[Fixed] Discord Stuck on “Checking for Updates”‍

To fix Discord stuck on "Checking for Updates," you can follow these steps:

1. Check Discord servers: Occasionally, Discord servers may experience outages. Verify if Discord's servers are down by visiting their real-time status website.
2. Run Discord as administrator: Discord requires administrator privileges to update successfully. Right-click on the Discord app and select "Run as administrator."
3. Reboot your computer and router: Restart your PC and power cycle your router to address potential freezing or network issues.
4. Disable Windows Defender and antivirus: Temporarily turn off Windows Defender and any third-party antivirus software to prevent them from blocking Discord updates.
5. Clear Discord cache folder: Close Discord and clear the Discord cache folder by navigating to '%appdata%'. Restart Discord afterward.
6. Uninstall and re-install Discord: If all else fails, uninstall Discord using "appwiz.cpl," delete Discord folders in '%appdata%' and '%localappdata%,' and then reinstall the latest version from the official website.

Discord is a popular VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service and chat application widely used by gamers worldwide. It can do a lot more than just send a plain text or a voice message, and it offers a host of great features that's well-suited to gaming - like custom servers, dedicated channels for low-latency voice chats, and lots of personalisation and integrations.

However, Discord does have a few niggling errors that can sometimes threaten to ruin a gamer's experience. Particularly when it comes to updating Discord to the latest version, many gamers experience an issue where Discord gets stuck on Checking for updates.

So, if you've had a similar experience, and you're wondering how to fix Discord stuck on checking for updates, you've come to the right place. This step-by-step guide will give you five fixes that you can try out to resolve the issue.

Why is Discord stuck on "Checking for updates"?

There are a number of reasons why Discord could be stuck on checking for updates, such as:

1. The Discord client on your PC doesn't have administrator privileges, and hence, is being prevented from being able to complete the updation process.

2. You might be facing bad or choppy internet connection, or a network glitch, due to which Discord is not able to download the update files.

3. Windows Defender or the antivirus software installed in your PC might be preventing Discord from downloading and installing the required update files, by mistaking them for malware.

4. Discord cache files on your computer might have gotten corrupted. If this is the case, you must delete Discord app data completely. For this, uninstall Discord, delete all Discord-related files, and then download and re-install it from the official website.

5. Discord servers are down. (Very unlikely).

How to fix Discord stuck on "Checking for updates"

These are some methods you can try to resolve the Discord app being stuck on Checking for updates. Make sure that you start with no.1, and move to the next method only if the previous one doesn't fix the issue.

1. Check Discord servers

1. Very rarely, Discord's servers might be temporarily down, or experiencing some outage issues due to maintenance or technical problems.

2. Hence, make sure that Discord isn't stuck on updating for you due to an outage - you can check if Discord is down by going to their real-time status website.

2. Run Discord as administrator

1. This is one of the most common fixes for when Discord is stuck on checking for updates. The app needs administrator privileges to install the key components of the update that it has downloaded. So, if you haven't run the Discord client as administrator, the screen can get stuck while updating.

2. Here's how you can run Discord as administrator to resolve the issue.

3. Close the Discord app, press Windows key + S to bring up the search menu, and type discord

4. Right-click on the Discord app and select "Run as administrator", and grant the required permissions

   

5. That's it, Discord will now be granted administrator privileges, and the update should proceed smoothly once the app opens. If you encounter any issues, you can use the Task Manager to ensure that Discord is completely closed before running it as an administrator.

6. However, if Discord isn't updating automatically, here's what you need to do:

7. Press Windows key + R to bring up Run, and type in "%localappdata%" in the input field and click OK

   

8. In the window that opens up, go to the Discord folder and find "Update.exe", right-click on it and click on "Run as administrator"

That's it, the Discord update client should now have administrator access, and hence, should work smoothly. If Discord is still stuck on updating, try the below solutions.

3. Reboot your computer and router

1. Restart your PC by clicking on Windows > Power button > Restart. Doing so will shut down all of your computer's processes, including the kernel.

2. Once the PC reboots, you get a totally clean start, and apps that were experiencing some freezing or network issues might fare better.

3. Switch off your router, remove the power cable, and after keeping it idle after a while, reconnect it and switch it on again.

4. Once you see the lights on your modem flashing again, launch Discord and check if it is updating properly now.

4. Disable Windows Defender and antivirus

1. Windows Defender can sometimes misidentify downloaded update files as malicious software or viruses. Hence, try turning it off temporarily and update Discord to see if the problems persist.

