Are you having trouble with Better Discord? What can you do when the app stops working?
Better Discord is an extension for the Discord client, which comes with added features that improve the functionality and appearance of the original app.
Some of these cool features include custom themes, plugins, and add-ons, debugging and UI tweaking features, creating your own themes and plugins, and more.
Unfortunately, even with these new features, the extension can stop working from time to time, which can be quite frustrating.
So, what can you do when Better Discord has stopped working? Below, we have compiled some of the most common Better Discord issues, as well as top troubleshooting tips and solutions that you can use to get it working again.
Better Discord not working: The most common problems
There are several Better Discord issues that users have reported. Below is a look at some of the most common ones:
- Better Discord is not loading
- The themes are not working
- Better Discord themes are not showing
- The app has disappeared
- Better Discord is not installing
- Better Discord themes and plugins are not downloading or installing
How to fix: Better Discord is not working
Here are a few solutions you can try if you are having problems with the Better Discord extension:
1. Make sure you have a working and stable internet connection
Several problems you encounter while using Better Discord might be a result of a faulty internet connection. For example, your connection could be unstable or slow, or your PC or device could be receiving a weak Wi-Fi signal.
With any of these issues, you might have trouble loading or using the Better Discord features or even installing and updating the extension.
To fix these problems, first, make sure that your connection is working. If not, try rebooting your router as a glitch there could be the issue.
If the issue still persists, the problem could be on your internet provider’s side, in which case your options are to contact them for support or switch to another connection.
If your connection is working, the problem could be that it is slow or unstable. You can try moving your device closer to the router to boost the Wi-Fi signal.
If this doesn’t work, try connecting using a wired connection, or switching to another network – wireless or cellular – that is more stable.
If the issue still persists, the problem could be on your internet provider’s side, in which case your options are to contact them for support or switch to another connection.
2. Make sure Better Discord is active
Are Better Discord themes and plugins not showing? It is possible that your extension features have not been enabled. Fortunately, there is a simple fix for this – activate Better Discord.
To activate Better Discord:
- Download and install the Better Discord extension. Make sure to close the Discord app before starting the process.
- Launch your Discord app and go to the Settings section
- On the Settings page, scroll down until you find the Better Discord menu
- Click on the menu to navigate and activate different features such as the Emotes, Themes, Plugins, and Custom CSS
3. Refresh/restart Better Discord
Some Better Discord issues can be caused by a temporary glitch or a bug in the extension, or even the Discord app itself.
Examples of such issues include Better Discord not loading or crashing unexpectedly, themes and plugins not showing, or failing to work. On some occasions, Better Discord will just disappear from the menu.
Restarting or refreshing Better Discord can get rid of these temporary glitches or bugs, restoring its functionality. To refresh the extension:
- Hit the Ctrl + R command on your keyboard when using Discord. This is a shortcut that will refresh the app and extension (just like pressing F5 when using a browser).
- Log out and then log in to your Discord account. Doing this will restart the app, eliminating any temporary issues that might be affecting functionality.
- End the Discord app process on your task manager. Launch the Task Manager on your PC and kill the Discord process. Then, re-launch and see if the Better Discord menu and features are working.
For better results, you can attempt restarting your PC after refreshing Better Discord.
4. Update your Discord app
An out-of-date Discord app is another reason why you might be having issues with the Better Discord. Usually, the app updates automatically. However, there are instances when the updates might fail, such as due to poor internet connection.
Fortunately, there is a way to force the Discord app to download and install the update:
- Hit the CTRL + 5 keys on your keyboard to refresh the discord app. Make sure you have maximized the app window when doing this.
- Once refreshed, the app will detect any available update and download it.
- Wait a while then close and re-launch the app. Once it starts, the update will install and any issues stemming from outdated features will be fixed.
5. Move/rename the bdstorage.json file
If your Better Discord is not working or behaving weirdly, you could be dealing with corrupted files. Unfortunately, you can’t clear the app cache or data like with most applications.
However, it is possible to remove any corrupted files – by either moving or renaming the Better Discord local storage file on your PC (bdstorage.json).
To remove or rename the file:
- Find the file location by going to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming on your PC and scrolling down to “BetterDiscord” folder.
- Open the folder and scroll down to “bdstorage.json” file
- Rename the file or move it to another folder on your PC.
- Relaunch your Discord app and try using the Better Discord features.
Note: Some users have reported that deleting the “bdstorage.json” file can also work. However, doing so can cause a problem with the app later, especially if the files had not been corrupted. Therefore, it is safer to rename or move the file; if there is an issue later, you can always restore it.
6. Disable and remove custom themes and plugins on Better Discord
One of the best features of Better Discord is the custom themes and plugins. You can even create your own themes from scratch.
Unfortunately, this can work to your disadvantage as some of these themes and plugins can cause interference, causing the extension and app to stop working.
The good news is, you can fix the issue by removing the problematic theme and plugins. Unfortunately, since you don’t know which theme or plugin is the problem, the only solution is to remove all of them.
Then, you can re-install them again one by one, testing the app each time to find out where the problem is.
To remove the themes and plugins
- Launch the Discord app and go to Settings
- Open the Better Discord menu and go to Themes
- Click on “Open Themes” to find a list of all the active themes on your extension
- Right-click on the theme you want to remove and click on the “Delete” option
- Repeat the same process with the plugins
7. Repair Better Discord using the installer
Are you still experiencing issues with Better Discord? The extension comes with a troubleshooting function that you can use to diagnose and repair problems. The function is available in the Better Discord installer application
Below is a step-by-step guide on how you can repair your extension:
- Download the Better Discord installer
- Launch the installer on your PC and choose the “Repair BetterDiscord” option
- Allow the installer to finish repairing the extension
- Once repaired, you will be asked to reinstall the Better Discord extension. Click “Yes” to complete the repair process.
8. Uninstall and reinstall Better Discord afresh
If the repair option did not work, your Better Discord extension could be harboring more problems. In this case, the best option is to remove it and install it afresh.
- Launch the Better Discord installer and click on the uninstall option
- In the next screen on the uninstall page, select the “Remove from Stable” option to delete all the local files
- Once the uninstallation completes, download the latest version of the Better Discord extension
- Install it on your PC then launch the Discord App to start using its functionalities.
Better Discord is a great add-on, which can help to improve the look and functionality of your Discord app greatly.
However, from time to time, the extension will experience issues. Some or all of the features may fail to work. Fortunately, the above solutions can help to fix any of the issues you might face.
If you find yourself still facing problems after attempting these fixes, you can try contacting Better Discord support.
You can access the support service by joining the Better Discord support channel on the Discord app.
