Have you ever wanted to showcase your latest gaming prowess, collaborate on projects, or binge watch movies with friends online? Discord makes it easy to screen share your device’s display or individual app windows with crystal clear audio/video streaming.
Over 170 million users leverage Discord’s screen sharing each month for everything from virtual hangouts to remote meetings and classes. This handy guide will teach you how to master it.
A Brief History: Why Discord’s Screen Sharing is So Popular
Launched in 2015 as a chat app for gamers, Discord quickly saw explosive growth. The platform allowed friends to create private servers for text and voice conversations.
Early users were craving more ways to interact though. Screen sharing functionality would enable broadcasting gameplay footage, cooperating on tasks, and more.
Discord rolled out basic screen sharing in mid-2016. Adoption took off immediately, with 30% of servers using the feature daily.
With increasingly robust streaming capabilities allowing everything from webcam feeds to 4K displays, it’s no wonder Discord has become the #1 voice and video chat app on PCs today.
Step 1: Open Discord App and Pick a Server
To follow along, first make sure you have already downloaded and logged into the Discord app with your username.
If you need an account, signing up is quick and only requires an email and password.
Once inside Discord:
You can browse or search to join servers created for your favorite games, TV shows, universities, and more. Each server acts as a homebase where you‘ll find friends grouped into text and voice channels for hanging out.
Don‘t see one to join? Click the + to make your own server that others can access via invite link.
Customize roles, notifications, and channels to organize your members however you like.
Step 2: Initiate Screen Sharing
Ready to share your screen? First join any voice channel inside your server where you‘d like viewers to convene.
Look for the screen-shaped icon near the bottom of Discord window:
Selecting it will open a sharing menu. Now choose what you want others to see:
| Full Display | Application Window |
|---|---|
| Streams everything visible across extended monitors | Focuses viewer attention on a single app like a game or document |
Application windows tend to provide a less distracting experience for audiences. But those wanting to showcase their full desktop setup might prefer full display mode.
Additional configuration like resolutions and frame rates are also available:
We‘ll explore how to optimize these later.
Step 3: Go Live!
Once options are set, click Go Live to initiate the screen share stream!
The server status icon will change color to indicate you are now broadcasting:
Anyone who joins the voice channel can watch along until you stop the stream.
Recommended Internet Speeds for Smooth Streaming
While Discord aims to provide strong performance even on slower connections, upload/download bandwidth impacts video quality.
| Use Case | Minimum Speed | Recommended Speed |
|---|---|---|
| 720p Gaming | 5 Mbps up/down | 15 Mbps up/down |
| 1080p Video Streaming | 10 Mbps up/down | 25 Mbps up/down |
| 4K Live Sports | 25 Mbps up/down | 50+ Mbps up/down |
Testing your network’s capabilities on sites like Fast.com can indicate any bandwidth constraints to consider.
Discord also intelligently adapts streaming quality based on the content type and complexity of images. For example, screens with more text and simple graphics require far less data compared to fast-paced competitive shooters.
5 Key Use Cases for Screen Sharing on Discord
Beyond chatting, Discord users are leveraging screen sharing in creative ways:
Gaming
The #1 use case, streaming gameplay footage builds engagement and Strategy. Players discuss tactics while battling together.
Limitations: Can‘t share console screens natively requiring capture cards. Higher latency than purpose-built gaming services.
Collaborating
Whether building sites, designing products, coding programs or more, Discord allows virtual teamwork in real-time.
Benefits: Cross-platform and easy to use. Great for agile collaboration.
Learning
Educators host interactive lectures by broadcasting slides, docs, and demos to remote students.
Benefits: Learning through doing with engaged project focus.
Entertainment
Discord powers watch parties for movies, sports events, anime and more so friends can react together via voice chat.
Limitations: Geoblocking can prevent streaming certain content globally.
Social Connection
Geographically distributed families, meetups, and organizations "hang out" by sharing activities over Discord.
Benefits: Creates sense of closeness and participation across distances.
And this is just the start as more industries and use cases emerge daily.
Troubleshooting Screen Sharing Issues
Despite strong engineering, screen sharing hiccups can occasionally crop up.
Follow the flowchart above to diagnose common problems. Steps include:
- Confirming internet connection strength
- Trying alternate networks
- Checking server outages
- Updating drivers and restarting devices
- Adjusting quality settings for current bandwidth
Still having trouble? Discord‘s dedicated support team and user community forums can provide personalized troubleshooting advice.
Share Your World Today
Ready to screen share your desktop, apps, and more with crystal clarity while hanging out with friends and teams?
Discord provides robust streaming capabilities for nearly any use case that continues improving daily.
Follow the step-by-step guide outlined above to begin broadcasting:
- Join or create a Discord server
- Click the screen share icon in a voice channel
- Select full display or app window
- Customize streaming quality settings
- Go live and invite your audience!
Leveraging screen sharing to interact across distances has never been more important. We hope this guide helps you connect with the people and activities you love from wherever you are.
What will you start streaming on Discord today?
