How to Set Discord Status Auto-Update Based on Currently Playing Game

Discord can automatically show your friends what you are playing by updating your status with the game name. This feature, called Game Activity, reads the game running on your computer and displays it under your username. Many users find that their status does not update, or it shows the wrong game, because the setting is turned off or misconfigured. This article explains how to enable Game Activity on Windows, how to add a game manually, and what to do when the status does not appear.

How Discord Detects Your Game and Updates Your Status

Discord uses a background process that scans the list of running applications on your Windows computer. When it finds a game executable that matches its database of known games, it updates your status with the game name and an icon. This detection happens in real time — the status changes as soon as you launch the game and clears when you close it.

The feature works for most PC games launched through Steam, Epic Games, Xbox Game Pass, or a direct executable. Discord also supports detecting some non-game applications, such as Adobe Photoshop or Spotify, if you enable the setting to show your current activity for all apps. By default, Discord only shows games, but you can change this in the privacy settings.

What You Need Before You Start

You need the Discord desktop client installed on Windows 10 or Windows 11. The web browser version does not support game detection. Your game must be running on the same computer where Discord is open. If you use Discord on a mobile device, game activity from the PC will still show on your mobile profile as long as you are signed into the same account.

Steps to Turn On Automatic Game Status in Discord

1. Open Discord and go to User Settings
   Click the gear icon at the bottom-left corner of the Discord window, next to your username and avatar. This opens the User Settings menu.
2. Click Activity Privacy
   In the left sidebar, scroll down to the Activity Settings section. Click Activity Privacy.
3. Turn on the toggle for Display current activity as a status message
   Find the option labeled Display current activity as a status message. Toggle the switch to the on position. It should turn green. This is the master control for all activity-based status updates.
4. Optional: Enable rich presence for games
   Below the master toggle, you will see Share your detected activities with others. Keep this on if you want friends to see your game name and details like your score or map. Turn it off if you only want the game name without extra data.
5. Return to User Settings and click Registered Games
   In the left sidebar, under Activity Settings, click Registered Games. This page shows a list of games Discord has detected on your computer.
6. Add a game manually if it is not listed
   If your game does not appear, click the Add It! button. A drop-down menu shows all running applications. Select your game from the list. Alternatively, click Choose a game from a list of detected games to pick from a catalog. After you add it, the game will appear in your Registered Games list with a toggle next to it.
7. Toggle the game on
   Make sure the toggle next to your game is set to the on position. If it is off, Discord will ignore that game and not update your status.
8. Launch the game and check your status
   Start the game. Look at your profile picture in the Discord window or the user list on the right side of a server. Your status should now show the game name. It may take up to 30 seconds to appear.

If Discord Still Does Not Show Your Game Status

Game Activity Toggle Is Off in Registered Games

Even if the master toggle in Activity Privacy is on, each game in the Registered Games list has its own toggle. Open User Settings > Registered Games. Make sure the switch next to your game is green. If it is gray, click it to enable detection for that specific game.

Discord Is Not Running as Administrator

Some games, especially anti-cheat protected titles, require administrator privileges. If Discord runs as a standard user, it may not detect the game process. Close Discord completely. Right-click the Discord shortcut and select Run as administrator. Launch your game again. If the status appears, set Discord to always run as administrator: right-click the shortcut, go to Properties > Compatibility, check Run this program as an administrator, and click OK.

Game Is Not Recognized by Discord

Discord has a database of thousands of games, but new or obscure titles may not be included. In that case, add the game manually through User Settings > Registered Games > Add It!. If the game does not appear in the list of running applications, try adding the executable file directly. Click Add It!, then click Choose a game from a list of detected games. Scroll to the bottom and click Add a game not listed. Browse to the game’s .exe file and select it.

Privacy Setting Blocks Activity Sharing

If you set your activity privacy to share only with specific friends or servers, your status may not be visible to everyone. Go to User Settings > Activity Privacy. Under Who can see your activity, choose Everyone for the widest visibility. You can also set it to Friends or Nobody if you prefer more privacy.

Game Overlay Is Disabled

The in-game overlay helps Discord detect that a game is active. Go to User Settings > Game Activity. Click the game in the list. Toggle In-game overlay to on. This setting also enables features like voice chat controls inside the game.

Game Activity Status Options: What Each Setting Does

Setting	On	Off
Display current activity as a status message	Shows your game or app name under your username	Hides all activity from your profile
Share your detected activities with others	Friends see game details like score, map, or mode	Friends see only the game name
In-game overlay	Discord overlay appears in the game and detection is active	Overlay is hidden and detection may be delayed
Registered Games toggle per game	Discord watches this game and updates status	Discord ignores this game

You can now control exactly how Discord shows your game activity. Start by enabling the master toggle in Activity Privacy, then verify each game is toggled on in Registered Games. If a game does not appear, add it manually using the Add It! button. For the most reliable detection, run Discord as administrator and keep the in-game overlay enabled. These settings give you full control over your automatic status updates.