Discord Activities: How to Start, Join and Play Games in Discord

Game night doesn't always need everyone to own the same game. Discord Activities let you play mini golf, a drawing game or a round of cards with friends right inside Discord, with nothing extra to install.

Activities also cover shared experiences like watching YouTube together or sketching on a whiteboard. You can start one in a voice call, a DM, a group chat or a text channel.

This guide shows how to start Discord Activities on desktop and mobile, how friends join, which Activities Discord has listed, and the limits worth knowing.

At a glance - What they are: games and shared apps that open in a window inside Discord - Where: server voice channels, DM and group calls, text channels and DMs - Start from: the App Launcher button - Platforms: desktop, web and mobile - First use: each person authorizes the Activity once - Server control: the Use Activities permission

🎲 What Are Discord Activities?

Activities are interactive experiences from apps, such as games, quizzes and collaborative tools like whiteboards. They open in a window inside Discord and run in real time with friends in voice calls or text chats.

Discord's help centre notes that using an Activity is like visiting a website outside Discord. Many are made by developers in Discord's community, so the first time you open one you'll be asked to authorize it.

The Activities list in the App Launcher. Image: Discord.

🔊 How to Start Discord Activities in a Voice Call

This works in a server voice channel, a DM call or a group call.

1. Join a voice channel, or start a voice call in a DM or group chat.
2. Select the App Launcher button at the bottom of the call.
3. Pick an Activity, or search for one if you don't see it.
4. Authorize the app if it's your first time.
5. Wait for friends to join. They must be in the same voice channel.

Discord can suggest Activities when a call starts. Image: Discord.

On mobile, tap the screen during a call to show the bottom menu, then tap the rocket icon to see all available Activities.

💬 How to Start an Activity in a Text Channel or DM

Desktop and browser:

1. Open the text channel, DM or group chat.
2. Select the App Launcher button to the right of the message box.
3. Choose the app.
4. Select Launch.

Mobile:

1. Open the chat.
2. Tap the App Launcher button to the left of the message box.
3. Choose the app.

Discord posts a message saying the Activity has started. Others join by selecting Join on that message.

Activity messages in a text channel. Image: Discord.

🙋 Who Can Join an Activity?

• In voice: anyone in the same voice channel can select Join Activity on the Activity tile.
• From an invite: right-click the voice channel, choose Invite to Join and send the link.
• From your profile: if "Display current activity as a status message" is on, friends who can join your voice channel can join from your status.
• In text chats: anyone who can see the launch message can select Join.

People in the same call don't all have to play the same Activity. Joining a new one removes you from your current one. To leave, select the Activity exit icon or leave the voice channel.

🃏 Examples of Discord Activities

Discord's blog listed these Activities in its June 2024 update:

The App Launcher screenshots above also show newer options like Farm Merge Valley and Amazon Music. The lineup changes over time, so check the launcher for what's available now.

Sketch Heads running in a voice channel. Image: Discord.

📱 Platforms and Limits

• Desktop, web and mobile: all supported, according to Discord's blog.
• Consoles: not listed. Discord's help centre says Discord isn't a standalone app on Xbox or PlayStation.
• Player caps: each Activity sets its own, and some have none.
• Watch Together: playback is capped at 180 minutes in a group or 30 minutes alone, then a 10-minute cooldown starts. It also pauses after 30 minutes without interaction.
• Phone getting warm: close picture-in-picture, turn off your camera and close background apps.

Server admins control access with the Use Activities permission, which everyone has by default. Turn it off under Server Settings > Roles > Permissions, or per channel under Edit Channel > Permissions. Our Discord roles and permissions guide explains how these overrides stack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Discord Activities free?

Discord's blog says anyone in a voice call can start and join Activities. Some apps have their own premium features.

Can I use Discord Activities on mobile?

Yes. Tap the rocket icon in a call, or the App Launcher next to the message box in a chat.

Why can't I start an Activity in a server?

You may not have the Use Activities permission in that channel. Ask a server admin.

Who do I contact if an Activity is broken?

The app's developer. Most support servers are listed in the app's Overview in the App Directory.

Can I play Discord Activities on Xbox or PlayStation?

Discord doesn't list consoles as a supported platform for Activities.

🎮 The Bottom Line

Discord Activities are the easiest way to give a quiet voice channel something to do. Open the App Launcher, pick a game, and anyone in the call can jump in with one click.

If you run a community, they pair well with scheduled game nights. Our Discord events guide and gaming server setup guide show how to build regular sessions around them.

Which Activity does your group always end up playing?

Sources

1. Discord Help Center: Using Apps on Discord
2. Discord Apps Help Center: How to Use Apps
3. Discord Apps Help Center: Watch Together
4. Discord Help Center: New Mobile App Updates & Layout
5. Discord Help Center: Discord and Xbox Connection FAQ
6. Discord Blog: Play Games and Watch Together with Activities
7. Discord Blog: Fun Things to Do on Discord with Apps and Activities