Key Points
- Discord is a platform for hanging out with friends and discussing niche topics.
- To restart Discord on a Mac, quit the application from the dock and force quit if necessary.
- To restart Discord on Windows, close the application from the system tray and use Task Manager if needed.
- To restart Discord on a mobile device, swipe up to close the app and force stop on Android if necessary.
- If issues persist, restarting the device may help resolve the problem.
Discord is an amazing platform for hanging out with your friends and discussing whatever niche topics you’re into. But as with any software, sometimes you can run into a glitch, or the app just isn’t working as it should. Maybe your poll or bot isn’t working, your channels and servers aren’t loading, or the application simply isn’t launching at all. To help you get things back up and running, we’re going to reveal how you can restart Discord by following some simple steps. But don’t worry; doing this won’t cause any data loss, and won’t even log you out of the app. Let’s get started!
How to Restart Discord on a Mac
The process of restarting Discord on a Mac really couldn’t be simpler. Check out the easy steps next to get this done.
Step 1: Quit Discord From the Dock
First, find the Discord application in your dock, right-click, and then click “Quit”. This will stop the application from running. If this doesn’t work, the application may not be responding. To resolve this, take a look at the next step.

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Step 2: Force Quit Discord
To force quit Discord on a Mac, use the Cmd+Option+Esc key combination. The “Option” key is between the “Ctrl” and “Cmd” keys and has “alt” written at the top. Next, click the Discord application, and then hit “Force Quit” in the bottom-right corner to shut it down.

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Step 3: Open Discord Again
To finish restarting Discord, locate the app in your Applications folder in a Finder window, and double-click to open. That’s it!

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How to Restart Discord on Windows
The method for restarting Discord on Windows is pretty similar to that on a Mac. But instead of going to the Dock, you’ll want to click the “X” in the corner of the Discord window and then quit it from the System Tray at the bottom. If the application isn’t responding, you can open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc and then closing it down. After this, you can launch it again by searching for it on the Start menu.
How to Restart Discord on a Mobile
Using Discord on a mobile device is common, as it’s an even more convenient way to keep up with your friends and fellow gamers. The steps for restarting the Discord mobile app are next.
Step 1: Swipe Up on Your Screen
To begin, simply swipe up on your screen to bring up your currently active apps.
Step 2: Swipe Up on Discord to Close the App
Next, find the open Discord window and swipe up again to close the application. If you’re using an iPhone, this is all you need to do. However, Android users will need to follow the extra steps below to make sure Discord is closed.

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Step 3: Force Stop Discord
If you’re using an Android device, this doesn’t completely stop the app. To make sure Discord is fully closed, go to your settings. Then, locate the “Apps” tab, and then the Discord app. From here, tap “Force stop” in the bottom right to shut down the Discord app completely.

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Step 4: Open Discord Again
Lastly, locate the Discord app on your home screen, or by searching for it in the search bar. Give it a tap, and it’ll open again.

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While these easy steps should resolve the problem, if you’re still encountering issues, it’s always a good idea to try restarting your device. You should be back to using the app in no time.
Wrapping Up
While Discord is a fun and useful app for chatting with your friends and family, it can sometimes stop working properly. Luckily, the steps for restarting Discord are fairly simple:
- On a Mac, simply right-click Discord in the Dock and click “Quit”. After this, reopen the app from your Applications folder to restart it.
- On Windows, click the “X” in the corner of the Discord window, quit the application in the System Tray, and then restart from the Start menu.
- On a mobile device, swipe up from the home screen, and then swipe up on the Discord window to close. If using Android, you can also force-stop Discord from your Apps folder in your settings. After that, tap the Discord icon to reopen it.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©rafapress/Shutterstock.com.