Introduction

When it comes to digital platforms that unite gamers, few are as popular as Discord. This chat-based communication tool designed for gamers provides voice, video and text support, making it a powerful tool for in-play communication. However, some users may find a particular feature problematic – Discord auto-starting when you boot up your system. This automatic action can slow down PC start-up times and hog system resources, leading many to seek ways to prevent Discord from automatically launching. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps necessary to accomplish this across several operating systems.

Why Discord Auto-Starts

Natively, Discord is designed to auto-start for convenience, ensuring users don’t miss any updates or messages from their gaming communities. While this is a handy feature, lower-end PCs might be crippled by increased startup times. Furthermore, not everyone appreciates or even requires this feature to be active all the time, and would rather control when the app launches.

Steps to Disable Auto-Start for Discord on Windows

The process to disable auto-start for Discord on a Windows system is straightforward. Follow the illustrated steps below:

1. Open Discord:

Start by clicking on the Discord icon to open it.

2. Head to User Settings:

Click on the small gear icon at the bottom of your Discord window, labelled as ‘User Settings’.

3. Click Windows Settings:

Find the ‘Windows Settings’ option under the App Settings section.

4. Toggle off Open Discord:

Turn off the toggle switch next to ‘Open Discord’. This will stop the program from automatically launching at startup.



Steps to Disable Auto-Start for Discord on MacOS

For those using MacOS, the steps to disable auto-start are slightly different. Here’s a detailed run-through of the process:

1. Open Discord:

Open your Discord app by clicking the app icon.

2. Open Discord’s options:

Click on ‘Discord’ in the top-left of the menu bar.

3. Go to ‘Preferences’:

Click on the ‘Preferences’ option under the ‘Discord’ menu.

4. Choose ‘Advanced’ option:

Switch to the ‘Advanced’ tab which is the last tab in the Preferences window.

5. Uncheck ‘Open at Login’:

Uncheck the box next to ‘Open at Login’ to stop Discord from auto-starting.

Steps to Disable Auto-Start for Discord on Mobile Devices

Disabling auto-start for Discord on mobile devices is a little different from desktop versions, mainly due to the fact that mobile operating systems do not have a traditional startup sequence. However, the following steps will help limit Discord’s background activity on iOS and Android:

For iOS:

Go to Settings -> Scroll down and tap ‘Discord’ -> Switch off ‘Background App Refresh’.

For Android:

Go to Settings -> Apps -> Discord -> Battery -> Manage battery usage -> Switch off ‘Allow background activity’.

Trouble-shooting

If you still encounter issues with Discord auto-starting, you might need to check your system’s startup settings. In some cases, Discord may have been granted permission to run on startup from within your system, rather than through the app itself.

Conclusion

Deactivating the auto-start feature of Discord across different operating systems is usually a straightforward process. By following these simple steps, you can enjoy quicker startup times and less background activity on your device.

FAQ

Why does Discord automatically start when I turn on my computer?

Discord is designed to auto-start so that users don’t miss any updates from their gaming communities. However, if this feature doesn’t appeal, it can be disabled as explained above.

Does disabling auto-start impact Discord notifications?

No, disabling auto-start will not affect your ability to receive notifications when Discord is open.

I can’t find the option to disable auto-start on my Discord, what can I do?

Make sure you are using the latest version of Discord as this guide applies to current versions. If the issue persists, check your system’s startup settings.

Can auto-start be disabled on all versions of Discord?

Auto-start can be disabled on Windows, MacOS as well as the mobile versions.

After disabling auto-start, Discord still opens automatically. What can I do?

If Discord still auto-starts, check your system’s startup settings as the app may have been granted startup permission there.