When you’re hanging out with your friends on Discord, having the option to share what you’re up to, no matter where you’re at, helps make your friends feel just a bit closer. It’s like turning your phone or laptop towards your friend when they’re right next to you! 

You can use the desktop or mobile app to stream whatever you’re doin’ faster than the time it took you to read this sentence. (And perhaps this sentence too.) Read on to learn how to stream to Discord, what the options you’ll see when setting up your stream mean, and which PC and mobile platforms you can stream from.

How to stream on Discord with your desktop or laptop‍

You’ve loaded up your favorite game, and now it’s time to show THE WORLD you’ve got what it takes. Or, at least show your friends that you can hold your own in an online match. Same stakes basically. 

To start streaming using the desktop app, follow the steps below! This works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

• Join in any voice call, whether it’s a channel on a server or in a DM. 
• At the bottom of the call window, press the button that looks like a computer monitor with an arrow on it. 
• Select the application, screen, or capture device you want to show off. 
• Adjust your stream quality settings as you’d like.
• Press Go Live! 

How to stream on Discord on the mobile app

Is the game you’re into the most a mobile game, or perhaps looking for some feedback on a drawing you’re making on your tablet? Streaming isn’t restricted to your PC… you can also stream to Discord directly from your smartphone or tablet if it’s running iOS or Android!

The next time you’re in a Discord call on your phone, follow the steps below to start sharing what’s on your mobile device’s screen with your friends:

• Use the small tab at the bottom of your screen to view more options.
• In this new menu, press the Share Your Screen button that looks like a smartphone with an arrow pointing out of it.
• Last, use your device’s streaming options presented to you to confirm you want to share your screen.

When streaming from your phone or tablet, EVERYTHING will be shown, just as you see it on your phone’s screen. This includes your phone or tablet’s inbound notifications, so consider temporarily muting your notifications so you don’t have anything secret shown. 

Should I choose “Share Application” or “Share Entire Screen” when streaming on Discord?

Well, my friend… that depends on how much you wanna share with your server or DM buddies. Did you just meet ‘em, or have they been part of your chaotic group chat for years?

Either way, there’s an important distinction between these two options when choosing which to use:

• “Share Application” will only show your friends the application or game you’ve selected. You can also opt to let your friends hear that specific game or app’s audio but not the sounds from any other apps you may have open.
• “Share Entire Screen” will share everything you see and hear, including both what’s on your screen and — if you choose to share your system audio — all the sounds from your applications. Did you hear that notification sound or see what it said? So did your friends who are watching. 

Thankfully, it’s easy to adjust or restart your screen share session if you change your mind. If you’re sharing your whole screen but suddenly want to hide a surprise you’ve got planned for your friend, just switch to sharing just a specific application! 

‍On mobile, you can only stream your device’s entire screen, including all your sounds and notifications. It’s all or nothin’!

Can I stream my sound on Windows, macOS, or Linux?

Anyone who plays competitive games or rhythm games knows: sound is everything, and hearing something can mean the difference between getting the jump on your opponents or falling flat on your (virtual) face. Let your friends listen to those sounds as well! 

If you’re streaming to Discord from Windows, the mobile app, or your browser using Chrome, you’ll be able to share your application’s sound — no need to install anything extra to make it work!

If you’re streaming to Discord from macOS, you’ll be able to stream your audio as long as you’ve updated your Mac to at least macOS Ventura, released in 2022. 

At the time of publishing, you won’t be able to stream your audio if you’re either using a browser that isn’t Chrome or you’re using Discord on Linux.

What’s the best quality stream to pick on Discord?

There are a LOT of things you can stream to Discord. Perhaps you’re playing through a horror game and need your friend’s encouragement as you enter that creaking doorway… or maybe you’re sharing a writing project you’ve been working on. (You know, like this blog you’re reading.)

On the desktop app, Discord has a few built-in quality options you can pick from to make sure your friends have a good time watchin’ ya. 

• Smoother Video will lower your stream’s resolution but bump the stream’s framerate to your highest-available option. 
• Better Text Readability will stream your app at its exact resolution but will lower the stream’s framerate. If you’re asking a friend for some help with your chemistry homework, this will be the best for them to see what you’re working on.

If you REALLY want to beef up your stream, consider checking out Discord Nitro: one of its many membership perks is HD streaming, allowing you to share your game or screen at higher resolutions and up to 60fps — perfect for sharing that insane rhythm game that only a superhuman could keep up with. (How do your hands move like that anyway?)

Can I stream to Discord from a console?

Sometimes you just wanna play something from the comfort of your couch… or a different chair… or the floor… whichever is the coziest place you can play from. 

If you play on either an Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One console, you can stream the game you’re playing directly to Discord! You can also hop in a voice call with your Discord friends from your Xbox WHILE streaming your console game. 

 Check out our blog post about how to stream from an Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One console. Streaming from your console can help recreate the feeling of playing multiplayer games on the couch with your Discord friends… or experience it for the first time if you’ve never streamed a game to Discord before. 

This article is meant to help you or a friend start streaming to Discord as best as you can — if you think something else would be good to include for someone who’s just learning the ropes, don’t hesitate to send us a message on X or Instagram and tell us a good pointer or two to include.

Now go hop into voice and show your friends what’s up!