problem also occurs when the system files on Windows are damaged. You can fix this using the SFC command on the Command Prompt.

1. Open Search by pressing the Windows + S keys.
2. Type Command.
3. Right-click it and choose the Run as administrator option.
4. Run the following command: sfc /scannow.
   
5. Then, restart the PC.
6. If it does not clear up the issue, open Command with Admin privileges again.
7. Then, run these commands: dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth.
   

Update the OS

With outdated device software, your device and its applications are vulnerable to bugs and technical malfunctions. Also, the compatibility issue between the Discord app and your device may emerge. It is because Discord may roll out new features, but your device operating in an older software version may not support it. Hence, the app keeps freezing.

Thus, you need to keep your device’s OS updated. You can check out the steps below to know the method to update the OS.

On Windows

1. Choose Settings from the Start menu.
2. Then, click Updates & Security > Check for updates.
   
3. Windows will check and download the updates if available.
4. After the update completes, restart the computer.

On Mac 

1. Click the Apple menu icon on the left top menu.
2. Choose System Preferences and select the Software Update option.
3. Select Upgrade Now or Update Now.
   

On Android

1. Open Settings.
2. Locate System and select it.
3. Tap the System update option. Based on your Android device, it may also be available directly on the settings menu.
4. Now, choose the Check for update option and follow the instructions on your device.
   

On iPhone

1. Open Settings and select General.
2. Then, tap Software Update > Download and Install.
   
3. Next, input the phone’s passcode.
4. Finally, hit Install Now.

Delete Discord and Install it Again

When you try all other steps and Discord keeps freezing on a continuous basis, it may be optimum to delete the Discord app and install it again.

On Windows

1. Select Apps after you press the Windows and I keys.
2. Locate Discord and select it.
3. Now, choose Uninstall. Then, hit Uninstall again.
   
4. Then, press the Windows and R keys to open Run.
5. Type Appdata and hit OK.
6. Open the Local folder, locate the Discord folder and delete it.
   
7. Do the same from the Roaming folder.
   
8. Visit the official Discord site and get the application.

On Mac

1. First, hit the Command and Q buttons to Force Quit the Discord application.
2. Open Finder and choose Applications on the left sidebar.
3. Highlight the Discord application file and hit the combination of the Command, Option, and Delete keys.
4. When the confirmation message appears, select Delete.
   
5. After that, download the app again from its official website.

On Android

1. Open the phone’s settings.
2. Select Apps > See all apps.
3. Locate and select Discord and tap Uninstall. Press Ok to confirm.
   
4. Launch the Play Store app and download the app again.

On iPhone

1. Long press the Discord.
2. Select Remove App > Delete App > Delete.
   
3. Go to the App Store and download Discord.

Open Discord in Browser

When you face the freezing issue, you can opt to use Discord in the web browser. Doing so acts just as an alternative. But, it won’t be a solid solution for the real issue. Yet, you can access your Discord account and enjoy its functionality.