How to use Discord on Xbox to show your friends what games you’re playing

© heshphoto/Getty Images
Linking your Discord account to your Xbox can help you connect with friends. heshphoto/Getty Images

• You can use Discord on Xbox by linking your Discord account to your Xbox Live account.
• Once your accounts are linked, Discord will show your friends what game you’re currently playing on your Xbox.
• Linking your accounts makes it easy for your Discord friends to join your Xbox game.
• Visit Insider’s Tech Reference library for more stories.

Discord, a popular messaging platform, is easy to link with your Xbox Live account. You can do this on your Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S through the Discord app for Mac and PC, or the mobile app for iPhone and Android devices.

Here’s a breakdown of what you can do with Discord on Xbox and how to link your accounts.

Discord on Xbox

The major feature of Discord on Xbox is that when you begin playing a game on your Xbox, it’ll be shown on your Discord profile. This means that anyone you share a server with will be able to see what you’re playing, which is great if you have friends who might want to join in.

But other than being able to see who else is online, the capabilities of Discord on Xbox are limited. If you use Discord on your PC when gaming, for example, you can talk with friends over voice chat and messaging, but those features aren’t yet available on Xbox.

In the news: There are reports that Microsoft is in talks to buy Discord, which could lead to further integration and more features on Xbox.

Here’s how to use Discord on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

How to use Discord on Xbox One

1. Turn on your Xbox One and sign in to your Xbox Live account.
2. Press the Xbox button on your controller, then navigate to the “Systems” tab, located on the far-right side of the menu. Highlight “Settings” with your cursor and press the “A” button.

3. On the next screen, scroll to the “Account” tab. Once you’ve done so, select “Linked social accounts” and press “A.”

   
   
   
   
   © Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   Open the “Linked accounts” menu. Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   
   

4. Navigate to the “Discord” panel, highlight “Link,” and press “A.”

   
   
   
   
   © Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   Start the linking process by selecting “Link.” Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   
   

5. On the next screen, press “A” to begin the linking process. If you’re asked to let the app share your info with Microsoft, select “Yes” and press “A.”
6. The next screen will have a six-character code and instructions for linking your Discord account. Open the Discord app on your phone or computer.

7. In Discord, tap or click the “Settings” icon. On a computer, this should be a gear icon that appears toward the bottom of the screen, next to your username. On mobile, you’ll have to tap the three horizontal lines in the upper-left corner of the screen to open a menu, after which the icon will be visible at the bottom of the screen – on an iPhone, it’ll be your profile picture, and on an Android, it’ll be a gear.

   
   
   
   
   © William Antonelli/Insider
   Tap your profile picture or the gear icon to open your settings. William Antonelli/Insider
   
   

8. Tap or click “Connections.” If you’re on mobile, tap “Add” in the upper-right corner of the screen.

9. Tap or click “Xbox Live” or the Xbox logo.

   
   
   
   
   © William Antonelli/Insider
   Xbox Live should be one of the first options. William Antonelli/Insider
   
   

10. Your phone or computer will be taken to a screen that allows you to enter a code – you may also need to log into your Xbox account here. Enter the six-digit code displayed on your TV screen.

11. Once you’ve successfully entered the code, your Xbox Live account should be linked to your Discord account, and your friends on Discord will be able to see what you’re playing on your Xbox One.

    
    
    
    
    © Chrissy Montelli/Insider
    The game you’re currently playing on Xbox Live will appear under your username. Chrissy Montelli/Insider
    
    

How to use Discord on Xbox Series X/S

1. Turn on your Xbox Series X/S and sign in to your Xbox Live account.

2. Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the menu, then navigate to the “Profile & system” tab on the far right. Once there, select your profile and press the “A” button.

   
   
   
   
   © Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   Open the “Profile & system” tab, select your profile, and press “A.” Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   
   

3. Select “My account” and press “A.”

   
   
   
   
   © Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   To view your account, select “My account” and press the “A” button. Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   
   

4. On the left side of the menu, select “Account,” and then move your cursor to “Linked social accounts” on the right side of the menu. Press “A” once you’ve done so.

   
   
   
   
   © Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   In the “Account” page of the menu, select “Linked social accounts” and press “A.” Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   
   

5. Highlight the “Link” option underneath Discord and press “A.”

   
   
   
   
   © Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   Underneath the panel for Discord, select “Link” and press “A.” Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   
   

6. Using the on-screen keyboard, type in your Discord account’s email address (or phone number, depending on your preference) and password. Once you’ve done so, press the “Start” button on your controller.

   
   
   
   
   © Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   Sign in to Discord with your email address or phone number, or scan a QR code to log in. Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   
   

7. Using the controller, hover your cursor over the “Authorize” button and press “A.”

   
   
   
   
   © Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   You’ll need to give Xbox Live access to your Discord account in order to link the two. Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   
   

8. Your Xbox Live account should now be linked to Discord. You can also choose whether or not to show this on your profile. On Discord, your friends will now be able to see what you’re playing.

   
   
   
   
   © Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   Once your profiles are successfully linked, your Discord friends can see what you’re playing on Xbox Live. Chrissy Montelli/Insider
   
   

How to connect your Spotify account to Discord, so everyone can see what music you’re listening toHow to cross out text in Discord and make other text changesHow to update your Xbox One console automatically or manuallyHow to delete your Discord account using a computer