How to Turn On or Off Discord Game Overlay

Discord has become the heartbeat of communication for gamers worldwide. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just diving into the gaming community, Discord’s game overlay feature is a handy tool that can enhance your gaming experience. This article will guide you on how to turn on or off Discord game overlay.

Enabling or disabling Discord overlay is a personal preference. Enabling the overlay lets you view your friends’ activities, messages, and voice chat while immersed in your game. In contrast, some users prefer a minimalist gaming experience, free from distractions. Disabling the overlay ensures an uninterrupted focus on the game. So, whether you’re a multitasker or a purist gamer, Discord caters to your preferences. 

Let’s look at things to consider before turning on or off Discord overlay.

Things to Know Before Turning On and Off Discord Overlay

Using the Discord overlay can enhance your gaming and communication experience, but before you turn it on or off, consider these points:

• Not all games are compatible with Discord overlay. Ensure the game you’re playing supports Discord overlay to avoid issues.
• Some games may need to run as an administrator for the overlay to work properly. Check your game’s settings and run it with the necessary permissions.
• Ensure that your graphics drivers are up-to-date. Outdated drivers can cause compatibility issues with the Discord overlay.

• Some anti-cheat systems used by games might conflict with the Discord overlay. Be aware of potential conflicts, and check the game’s forums or support for guidance.
• If you’ve set up specific keybinds for the Discord overlay, note them before disabling it. You might need them for quick access to Discord features.

With this understanding, let’s go ahead and learn how to turn on the Discord overlay on your computer. 

How to Enable the Discord Overlay

For demonstration purposes, we will use the Discord app for Windows. However, the steps remain the same if you use Discord on a Mac or web. Follow the below instructions. 

Step 1: Launch the Discord app or open it on the web from your preferred browser on your Windows or Mac. 

Step 2: Click on the gear icon in the bottom left corner.

Step 3: In Settings, click the Game Overlay tab on the left pane under Activity Settings. 

Step 4: Toggle on ‘Enable in-game overlay’ in the right pane. 

The Discord Overlay is now enabled. Further, you can customize the overlay with avatar size, display name, display users, and the area where you want to display the overlay notification.

After everything is set, run the game you want to enable overlay for and minimize it. Next, navigate to the Registered Games option to see if Discord detected the game. Continue with the steps below if it does not automatically detect the game.

Step 5: Under Activity Settings, right above Game Overlay, click Registered Games.

Step 6: Click on the hyperlinked Add it! text. 

Step 7: Select the game from the drop-down list and, finally, click the Add Game button.   

The game’s name will appear, and you can turn on the overlay by clicking on the monitor icon. 

After adding the game, if Discord cannot detect your game, you’ll need to troubleshoot it. Check our article on how to fix Discord not detecting games on Windows. 

How to Disable the Discord In-Game Overlay

If you want to get rid of Discord in-game overlay, it is pretty straightforward to remove. Follow the below steps.

Step 1: Launch the Discord app or open it on the web from your preferred browser on your Windows or Mac. 

Step 2: Click on the gear icon at the bottom-left corner.

Step 3: In Settings, click the Game Overlay tab on the left pane under Activity Settings. 

Step 4: Toggle off ‘Enable in-game overlay’ in the right pane. 

You have successfully disabled the in-game Discord overlay. If you do not want to disable the Discord overlay completely but only want to switch it off for a specific game, continue reading.

Also Read: How to Make a Spoiler (Text or Image) on Discord

How to Disable the Discord In-Game Overlay for Specific Games

Step 1: Launch the Discord app or open it on the web from your preferred browser on your Windows or Mac computer. 

Step 2: Click on the gear icon in the bottom-left corner.

Step 3: Under Activity Settings, right above Game Overlay, click Registered Games.

Step 4: On the right pane, click on the monitor (Toggle overlay) icon to turn off the overlay for a specific game. 

In addition, you can click on the eye-like icon next to the monitor to turn off the toggle detection or click on the cross icon to remove the game from Discord overlay detection completely.

There you have it. You have removed the Discord in-game overlay from a specific game. If you have any queries, check out the FAQ section below. 

FAQs on Turning Off Discord Overlay

Manage Discord Overlay

Discord Game Overlay adds functionality and personalization to your gaming sessions. However, whether to enable or disable it boils down to your overall gaming style and preferences. You can read how to link Twitch to Discord: A Comprehensive Guide.