Discord receives regular updates but some users encounter an issue where Discord is stuck on checking for updates screen like forever. So, they cannot update their client to get access to new features and bug fixes. The reasons for this error include network issues, meddlesome VPN, server issues, and problems with the existing installation. Try these fixes to resolve the update problem in Discord.
Table of Contents
1. Examine Your Network Connection
Since the Discord client needs an internet connection to check and download new updates, first examine your network connection. Open a website in a browser on your PC or launch a web-based app to check if the PC has an active internet connection or not.
You must also restart your router to clear the router cache and force it to re-establish connection with the ISP. After that, restart your PC and reconnect your PC to the internet. Launch Discord and check if it is able to check and download updates now.
2. Check Discord Servers
If the Discord servers are under maintenance, the app won’t be able to access the latest update and will be stuck on the checking screen. You can check the Discord server outage using their official status page. However, sometimes it is a not-so-widespread outage and may take some time to report. You can check third-party sites like DownDetector to check recent reports about a Discord server outage.
3. Run Discord as Admin
Missing privileges can also result in issues with checking and downloading updates in the Discord app. So, terminate Discord using Task Manager and relaunch it with admin rights. Here’s how to do it:
1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys at once to open the Task Manager.
2. Find the Discord app in the list and right-click on it. Select the End Task option.
3. Press the Windows key, type Discord, and click on the Run as administrator option.
4. The User Account Control window will launch. Click on the Yes button.
4. Disable VPN For Sometime
VPN services can also interfere with establishing connections and cause Discord stuck on checking for updates issue. So, disable the VPN connection for some time. Here’s how to do it:
1. Go to the right side of the Taskbar and click on the arrow button to expand the system tray icons.
2. Right-click on the VPN app and select the Disconnect option.
Most VPN apps reside in the system tray icons area for easier access and you can disable it from there. If you use a manual VPN connection, you can disable it using the Settings app.
5. Disable Antivirus Program
Over-protective anti-virus programs can impede apps from connecting to the internet and downloading additional data. So, you must disable it temporarily and check if the Discord app is able to check and download updates. Here’s how to do it:
1. Press the Windows key, type virus & threat protection, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to the Virus & threat protection settings section. Click on the Manage settings option.
3. Click on the toggle below the Real-time protection option.
4. The User Account Control window will launch. Click on the Yes button to disable real-time protection.
5. Close the Windows Security app.
6. Delete the Discord AppData Folder
Corrupt AppData folder contents can also impede Discord from checking and downloading updates. So, you must remove this folder and force Discord to recreate it again. Follow the below-mentioned steps:
1. Firstly, close the Discord app using Task Manager.
2. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type %localappdata% in the text box and press Enter.
3. Right-click on the Discord folder. Click on the Delete icon.
4. Re-launch Discord with admin rights.
7. Renew the DHCP Lease
Renewing the DHCP lease will force your router to assign a new IP address and help you download the app updates. Here’s how to do it using the Command Prompt:
1. Press the Windows key, type cmd, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys at once.
2. The User Account Control window will pop up. Click on the Yes button.
3. Type the following command and press Enter:
ipconfig/release
4. After that, execute the following command:
ipconfig/renew
5. Close the Command Prompt window and restart your PC.
8. Reset Network Connection
The last resort to fix a network issue is by resetting the network connection using the Settings app. Here’s how:
1. Press the Windows key, type network reset, and press Enter.
2. Click on the Reset now button.
3. Restart your PC.
9. Download Discord From Official Site
If the automatic check fails repeatedly, you can download the latest version of the Discord app from the official site. Many users were able to fix the update issues with Discord and didn’t need to reinstall the app. So, download the executable file and then install the app on your PC. If you want, you can also try the Alpha or Beta version of the app, but be prepared for some glitches and instability.
10. Use the Web Version
If the Discord app is still acting cranky and not allowing you to bypass the check for updates screen, you can use the web version instead. Just visit the official Discord site and log in with your account.
Fix the Discord Update Issue
These were the ten methods to fix the Discord stuck on checking for updates issues on Windows. Start by performing preliminary network fixes, checking the Discord server status, and running the app with admin rights. After that, delete the local app data, reset network connections, and download and install the latest app file from the Discord website.
