How to stream and share your screen on Discord

The short answer

To stream your screen on Discord, join a voice channel in a server or start a call in a direct message, then select the screen-share button (it looks like a monitor with an arrow). Choose whether to share a single application window or your whole screen, adjust the stream settings if offered, and confirm with the Go Live button. Other people in that channel or call can then click your stream to watch it.

Two points are worth clearing up first. "Go Live" is Discord's name for streaming your screen or an application into a voice channel; it is not a public broadcast like Twitch or YouTube. Only people who can reach that channel or call can watch. Screen sharing is also separate from your webcam: you can share your screen, turn on your camera, do both, or do neither.

Before you start

• You need the Discord desktop app, the mobile app, or Discord in a supported web browser. The desktop app usually offers the most sharing options.
• In a server, your role must have permission to stream video in that voice channel. If the share button is missing or greyed out, a server admin may need to enable the Video permission for your role or channel.
• On macOS, Discord needs screen recording permission in System Settings under Privacy & Security. Without it, viewers may see a black or blank stream.
• In a browser, the browser itself will ask what to share and whether to allow it. Declining that prompt stops the share before it begins.
• Close or hide anything private. Sharing your entire screen shows notifications, other windows and anything you open while live.

How to go live in a server voice channel

• 1. Open the server and click a voice channel to join it. Your name should appear under the channel, and the voice connection panel should appear near the bottom left.
• 2. Click the screen-share button in that panel or in the call view.
• 3. Choose what to share. Pick an application window to show only that program, or pick a screen to show everything on that display.
• 4. Review the stream settings. Discord may let you choose resolution and frame rate; higher options can depend on your Discord subscription and on the server's boost level.
• 5. If a sound or audio toggle is offered, decide whether to include the shared app's audio.
• 6. Click Go Live. A preview of your stream should appear, typically with a LIVE label next to your name in the channel list.

How to stream to one person

To share your screen privately, open a direct message with that person and start a voice or video call using the call button at the top of the conversation. Once the call connects, use the screen-share button in the call controls and follow the same choose-and-confirm steps as above. Only people in that call can see the stream. The same approach works in a small group DM if you want to share with a few specific people instead of a whole server channel.

Streaming from a phone

In the Discord mobile app, join a voice channel or start a DM call, then look for the screen-share option in the call controls (you may need to swipe up on the call panel). Your phone's operating system will show its own prompt asking you to confirm screen recording or broadcasting; you must accept it before the stream starts. Everything on your phone screen, including notifications, will be visible while sharing, so consider turning on a do-not-disturb mode first.

How to know it worked

Your own preview only confirms that Discord is capturing something. It does not prove that viewers are receiving a clear picture or hearing audio. Use these checks in order:

Check | What it confirms | What it does not confirm

A LIVE label appears next to your name in the channel or call | Discord has started your stream | That the stream shows the right content

Your preview shows the window or screen you intended | Capture is working and you picked the correct source | What viewers see, or the quality they receive

A viewer joins your stream and describes what is on screen | The stream is reaching other people | That audio is coming through

A viewer confirms they hear the shared app's sound | Stream audio is being sent and received | Long-term stability over a full session

The most reliable test is a short trial with a friend before an important session: share, ask them to describe what they see and hear, then stop and adjust if needed.

Common problems and what to try

• Viewers see a black screen: on macOS, check that Discord has screen recording permission and restart Discord after granting it. On Windows, try sharing the whole screen instead of a single window, or toggle hardware acceleration in Discord's settings and restart the app.
• The share button is missing or greyed out: you may lack the streaming permission in that server or channel; ask a server admin. Also confirm you are actually connected to a voice channel or call.
• No sound on the stream: confirm you enabled the audio option when starting the share. Audio capture support differs between platforms and between the desktop app and browsers, so if the option is not shown, your current setup may not support sharing app audio.
• Viewers hear echo or your voice twice: your microphone may be picking up the sound from your speakers. Headphones usually solve this.
• The browser never shows a share prompt: check the site permissions for Discord in your browser settings and confirm screen sharing has not been blocked.

Stopping the stream

Click the screen-share button again or choose Stop Streaming in the call controls. The LIVE label should disappear from your name. Leaving the voice channel or ending the call also stops the stream.

What this guide does not cover

No tested figures were available for this guide, so it does not state specific resolution caps, frame-rate limits, viewer limits or subscription prices; check Discord's current stream settings menu for the options available to your account and server. Discord also renames and moves buttons from time to time, so labels on your screen may differ slightly from those described here.