Discord is a communication app that provides features and services for gamers. It enables users to communicate with their Discord friends while playing a full-screen game. However, some users have reported an error “Discord Overlay not working in Windows 10”. This error causes a big problem because it prevents users from properly communicating with their friends during their gaming sessions.
This post will show you how to fix the error “Discord Overlay not working in Windows 10”. We will also provide you with detailed steps on how to resolve the issue. The steps are easy, and you can follow them without any problem. So, let’s begin. What is Discord Overlay? Discord Overlay is a web extension that enables users to chat in Discord while playing a game.
Fix the Discord Overlay Not Working Issue
The following are some solutions to this issue. Unfortunately, it may take you several tries to get your Discord back online.
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Discord Overlay Must Be Enabled
If Discord Overlay isn’t working, you should check whether you have enabled the in-game overlay if Discord Overlay isn’t working.
- Click the Settings icon in Discord.
- Click Overlay on the left panel—Select Enable in-game overlay from the dropdown list.
- Next, click Games from the left-hand side. Ensure you have enabled the OVERLAY feature for the game you are playing under GAME ACTIVITY.
Now you can try rerunning your game to see if Discord Overlay is currently working. If not, continue to the next step.
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Set Up Discord As Administrator
Running Discord as administrator will fix the Discord Overlay not showing the issue.
- Start by right-clicking the Discord shortcut on your desktop and selecting Properties.
- Click the Compatibility tab in the pop-up window and choose Run this program as an administrator. Finally, click OK to close the window.
- The third step is to open Discord and restart the game to see if the error has been resolved.
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Temporarily Disable Third-Party Antivirus Apps
Discord may encounter problems with some third-party applications, such as antivirus applications, which may cause Discord Overlay not to work. If you are having issues with Discord Overlay, you can disable third-party applications temporarily to check if the issue has been resolved. Then open Discord and relaunch your game to check if the issue has been resolved.
To disable a third-party application, click the “More” button in the lower-left corner of the window. Next, select “Settings” and then click “Apps.” Next, click on the “App” tab and scroll down until you find Discord. Disable the app and wait for it to be reloaded. If the problem persists, you may need to reinstall Discord. You can also change the Discord settings in your Steam client.
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Discord: Disable Hardware Acceleration
The hardware acceleration feature in Discord can be disabled. Hardware acceleration is used for the smooth operation of Discord.
This feature, however, sometimes results in the “Discord Overlay not showing or not working.” If the error occurs after you have enabled Hardware Acceleration, you might want to disable the feature and see if the error still occurs.
- Launch Discord and navigate to Settings.
- Next, click Appearance in the left panel and then disable Hardware Acceleration.
- After you restart your game, check to see if Discord works.
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Install Discord Again
If you’ve tried all the solutions mentioned above, reinstalling Discord will solve the issue, but Discord Overlay still doesn’t work.
- Launch the Run dialog box by pressing Win + R. Enter control and click OK to open Control Panel.
- Select View by Category and Uninstall a program from the list.
- Select Uninstall from the pop-up window by right-clicking Discord.
- After restarting your PC, download Discord from the website, once it is installed, you can use it.
- Click the Discord icon. Launch your game and add it to Discord.
- Turn on the in-game overlay feature for the game you’re playing.
This should fix the problem with Discord Overlay not working.