How to Restart Discord

Discord is an instant messaging platform where you can conveniently send and receive messages, calls, media, and files via direct messages or groups called servers. Users can access it as an app or through its official website using a browser. Some Discord users have also asked how to restart Discord.

It’s necessary to restart Discord if you’re currently experiencing glitches on the app or its site version. This guide will show you how to refresh Discord on your smartphone or computer. Read on to know more.

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Restarting Discord is easy once you know the proper steps. However, these steps can vary depending on the device that you’re currently using. Here’s how to restart Discord using the desktop and mobile apps and the web version:

Method #1: Restart the Discord Desktop App via the Close (X) Button

The most straightforward way to restart Discord on your computer is by closing it using the Close or (X) button on its window. But, this may just minimize the app on your computer; to close it entirely on Mac or Windows, follow these steps:

On Mac

Press the following keys on your keyboard: Option + Command + Esc.
The Force Quit Applications window will now appear. Select Discord from the list of open apps and click Force Quit.
Discord will now be completely closed.

On Windows

Select the Up Arrow on the System Tray (bottom-right side of the screen).
Right-click the Discord icon and choose Quit Discord.
The Discord app will now be fully closed.

Note: To prevent Discord from minimizing on your system, instead of closing completely, open the Discord app and go to User Settings > Windows Settings. Toggle the Minimize to tray option to Off.

Once you’ve closed Discord completely, try re-opening the app and check if all issues are solved.

Method #2: Using the Task Manager (Windows)

Another method to force close apps and restart them afterward is via the Task Manager app. It’s an effective way to close any app once they’re freezing or unresponsive. To close the Discord app on Windows using the Task Manager, follow the steps below:

Press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys on the keyboard to open the Security Options screen.
Select Task Manager to open the app. Then, find and select Discord below the Apps section.
Choose End Task. Discord will now be completely closed.
Open Discord and see if all problems are solved.

Method #3: Restart Your Computer

If restarting the Discord app doesn’t solve most of its issues, you can try restarting your computer. This resets all running background processes, including those which might be causing bugs on Discord. To restart a Mac or Windows computer, proceed to these steps:

On Mac

Click the Apple logo on the menu bar and choose Restart…
Click the Restart button again to confirm.
Wait for your Mac device to restart.
Open Discord and check if all bugs are fixed.

On Windows

Select the Start menu and choose the Power icon on the left pane.
Click Restart. Wait for your Windows computer to restart.
Launch Discord and see if it now works normally.

How to Restart Discord via Your Browser

If you’re using Discord through its web version, you can restart it by closing the Discord tab on your browser. Then, to reopen it, press the following keys: Command + Shift + T (Mac) or Ctrl + Shift + T (Windows) to reopen your last closed tab—which was Discord in this case.

Once you’re still experiencing issues with Discord’s web version, you can try closing the browser or restarting your computer.

How to Restart the Discord Mobile App

Restarting the Discord mobile app is similar to restarting any installed app on your smartphone. A common method that works on both iOS and Android devices is first closing the app on the background apps screen and reopening the app afterward.

To do this on a device without a Menu button, swipe from the bottom to the middle of the screen to open all running background apps. Find the app preview for Discord and swipe it up to close the app.

If your phone has a Menu button, double-press the Menu button to show all background apps. Find Discord and swipe its tile up to close it. After you’ve closed the app, try reopening Discord and check if it works normally.

Once the Discord app on your Android phone still has problems, you can force close it via Settings. To do this, follow these steps:

Launch Settings > Apps and find Discord.
Tap it and select Force Stop.
After force-stopping the app, open Discord and check if all issues are fixed.

Hopefully you found this article useful. We have other articles – why not try our guide on How to Tell If Someone Blocked You on Discord.

Final Thoughts

Communicating through Discord is popular nowadays due to its features and ease of use. However, it’s still possible to face issues with its app or web version. Hopefully, this guide helps you restart Discord via its desktop, mobile app, or web version.