2. Here's how you can turn off Windows Defender:

3. Press Windows key + S to bring up the search bar, and type "settings". Click on Settings.

4. Go to "Update & Security"

   

5. Click on "Windows Security" > "Virus & Threat Protection"

   

6. Click on "Manage Settings"

   

7. Disable "Turn on real-time protection" by toggling it off

   

8. If you've installed any third-party antivirus software like McAfee or Kaspersky, make sure to turn them off as well.

5. Clear Discord cache folder

1. If you run a lot of programs, chances are you'd have experienced a caching problem previously. Often, Discord stuck on checking for updates can be attributed to a similar caching issue. Hence, you can try clearing the Discord cache folder. Here's how to do it:

2. Close the Discord app, and press Windows key + R to bring up Run > Type ‘%appdata%' in the ‘Open' field and click on ‘OK'

   

3. In the ‘Roaming' folder that opens up, subfolder named ‘discord'

   

4. Now, restart Discord and check if it is updating properly

6. Uninstall and re-install Discord

1. If Discord is still stuck on checking for updates despite trying out all the above methods, you can try doing a complete uninstall of Discord and re-install the latest version. Here's how to do it:

2. Press Windows key + R to bring up Run, and input ‘appwiz.cpl' in the ‘Open' field to bring up the Windows uninstaller.

   

3. Under ‘Apps and Features', type in ‘discord' in the search field

4. Select the ‘Discord' application, and click on ‘Uninstall'

   

5. After Discord has been uninstalled, open Run > type in ‘%appdata' > Click ‘OK'

6. Select the ‘Discord' folder, and delete it

7. Next, open Run again > type in ‘%localappdata' > Click ‘OK'

   

8. In the Local folder, select the subfolder named "Discord" and delete it

   

9. Next, restart Windows, go to the Discord website, and download the latest version of Discord

   

10. Download and Install Discord by following the on-screen instructions

Conclusion

If you've tried all the above solutions and still Discord is stuck on checking for updates, you need to contact Discord support and let them know of the issue.

You can look for potential solutions in the Discord Help Centre, or if you have any queries, you can submit a request. You can also hit them up on Twitter, by tweeting your problem to @Discord.

FAQs

1. Why is Discord stuck on "Checking for updates"?

Discord can get stuck on "Checking for updates" due to various reasons, including:

• Lack of administrator privileges for the Discord client.

• Poor internet connection or network issues.

• Antivirus software or Windows Defender mistakenly blocking updates.

• Corrupted Discord cache files.

• Rare server outages (very unlikely).

2. How can I check if Discord's servers are causing the issue?

To check if Discord's servers are down, visit their real-time Discord server status website. This will help you determine if the problem is related to server outages.

3. How do I run Discord as an administrator to resolve the issue?

Follow these steps to run a Discord server as an administrator:

1. Close Discord.

2. Press Windows key + S, type "discord," and right-click on the Discord app.

3. Select "Run as administrator" and grant necessary permissions.

   If automatic updating still doesn't work, do the following:

4. Press Windows key + R, type "%localappdata%" and click OK.

5. Go to the Discord folder, find "Update.exe," right-click on it, and select "Run as administrator."

4. Should I restart my computer and router to resolve the issue?

Yes, restarting your computer and router can help. Restart your PC to clear processes and network issues, and power cycle your router by disconnecting and reconnecting it after a brief wait. Then, check if Discord updates properly.

5. How can I temporarily disable Windows Defender and antivirus software?

To disable Windows Defender:

1. Press Windows key + S and type "settings."

2. Go to "Update & Security."

3. Click on "Windows Security" > "Virus & Threat Protection."

4. Click on "Manage Settings" and disable "Turn on real-time protection."

If you have third-party antivirus software, disable it according to its specific instructions.

6. How can I clear the Discord cache folder to fix the issue?

Clearing the Discord cache folder may help:

1. Close Discord.

2. Press Windows key + R, type '%appdata%' and click OK.

3. In the 'Roaming' folder, find the 'discord' subfolder.

4. Restart Discord and check for updates.

7. What if none of the above methods work?

If Discord is still stuck on "Checking for updates" despite trying all the methods above, you can:

1. Uninstall Discord via "appwiz.cpl" in the Windows uninstaller.

2. Delete Discord folders in both '%appdata%' and '%localappdata%'.

3. Restart Windows.

4. Download and install the latest version of Discord from the official website.

8. What if the issue persists after reinstalling Discord?

If the problem continues, contact Discord support for assistance. You can find potential solutions in the Discord Help Centre or submit a support request. Additionally, you can reach out to them on Twitter at "@Discord" to report your issue.