How to Stream Games on Discord: Desktop & Mobile

Streaming games on Discord lets you share your screen or a specific game with friends in a voice channel or via a direct message, turning your server into a private watch party. This guide covers both desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) and mobile (iOS, Android), including how to start a stream, adjust quality, and fix common issues.

What You’ll Need

A Discord account (free or Nitro).
The Discord app installed on your device (desktop or mobile).
A stable internet connection. For smooth streaming, upload speed matters more than download.
For desktop game streaming: the game must be installed and running, and Discord must have permission to capture it.
For mobile: the game must be installed on your phone, and you may need to grant screen recording permission in your phone’s settings.

Step-by-Step

On Desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Open Discord and join a voice channel. Go to the server where you want to stream, and click a voice channel to join. You can also stream directly to a friend via a DM call.
Start your game. Launch the game you want to stream. Discord can detect many games automatically, but you can also add it manually.
Click the “Share Your Screen” button. At the bottom of the voice channel (next to the mute/deafen buttons), you’ll see a monitor icon. Click it.
Choose what to share. A window will pop up. You can select:
- Application: Pick your game from the list of open windows. This is recommended because it only shares the game, not your whole screen.
- Screen: Share your entire monitor. This is useful if the game isn’t detected or you want to show other apps too.
Set stream settings. Before going live, you can set the stream resolution, frame rate, and bitrate. Higher settings look better but require more upload speed. If you’re not sure, leave the defaults.
Click “Go Live”. Your stream starts immediately. Friends in the voice channel will see a “Live” badge and can join to watch.
Stop the stream. Click the “X” on the stream tile at the bottom of your screen, or press the “Stop Streaming” button in the voice channel.

On Mobile (iOS and Android)

Open Discord and join a voice channel. In a server, tap a voice channel to join. You can also start a DM call with a friend.
Start your game. Launch the game on your phone. Make sure it’s running in the foreground.
Tap the “Share Your Screen” icon. It looks like a monitor with an arrow, located at the bottom of the voice call screen.
Select “Application” or “Screen”. On iOS, you’ll be asked to choose between sharing the game app or the entire screen. On Android, you may need to select “Start now” to begin screen capture.
Grant screen recording permission. The first time you stream, your phone’s system will ask for permission to record the screen. Allow it.
Adjust stream quality (optional). Before going live, you can change resolution and frame rate. Lower settings use less data.
Tap “Go Live”. Your stream begins. Friends in the voice channel can tap the “Live” badge to watch.
Stop streaming. Tap the red “Stop” button or the “X” on the stream notification.

Common Mistakes

Sharing the wrong screen: On desktop, if you pick “Screen” instead of “Application”, viewers might see your desktop icons, notifications, or other private windows.
No audio: If you’re streaming a game, make sure the game’s audio is not muted in Discord’s stream settings. Also check that your voice is not muted if you want to talk.
Low quality or lag: Setting the bitrate too high for your upload speed causes stuttering. Lower the resolution or bitrate.
On mobile, screen turns off: If your phone’s screen locks during a stream, the stream freezes. Keep the screen awake (adjust your phone’s sleep settings).
Streaming from a DM call: In a DM call, only the person you’re calling can see your stream. If you want more people, use a server voice channel.

Tips

Use Application capture on desktop. It’s more stable and avoids accidentally sharing sensitive info.
Set a custom bitrate: If you have a good upload speed (e.g., 10 Mbps), you can set bitrate to 8000 kbps for crisp 1080p. For most, 3000–5000 kbps is a good balance.
Enable “Game Activity” in settings. This helps Discord detect your game automatically, making it easier to select in the share menu.
On mobile, close other apps. Background apps can eat bandwidth and CPU, causing lag.
Use a wired connection on desktop. Ethernet is more stable than Wi-Fi for streaming.
Test before a big stream. Do a quick stream to a friend to check audio and video quality.

Troubleshooting

Stream won’t start or is black on desktop: Make sure the game is running in windowed or borderless mode (not fullscreen exclusive). Some games block capture. Try running Discord as administrator (Windows) or updating your graphics drivers.
No sound from the game: In the stream settings, check that the audio source is set to the correct device. Also ensure the game’s volume is not at zero in Discord’s mixer (click the speaker icon next to the game in the voice channel).
Mobile stream is blurry: Lower the resolution in stream settings. Also, make sure your phone isn’t overheating, which can throttle performance.
Viewers can’t see the stream: They might need to click the “Live” badge to join. Also, check that they are in the same voice channel.
Stream lags or drops frames: Reduce the bitrate and resolution. Close other bandwidth-heavy apps. If on Wi-Fi, move closer to the router.
On iOS, screen recording permission is stuck: Go to Settings > Privacy > Screen Recording and toggle Discord on. If it’s already on, turn it off and on again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I stream to a server without a voice channel? No, streaming requires an active voice connection. You can create a temporary voice channel or use a DM call.

Do viewers need a Discord account to watch? Yes, they need to be in the same server and voice channel as you. They can’t watch via a public link.

Is streaming games on Discord free? Yes, basic streaming is free. Discord Nitro increases the maximum stream quality (up to 4K 60fps) and removes some limits.

Can I stream a console game (e.g., PS5) to Discord? You can stream console gameplay by using a capture card and streaming from your PC, or by using the console’s built-in streaming to Discord (available on PS5). For Xbox, you can stream via the Xbox app to Discord on PC.

Why is my stream lagging even with good internet? It could be your CPU or GPU struggling to encode the video. Close other programs, lower the resolution, or update your graphics drivers.

Can I stream while on a mobile data connection? Yes, but it will consume a lot of data. A 30-minute stream at 720p can use around 1.5 GB. Use Wi-Fi whenever possible.

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

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