How to Restart Discord: Desktop, Web & Mobile

Restarting Discord fixes most common issues like stuck screens, unresponsive buttons, voice chat problems, and update glitches. This guide covers the quickest ways to restart Discord on Windows, Mac, the web browser, and mobile devices, plus what to do when a simple restart isn’t enough.

What You’ll Need

Access to your computer or phone where Discord is installed
Your Discord login credentials (in case you get logged out)
For the web version: a browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Edge

Step-by-Step

Restarting Discord on Windows

Click the X button in the top-right corner of the Discord window to close it. This only minimizes to the system tray, so you must fully quit it.
Look at the bottom-right corner of your screen (near the clock) for the system tray. You’ll see a Discord icon (a blue game controller).
Right-click that icon and select Quit Discord from the menu. If you don’t see the icon, click the small upward arrow to show hidden icons.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
In the Processes tab, look for any entry named Discord or Discord PTB (if you use the beta).
Click on each Discord process and press End Task. Do this for every Discord-related process.
Reopen Discord by double-clicking its desktop shortcut or searching for it in the Start menu.

Restarting Discord on Mac

Click the Discord icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen (it looks like a game controller).
Select Quit Discord from the dropdown menu. If you don’t see the icon, click the Discord window and press Cmd + Q.
To make sure it’s fully closed, open Activity Monitor (found in Applications > Utilities).
Search for Discord in the search bar.
Select any Discord processes and click the X button in the toolbar, then choose Force Quit if prompted.
Relaunch Discord from your Applications folder or Dock.

Restarting Discord in a Web Browser

Close the browser tab that has Discord open.
In the browser, click the refresh icon (circular arrow) on the page if you want to reload it without closing the tab.
If the page is frozen, close the entire browser window and reopen it.
Go back to discord.com/app and log in if needed.

Restarting Discord on Mobile (Android & iOS)

Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or press the home button) to leave the Discord app.
Open your recent apps list (usually by swiping up and holding, or tapping the square button).
Swipe Discord away to close it completely.
Wait a few seconds, then tap the Discord icon to reopen it.

Common Mistakes

Only clicking the X button: On desktop, this just hides the window. You must also quit from the system tray or Task Manager.
Not ending all processes: Discord runs multiple background processes. If you only end one, the app may not fully restart.
Assuming the web version is the same: The browser version doesn’t have a system tray. You just need to refresh or close the tab.
Skipping the wait: After closing, give it 5-10 seconds before reopening. This allows all background tasks to stop completely.

Tips

If Discord is stuck on a black screen, press Ctrl + R (Windows) or Cmd + R (Mac) while the Discord window is focused. This forces a reload of the app’s interface.
To avoid repeated restarts, make sure Discord is updated. It usually auto-updates, but you can check by clicking the gear icon (User Settings) and looking for the version number at the bottom left.
If you use Discord frequently, consider setting it to not start with Windows. This can prevent issues from a slow startup. You can change this in User Settings > Windows Settings.
For voice issues, a restart often fixes them, but also try switching your audio input/output device in User Settings > Voice & Video.

Troubleshooting

If Discord still doesn’t work after a restart, try these steps in order:

Check your internet connection: Open a website in your browser. If it doesn’t load, your internet is the problem, not Discord.
Clear Discord’s cache: On Windows, press Win + R, type %appdata%/discord and press Enter. Delete the Cache, Code Cache, and GPUCache folders. On Mac, go to ~/Library/Application Support/discord and do the same. This does not delete your messages or settings.
Reinstall Discord: Uninstall Discord from your system (Control Panel on Windows, Applications folder on Mac), then download the latest version from the official Discord website.
Check if Discord is down: Visit a site like downdetector.com or check Discord’s official Twitter/X account for outage reports. If it’s a server issue, no restart will help.
Run as administrator (Windows only): Right-click the Discord shortcut and select Run as administrator. This can help if permission issues are blocking it.
Disable hardware acceleration: If Discord crashes on launch, open User Settings > Advanced and turn off Hardware Acceleration. You may need to edit the settings file manually if you can’t open the app, but the restart method usually works first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Discord keep running in the background after I close it?

Discord is designed to stay in the system tray so you can receive notifications and quickly reopen it. To fully close it, right-click the tray icon and choose Quit Discord.

Will restarting Discord log me out?

No, a normal restart does not log you out. You’ll stay logged in and all your servers and messages will be there when you reopen it. Only if you clear the app data or uninstall will you need to log in again.

How often should I restart Discord?

There’s no set schedule. Restart when you notice issues like lag, voice not connecting, or the app freezing. Some users restart weekly to keep it fresh, but it’s not necessary.

Does restarting Discord clear my notifications?

Yes, unread notifications that were in the app will be cleared when you restart. However, you’ll still see the unread message indicators (the colored dots) on servers and channels.

Can I restart Discord without losing my place in a voice channel?

No, you’ll be disconnected from the voice channel when you restart. You’ll need to rejoin after reopening Discord. If you’re in a call with friends, they’ll see you leave and come back.

Is restarting Discord the same as reinstalling it?

No. Restarting just closes and reopens the app. Reinstalling removes the program and downloads it again, which is a more drastic step that can fix deeper issues but also takes more time.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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