Gamers have been searching for an ideal, user-friendly communication platform for years.
They have used several great programs over the past few decades, including Skype, TeamSpeak, Ventrilo, and many others. However, none of these other applications delivered what Discord has brought to the table.
Discord is deemed one of the most instinctive VoIP apps for students, gamers, and even businesses around the world.
It’s easy to set up, simple to operate, has reliable servers, and is packed with various outstanding characteristics.
Unfortunately, not everybody gets to enjoy the “easy to install” experience. A lot of users have had issues with Discord not installing.
If you have encountered problems when installing Discord, here are several possible fixes.
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Fix 1: Remove Previous Discord Installation
A common reason people have installation issues with Discord is that the application is already installed on their device.
The process of installing Discord is quite easy. The setup file starts the installation, and it only takes a few seconds to complete. There’s no need to follow any complicated instructions. As a result, a few individuals may install the app unknowingly.
However, you might have installed an older version of Discord that hasn’t been completely removed. Perhaps an existing cache on your computer is corrupting the installation. Whatever the case, we have a fix for this issue.
Here is what you need to do to delete old versions of Discord from your PC.
- Open the Start Menu, search for and open Add or Remove Programs
- On the new window, find Discord in the list of applications.
- Select it and click Uninstall
- Discord should automatically uninstall in seconds.
Once you have successfully removed the older version of Discord, you can try installing the new version. If it still doesn’t work, you should continue to Fix 2 to clean your cache.
Fix 2: Removing Discord Cache
- Press Windows key + R. This will open the Run program
- Type in %appdata%. This will redirect you to your Windows storage for caching
- Find the Discord folder and delete it
- Go up one folder to reach, by default, C:UsersYour UserNameAppData and click Local.
- Again find the Discord folder and delete it.
You can now be confident that any trace of the previous Discord version on your computer has been erased. It should now be possible to install Discord on your computer easily.
If you still can’t, read the other fixes below.
Fix 3: Run The Program As Administrator
Windows can often cause issues with applications and installation files because of a lack of permissions.
Even if your Windows user profile has administrator privileges, the Discord installation itself might lack the necessary permissions to install the application.
To grant the app the necessary permissions, try these steps:
- Right-click DiscordSetup.exe (setup file)
- Select Run as Administrator and confirm your choice
By running the application with administrator rights, the installation should be completed without any errors.
Fix 4: Add An Anti-Virus Exclusion
Windows Security, the default anti-virus software on every Windows device, is known to prevent some applications from launching, installing, and updating. This could be causing your problem.
To prevent Windows Security from interfering with your Discord installation, try this:
- Click the upwards arrow next to the clock and tray icons on the taskbar and double-click the shield icon (Windows Security).
- Once Window Security is open, go to Virus & Threat Protection, then to Manage settings under Virus & Threat Protection settings.
- Scroll to the bottom and look for “Add or remove exclusions.”
- Add a file exclusion and select the “DiscordSetup.exe” you downloaded.
With an exception added, your anti-virus should no longer interfere with the installation process.
Bonus Fix: Redownload The Setup File
If you are still dealing with the same issues or errors after adding an anti-virus exclusion, try downloading the Discord setup file again.
Windows Security might have permanently blocked or deleted important parts of the installation file. You might be able to fix this by visiting the official Discord website and downloading a new setup file after deleting the old one.
By implementing these adjustments in your troubleshooting process, you shouldn’t encounter any more Discord installation issues in the future.