Platforms for communication have become a crucial aspect of our lives in the digital age by bringing individuals worldwide together. Discord, a well-liked chat tool created initially for gamers, is now widely used outside gaming communities.
Voice calls, video chats, text messaging, and file sharing are just a few of its capabilities, making it a desirable choice for social groups, corporations, and communities. However, users of Discord frequently express concern over its heavy data use.
This article will discuss the fixes and causes of Discord’s excessive data usage and shed light on several contributing variables.
How To Lower Discord Data Usage – 7 Ways
Lowering the quality of voice and video calls, selective screen sharing, limiting the use of emojis and stickers, compressing images, managing embedded media, choosing server and channel activity, and reducing the usage of emojis and stickers are all ways to reduce excessive data usage.
Here’s how to lower Discord Data usage:
- Voice And Video Calls Of Lower Resolution
- Share A Certain Screen Only
- Minimize Stickers and Emojis
- Image and File Sharing Compression
- Control the content of Embedded Media
- Server and Channel Activity with Care
- Disable Online Status and Real-Time features
1. Voice And Video Calls Of Lower Resolution
Consider decreasing Discord’s call quality settings to save data when on voice and video calls. You may efficiently save data during audio and video chats on Discord while maintaining clear and dependable communication by modifying the call quality settings and choosing voice-only calls when necessary.
To reduce data consumption, use screen sharing sparingly and refrain from sharing pointless material or substantial portions of the screen. When sharing, choose lower frame rates or screen resolutions to save data.
You can use screen sharing on Discord more effectively and consume less bandwidth while still working and connecting with others by being cautious about what you share, making the most of resolution and frame rate options, and avoiding needless animated content.
3. Minimize Stickers and Emojis
Using fewer emojis and stickers, you can lessen the amount of data sent and received during Discord talks. A good way to reduce data usage while retaining effective communication on the platform is to choose text-based communication or to use emoticons and stickers sparingly.
4. Image and File Sharing Compression
Before sharing photographs on Discord, compress them to reduce their file size and data use. Instead, consider sharing files via external cloud storage services or file compression techniques.
You can use many online compressing tools to compress your image before sending it. Reducing the pixels/resolution of your image is another effective technique to conserve excessive data usage by Discord.
5. Control the content of Embedded Media
Discord automatically inserts media files into chat sessions, including videos, photos, and links. Although this function improves the user experience, it can require a lot of data, particularly if large or multiple media files are embedded.
Disable the auto-loading of embedded media content in Discord’s settings to reduce data usage. Select the media files you want to load and watch manually to reduce wasteful data consumption.
6. Server and Channel Activity with Care
Discord provides a variety of servers and channels via which users may connect with different communities and have conversations. However, using many active servers and channels can result in more data being used. You can efficiently manage data usage by being picky and aware of your server and channel behavior.
7. Disable Online Status and Real-Time features
Disabling the real-time availability function or changing the settings to lessen the frequency of data exchanges for online status updates are options to consider if lowering data use is a concern.
To disable Discord’s real-time presence and online status to use less data. Start by opening Discord. In the bottom left corner, click the gear symbol. Select “User Settings” from the menu. Toggle to “Appearance.” Uncheck the option next to “Enable Real-Time Presence,” or you can find this option by right-clicking on the profile picture. You can disable your online status completely under “Online Status” or select to update your online status less frequently.
8 Reasons Why Does Discord Use So Much Data
It is because of emojis and stickers, image and file sharing, server and channel activity, presence, and online status, background updates, voice and video conversations, screen sharing, emojis and stickers, embedded media content, and background updates.
Here are the reasons why Discord uses so much data:
- Calls over Voice and Video
- Screen Sharing
- Animated Emojis and Stickers
- Sharing of Images and Files
- Media Embedded Content
- Activity on Servers and Channels
- Availability and Online Status
- Background Information
1. Calls over Voice and Video
Because Discord transmits audio and video in real-time, voice and video calls consume a lot of data. A lot of bandwidth is needed for this, especially for video calls. Different amounts of data will be used depending on the call’s quality, duration, and participant count.
On average, voice calls use a lot less data than video calls. In contrast to video calls, which can take up to 100 MB or more per hour on average, voice calls normally utilize between 10 and 20 megabytes (MB) of data per hour.
2. Screen Sharing
Because Discord offers a larger range of services that consume more bandwidth than other chat apps, it consumes more data than those programs. For instance, Discord’s voice and video chat features consume more bandwidth than text chat, and its screen-sharing feature may even consume more data depending on the quality and frame rate of the shared screen.
