Discord allows gamers to voice chat, exchange messages, and even stream their gameplay to others. However, stream lag can occur, causing audio and video delays, and leading to frustration among users. There could be many reasons for this issue and finding its solution can be time-consuming and hectic as well.
This article will guide users on how to fix the Discord stream lag issue.
Why Does Discord Stream Lag Occur?
Some of the major reason why Discord stream lag occur are discussed below
- High resource usage by the game or other applications running in the background.
- Discord not utilizing the CPU efficiently for processing.
- Enabled Quality of Service packet feature affecting the stream.
- Network connection issues.
- Outdated graphics drivers.
- Discord voice and video settings are not optimized for streaming.
- Accumulated cache data causing performance degradation.
- Insufficient permissions for Discord.
- Interference from other applications and background processes.
- VPN or proxy connections cause latency.
How to Fix Discord Stream Lag?
A user can apply the below-discussed solutions to fix the Discord stream lag issue.
Fix 1: Optimize the Internet Connection
This problem can occur if the streaming requires more bandwidth whereas the user has a low-speed internet connection. So, it is highly recommended to check the internet by running any video on YouTube to verify if it is still lagging or not. Moreover, the internet speed can be checked by clicking on this link:
Fix 2: Check Resource Usage
Discord stream lag usually occurs when a user is running lots of different applications so there are very limited resources left for Discord application to stream properly. This can be done by launching the task manager by pressing “CTRL +ALT +DELETE” and then checking the system resources:
The value could vary for different users but if these values are close to 100 percent, then try to close other apps running in the background and check again.
Fix 3: Update Discord Application
If a user is using an outdated Discord application, then they should immediately update their Discord application which can be done by following the below steps.
Step 1: Execute %localappdata%
To start this process, first launch the “Run” box by pressing the “Windows + R” keys:
Next, type “%localappdata%” inside the run utility and press the “OK” button to execute it:
Step 2: Execute the Update File
Next, execute the “Update” executable file which will start updating Discord:
Fix 4: Forced Discord to Use CPU for Processing
Sometimes Discord is not able to use the CPU resources properly without having administrator rights. To fix the Discord stream lag issue by allocating the Discord administrative right, follow the below-given steps.
Step 1: Open Discord Properties
To start, right-click on Discord and select properties:
Step 2: Select the “Compatibility” Settings
Select “Run this program as an administrator” from the “Compatibility” settings menu and after that, hit the “Apply” button:
Fix 5: Disable Discord Quality of Service Packet Feature
Sometimes Discord’s quality of service can conflict with the streaming feature and slow it down which can be fixed by following the below steps.
Step 1: Open Discord User Settings
First, open the Discord settings by clicking on the gear icon available on the right side of the user profile:
Step 2: Navigate to “Voice & Video” Settings
Next, go to the “Voice & Video” tab and uncheck “Enable Quality of Service High Packet Priority” to turn this setting off:
Fix 6: Update Graphics Driver
Streaming also depends on the graphic card and if its driver is outdated then this issue can occur which can be resolved by following the below steps.
Step 1: Execute “devmgmt.msc”
Launch the “Run” utility and then type “devmgmt.msc” in the “Open” drop-down field. After that, hit the Enter key to launch the Windows Device Manager tool:
Step 2: Update Display Adapters
Next, open the “Display adapters” drop-down option, right-click on the driver, and select the “Update driver” option:
Fix 7: Adjust Discord Voice and Video Settings
Adjusting the voice and video quality of the Discord application can significantly improve the Discord streaming quality which can be done through the “Voice & Video” settings:
Fix 8: Clear Discord Cache
This issue can also be caused by an outdated Discord cache that is conflicting with the system files, which can be removed by following the steps below.
Step 1: Execute “%appdata%”
First, launch the Run utility and execute “%appdata” through it:
Step 2: Navigate to the Cache Directory
Next, open the “Discord” folder and then locate the “Cache” folder to remove all the “Cache_Data”: files inside it:
Fix 9: Disable VPN
VPNs can consume more bandwidth than others, which can be a problem if the internet connection is slow and a user can face lag while streaming.
To fix the Discord Stream lag issue, launch the VPN that a user is using and then turn it off:
That’s all about the “How to Fix Discord Stream Lag”.
Conclusion
Streaming is one of the most useful features of the Discord application but sometimes the stream starts to lag and the audio and video mismatches which can ruin all the fun. To fix the specified issue, check the internet connection, update the Discord app, use Discord with admin rights, update drivers, or adjust Discord voice and video settings. This blog has illustrated the fixes to tackle the Discord stream lag problem.
