We've all been there, you just logged into your Windows PC and want to open Google Chrome, but everything is loading at a snail's pace. If you have Discord installed, this slowdown is likely caused by it opening and updating automatically at startup, which can be infuriating when business needs to get done on A PC away from your favorite Chromebook. This happens due to a couple of sneaky settings both in Discord's properties folder and in the app's settings, opening and updating Discord without your input. Fortunately, we have built a handy guide so you can quickly and easily disable these features, leaving all your existing Discord settings intact and ready to go without the annoying auto start.
What is Discord?
Discord is one of the best apps for mass communication and organization currently available, connecting multiple users at once in servers that can be customized, moderated, and deleted at the host's behest. Build your server and join your team to collaborate on work projects, school tasks, and fandom events, or hang out with friends over live voice chats while playing Xbox. Discord's plethora of features and capabilities put it on a different level than even the best messaging apps, providing a lively and stable platform for organizing events and connecting people.
How to disable Discord's auto start-up feature on a Windows PC
- Navigate to the Discord icon either on your desktop or in your folders. Click on it to open Discord.
- On your Discord home page, click on the gear icon in the screen's bottom left corner. This will open your User Settings page.
- Navigate to App Settings and click on Windows Settings.
- Navigate to the green toggle next to Open Discord. Click on it once to disable it. You will know it has worked if the toggle turns grey.
Will this completely solve the problem of a slow startup?
Regrettably, while disabling this setting will prevent Discord from opening upon startup, it does not control automatic updates triggered by opening the app itself. Discord is very eager to keep users up to date with the latest version, a process that can be annoyingly lengthy. But never fear; there is a way to prevent this as well, giving you the option of only receiving updates when you choose to.
How to prevent automatic Discord updates on a Windows PC
- Locate Discord in your File Explorer application, (this can be done manually or via the search bar at the top right of the screen).
- Right-click the icon to open the Options menu and left-click Open File Location. This will take you to Discord's file on your PC.
- Right-click on Update and left-click Properties. This will bring up the app's Properties menu.
- In the General Tab, navigate to Attributes at the bottom of the screen. Click the box next to Read Only. A tick will appear inside it.
- Click Apply at the bottom of the screen, and then click OK.
Can auto startup and auto-updates be reactivated in Discord?
Of course! These two settings are easy to toggle and switch at your leisure. To do so, simply follow the above steps again and toggle Open Discord to reactivate auto startup or uncheck Read Only to recommence auto-updating respectively. This guide is purely for taking control of some settings that can be overbearing for new users, particularly because they are so easy to disable. No other settings should be affected; spare any new features that Discord introduces before your next manual update.
Make Discord work for you!
Discord is one of the best apps for bringing groups of any size together for both the professional and the casual, especially on a Windows PC. But even we accept that the app isn't going to have new content available every time you log in, and you don't need it shoved in your face either; even the most popular apps on the market shouldn't be too pushy. Following these steps will make sure that Discord appears and updates only when you want it to, leaving the app idle until you wish to use it, and it wasn't even that hard. Do be sure to check in with Discord from time to time, just in case important updates do come up.