Users of Discord can share their displays with others via the app’s screen-sharing feature, which is helpful for group projects and online gaming. However, sending real-time screen photos uses a significant amount of data.
3. Animated Emojis and Stickers
Discord utilizes a lot of data because of the emojis and stickers it supports. Emojis and sticker messages require Discord to transmit the whole picture file online. It can use data, especially if you deliver high-resolution photographs.
Discord’s large selection of emoticons and stickers improves communication but uses more data. More data is needed to download and display these graphic components, especially animated ones.
4. Sharing of Images and Files
One of the main factors influencing the platform’s high data usage is image and file sharing on Discord. It is due to Discord’s automatic loading of images and files in chat without your intervention. If you’re in a chat where plenty of images or files are shared, this can quickly consume your data.
Discord allows users to share files and photos of all sizes. Users’ sharing of huge files or high-resolution photographs increases the data used for uploads and downloads.
5. Media Embedded Content
Discord has to download the content from the originating website and stream it to the user when a user shares embedded media content. This process can consume a lot of bandwidth, especially if the media content is huge or streamed to numerous consumers.
Discord automatically inserts media files into chat sessions, including videos, photos, and links. This functionality necessitates providing data to load and show the embedded content.
6. Activity on Servers and Channels
Server and channel activity is one of the main causes of Discord’s data consumption. Discord will download the most recent files, photos, and messages shared on a server or channel when you join. It may contain much data, particularly if the server or channel is busy.
More data traffic results from channels and servers that are active. Increased data usage is caused by messages, responses, and changes within channels, especially in busy communities.
7. Availability and Online Status
One factor that may lead to high data usage is Discord’s “Availability and Online Status” feature. Discord can monitor your online status, server, and game selection with this function.
This data is only used sparingly and displays your status to your friends. Discord’s real-time presence system, which shows users’ online status, needs constant data flow for accurate updates and notifications.
8. Background Information
If you have the Discord app open in the background, even if you are not actively using it, all of this work will continue to be done behind the scenes. If you have a limited data plan, this could result in high data usage.
Discord’s server and client software receives regular updates, including new features, improved security, and bug fixes. Background downloads of these updates use up additional data.
How Can You Track How Much Data Discord Uses?
You can use data tracking applications, check router data usage information, and use tools for internet service providers (ISP). It’s important to note that Discord mostly utilizes data for audio and video conversations, message sending, and file transfers.
Discord’s lack of built-in data tracking facilities makes monitoring the precise amount of data it utilizes difficult. However, other ways exist to gauge and keep track of Discord’s data usage.
Utilizing network monitoring solutions, such as firewall software, internet monitoring programs, or router monitoring features, lets you keep tabs on the total amount of data your device or network uses.
These tools can provide information about how Discord and other applications use data and provide direction regarding minimizing data usage and improving overall data management.
Use Data Tracking Applications
Several mobile devices and operating systems have built-in data consumption tracking applications. You can check the settings or download third-party apps from the app store to track your device’s overall data usage.
These applications can estimate Discord’s data usage. One such application is “NetBalancer,” which gives you accurate data on each app consuming internet.
Router Information
You can track the data usage of specific networked devices using some routers’ built-in data monitoring facilities. You might be able to examine data usage statistics for Discord-using devices by logging into the router’s settings.
Most of the routers collect data on PC usage. So, if you only use Discord and send/receive data, you can estimate its internet usage from the router data usage information.
Tools for Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
To track data usage, see if your internet service provider provides tools or online account management options. To assist their clients in keeping track of their overall internet usage, certain ISPs offer data usage tracking.
Conclusion
Several elements, including voice and video conversations, screen sharing, emoticons and stickers, image, and file sharing, embedded media content, server and channel activity, presence and online status, and background updates, might be blamed for Discord’s high data usage.
The data-intensive nature of the platform is exacerbated by the fact that these capabilities call for ongoing data exchanges, media downloads, and real-time transmissions.
However, users can reduce Discord’s data usage by modifying call quality settings, being cautious with screen sharing and media usage, limiting the use of emojis and stickers, compressing images and files, managing server and channel activity, disabling real-time presence and online status, and monitoring overall data usage.
Through ISP tools, data consumption tracking apps, router statistics, or network monitoring tools. Users can successfully manage their data using these techniques while accessing Discord’s capabilities.
Hey, I’m Hammad. I have been writing for several years now and have amassed a wealth of experience within my field. My focus is on technology and gaming, two areas that I am highly knowledgeable about. Also, I’m writer for iPhonEscape.com and CPUGPUnerds.com as well and where I have written over 350 articles.