Dealing with Discord stuck on checking for updates is super frustrating, especially when it doesn’t seem to do anything for ages. Discord is pretty needy about updates—frequent patches, bug fixes, new features. But sometimes, instead of updating smoothly, it just hangs or refuses to install the latest version. Like, it’s checking forever, and that’s kinda useless because you can’t chat or join servers until it decides to move on.
Most of the time, it’s not a big deal—could be network hiccups, Discord servers having a slow day, or some local glitch. But fixing it isn’t always obvious. The good news is, there are a few tricks that can at least get things back on track. Here’s what’s worked in the trenches, so hopefully one of these gets you un-stuck and updating again.
How to Fix Discord Stuck on Checking for Updates in Windows 11
Check Your Internet Connection First
Seems obvious, but poor internet connection or network issues can make Discord think it’s checking for updates forever. If your Wi-Fi is flaky or slow, that might be the culprit. Try disconnecting from Wi-Fi and switch to a wired connection if possible—an Ethernet cable, USB tether, whatever helps. Sometimes, resetting network settings clears up weird issues, too. Because Windows, of course, has to make everything slightly more complicated than it needs to be.
To do that:
- Open Settings from the Start menu or press Windows + I.
- Head to Network & Internet on the sidebar.
- Click on Advanced Network Settings. This can sometimes be buried under options like More network adapters.
- Find and choose Network Reset. Confirm, and then click Reset Now. It’ll ask for a restart—do that, reconnect, and try updating again.
It’s weird, but resetting network settings has fixed this for a few folks. Expect internet to cut out temporarily, but it often helps with Discord update issues.
Check if Discord Servers Are Up
If Discord’s servers are having a rough day, updates might stall or never come through. Check the official Discord Status Page or Downdetector to see if there’s a known outage or ongoing trouble. If yes, all you can really do is wait until they fix the issue on their end. Sometimes, that can be hours, so patience is key.
On some setups, I’ve seen Discord’s update checker fail simply because the servers were busy or down—nothing you did wrong, just bad timing.
Disconnect from VPN
VPNs are fun, but they can interfere with app updates—whether it’s due to IP restrictions or just high latency. If you’re using a VPN, disconnect from it temporarily. Then, try to run the update again. Some users report that Discord checks hang or get stuck when VPNs are active. It’s kinda annoying, but yeah, often a quick disconnect solves the problem.
Run Discord as an Administrator
Permissions matter. If Discord doesn’t have the right access, it might get stuck trying to write updates or check files. Finding a way around that is simple:
- Close Discord completely—from the tray if it’s running.
- Go to the Start menu, type Discord.
- Right-click on the app’s icon, then choose Run as Administrator.
- Click Yes when the User Account Control prompt pops up.
On some machines, this extra permission step makes all the difference. After doing this, try clicking check for updates again. Sometimes, it works like a charm.
Clear Discord Cache Files
Corrupted cache files can mess with Discord’s update checker. It’s kind of weird, but deleting these cache files can help force the app to reinitialize and finally check for the latest update properly. Here’s how you do it:
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
- Type
%localappdata%and hit Enter. - Find the folder named Discord.
- Delete the entire folder — don’t worry, when you restart Discord, it’ll recreate the cache files automatically.
After clearing the cache, launch Discord again and see if it moves past “checking for updates.” Worked for me in some stubborn cases.
Download & Install Latest Version Directly
If nothing else works, sometimes it’s easiest just to get the freshest copy from their website. Head over to the official Discord site. Hit “Download for Windows, ” run the setup, and install the latest version manually. This bypasses the stuck update checker entirely and guarantees your app is current.
Make sure to close Discord before running the installer, or you might just end up with duplicate processes. After installation, it should update itself or at least be at the latest version.
Bottom Line
When Discord gets stuck on checking for updates in Windows 11, a combination of network resets, server checks, permission tweaks, or manual updates usually does the trick. It’s annoying, but these steps are pretty straightforward once you figure out what’s causing the hang-up. Especially, downloading the newest version directly from the site can quickly solve the problem when all else fails. Just keep in mind—sometimes, the issue’s on Discord’s side, so patience might be the best weapon.
Summary
- Check your internet connection or reset network settings.
- Verify if Discord servers are online using status pages.
- Temporarily disconnect from VPNs if used.
- Run Discord as an administrator.
- Clear cache files in %localappdata%\Discord.
- Download and install the latest Discord version from their site.
Wrap-up
Fingers crossed, this does the trick for most. In case it doesn’t, at least you’ve got other options to try. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of waiting for Discord’s servers to stabilize, or a quick clean-up to fix local glitches. Hopefully, this shaves off a few hours of frustration and gets you updating again in no time.