How to Fix Discord Overlay Not Working Error in 6 Simple Ways

One of the things I love Discord for is its overlay feature that lets you chat with others while playing a full-screen game. But it can be such a bummer to find the Discord overlay not working for some games. This problem occurs for specific games, and there can be various reasons for its occurrence.

Before I discuss potential solutions, let’s explore some of the possible causes of this issue and then apply the right solution to fix it.

5 Reasons Why Discord Overlay Not Working for Some Games

The overlay is designed to work for particular games. Some of them are Fortnite, Minecraft, DOTA 2, WoW, CSGO, and more. But if it still doesn’t work during the gameplay, it may happen due to the following reasons:

1. Disabled Discord Overlay: If the Discord Overlay option is disabled for the game, you’ll probably see the Discord Overlay Not Working error message. At times, this feature is disabled for all games. So, you may see the same error message for all the games.
2. Hardware Acceleration: Generally, turning on the hardware acceleration for the overlay feature helps it perform more efficiently. But this can also cause it to malfunction during some games. And then, you’ll get the Discord Overlay Not Working error message during the gameplay.
3. Game Not Listed: If your game is not automatically added to the Discord Overlay’s game list or you haven’t configured the Game Overlay settings correctly, this feature won’t work. And you’ll end up seeing the Discord Overlay Not Working error message.
4. Scaled Window Display: Sometimes, Discord Overlay hides due to a scaled Windows display. That is, you can not see the Discord Overlay if the display is scaled over 100%. So, you won’t see any error message, but you won’t be able to see or use the Discord Overlay feature on your game screen.
5. Off-Screen Overlay Menu: Since the Discord Overlay menu is moveable on your screen, it is possible that you may have unintentionally moved it off-screen. This problem occurs with scaled display games. It means the overlay is working fine, but you’re just unable to see it.

6 Easy Methods to Fix Discord Overlay Not Working Error

Before you go for these fixes, reboot your PC or restart the Discord app. So, if it’s a temporary glitch, it’ll get fixed. But if the issue persists, you should try one of the 6 fixes mentioned below:

1. Enable Overlay in Discord

You often get the Discord Overlay Not Working error because this feature is disabled for a specific or every game. If this is the case, all you have to do is enable in-game overlay from Discord settings. To enable the overlay feature in Discord, follow these steps:

1. Open Discord and click the Settings icon.

2. Scroll down the left panel and locate Game Overlay under Activity Settings.

3. Click Game Overlay and make sure the toggle next to Enable in-game overlay is on. If it isn’t, click the toggle and activate it.

Now, follow these steps to enable the in-game overlay for specific games or apps on your computer.

1. Run the game in the background to enable overlay settings for it in Discord. Then, Tap Registered Games in the left panel under Activity Settings.

2. In the right panel, select the game for which you want to enable the overlay option. Then, click the Monitor icon next to its name.

However, if your game doesn’t appear in Discord’s game list, you can add it manually by clicking the blue Add it under the registered games.

Once you are done with these steps, launch the game and check if Discord Overlay not working issue is resolved or not.

2. Run Discord as Administrator

Running the Discord app with administrator rights on your computer system can help you fix the Discord Overlay Not Working error. Here’s how you can run the Discord app as an administrator:

1. Right click the Discord shortcut on your desktop and select Properties from the drop-down menu.

2. Open the Compatibility tab in the pop-up window.

3. Check the box next to Run this program as an administrator in the Settings section and click OK.

4. Open Discord during your gameplay to check if the Discord Overlay not working error is gone or not.

3. Disable Third-Party Antivirus

Third-party antivirus apps may interfere with the Discord app’s processes, causing its overlay to malfunction. This also leads to Discord Overlay not working error. To resolve this error, you can either disable the antivirus app or add Discord to the exception list of your antivirus program.

So, let’s see how you can disable a third-party antivirus software temporarily:

1. Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open Settings. Here, select Update & Security.

2. Click Windows Security in the left navigation bar.

3. Click Virus & threat protection under the Protection areas in the right panel.

4. Once the new window opens, scroll the right panel to locate Manage settings and click it.

5. Toggle off Real-time protection under Virus & threat protection settings.

6. Tap Yes on the UAC prompt, and your antivirus app will be disabled. This should resolve the Discord Overlay not working issue for the games on your PC.

4. Disable Hardware Acceleration

If hardware acceleration is causing the Discord overlay not working error, you have to disable this feature for this program on your computer. To disable hardware acceleration, follow these steps:

1. Launch Discord and tap the gear icon to open Settings.

2. Scroll the left panel and select Voice & Video under App Settings.

3. Scroll the right panel till you reach Advanced.

4. Here, toggle off the H.264 Hardware Acceleration option to disable hardware acceleration for the Discord app.

5. Relaunch your game to check whether the Discord Overlay not working issue for the game is fixed or not.

5. Reinstall the Discord App

Sometimes no other method works, and reinstalling Discord is the only way to fix the overlay error. Here’s how you can reinstall the Discord app to eliminate the overlay not working error:

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run command window box.

2. Type control in the empty field and click OK to open the Control Panel.

3. Make sure Category is selected in front of View by. Then, click Uninstall a program under Programs.

4. Locate and select Discord in the list of programs. Then, click the Uninstall button at the top of the list.

5. Once Discord uninstalls, restart your PC to download and install Discord again from the official website.

6. Adjust Display Scale Settings

To fix the Discord Overlay error for the games, change the size of the Discord app to the recommended or default one. Here’s how you can scale display size:

1. Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open Settings and tap System.

2. It will open the Display option by default. Here, locate Scale and layout in the right panel.

3. Click the dropdown menu button under Scale and layout and select 100%.

4. Once you restart your game, the changes will apply. Then, you won’t see the Discord overlay not working error anymore during your gameplay.

Frequently Asked Questions