It’s no secret that Discord is one of the best ways to communicate in the gaming community. However, it’s still prone to experiencing issues, particularly with the rise of people using the application. One of these negative outcomes is the Discord users getting stuck on checking for updates error.
In this guide, we’re going to look at how to fix Discord when stuck on checking for updates.
How Do You Fix Discord When Stuck on Checking For Updates?
Periodically, Discord will update some of its features and core mechanics. When these updates pop up, it’s natural for users to try to download and install them, since they generally assist with various security measures and improve the overall performance of the app.
Although, some users have reported that their Discord will remain stuck on checking for updates, which is obviously an issue. So, here are seven things you can try to resolve the problem:
1. Check your Internet Connection
When your Discord is having trouble with updates, the first thing you need to do is check to make sure that your internet connection is stable. This can be as simple as opening another app on your device or using your web browser to surf the web and check whether your internet connection is working properly. If your internet connection is normal, then you can move on to our next method.
2. Check the Discord Servers
If your internet connection is stable, and you still can’t update your Discord, then the issue could lie with the Discord servers. Thankfully, there is a site you can navigate to which will show you the real-time status of Discord, notifying you if any services are down at the moment. That website is called DiscordStatus.com.
If the servers are down, then all you can do at this point is wait for Discord to solve the problem on their end. If the servers are up and running as usual, you can move on to the next method.
3. Run Discord as Administrator
Another common fix for a problem like this is to run Discord as administrator. Much like any other app, Discord needs administrator privileges in order to install key components of an update that’s trying to download. So, generally just running Discord as administrator can help the software complete the update.
To do this, you can right-click on the Discord app, and select “Run as administrator”. At this point Discord will be granted administrator privileges and the update should run smoothly. If you’re still getting stuck on checking for updates, continue on to our next method.
Related: Why Are Messages Not Sending on Discord?
4. Disable Proxy Server
Alternatively, you can try to disable the proxy server. The proxy acts as a sort of firewall between your computer and the internet. So, if your Discord is getting stuck on checking for updates, then it could be that the proxy is disrupting the internet connection.
To deactivate the proxy server, follow these steps:
- Press “Win+R” to open “Run”
- Type “cpl” in “Run” and press “Enter” to open “Internet Properties”
- Switch to the “Connections” tab
- Click the “LAN settings” button
- Make sure “Use a proxy server for your LAN” is unchecked
- Press “Apply” and “OK” to save the change
Afterwards, you can try to run Discord again. If the error persists, then you can move on to our next method.
5. Temporarily Disable your Windows Defender and Firewall
Similarly, the Windows Defender or any other Antivirus and Firewall software could be the source of the problem. Since they can sometimes fail to distinguish the difference between malware and app updates, therefore blocking these updates from occurring.
To disable your Windows Defender and Firewall, follow these steps:
- Navigate to “Update & Security” from the “Windows Settings”
- Select “Windows Security” and click on “Virus & threat protection”
- Then scroll down and select the “Manage Settings” option
- From here, you will be able to disable Windows Defender by turning off “Real-time protection”
This could certainly be what’s holding you back from updating your Discord. However, if you’re still having difficulties, you can try our next method.
6. Rename the Discord Update File
Another possibility is that there’s a corrupted Discord file present. If this is the case, then you can simply rename the update file, which will force Discord a new copy of the file, thus solving the issue.
To rename the Discord update file, follow these steps:
- Force close the Discord updating process
- Press “Win+R” to open “Run”
- Type “%localappdata%” in “Run” and press “Enter” to open “AppData” local folder
- Find the Discord folder and open it
- Find the “exe” and rename it to “UpdateX.exe”
Once you’ve done this, you can open up your Discord and see whether it has updated successfully. You can also try rebooting your computer and launching Discord again, as it should download the new file and begin installation. If the issue persists, then you can move on to our final method.
7. Reinstall the Discord App
Lastly, if you’re still stuck on checking for updates, you will need to reinstall the Discord app on your device. This is listed as our final method because it should be your last resort if nothing else works, since it will completely remove all data.
To remove Discord and reinstall the app, follow these steps:
- Go to “Control Panel”, and click on “Uninstall a Program” under “Programs
- Right-click on the Discord app and select “Uninstall”
- Once the app has been removed, type “%localappdata%” in the “Run” dialog box
- Locate the “Discord Subfolder” and delete it
Once this is done, you can restart your computer, go back to the Discord website and begin downloading the installation file once again. Which should resolve the problem at hand.
That’s everything you need to know about how to fix Discord when stuck on checking for updates. In the meantime, be sure to check out some of our other Discord content here at Gamer Journalist. Like the best Discord PFP pictures and ideas or how to turn off Overlay in Discord.
