Fix Discord Stuck in RTC Connecting

Fix Discord Stuck in RTC Connecting

/ Shayne Sherman

The ‘RTC Connecting’ on Discord is a familiar message users see when joining a voice channel on the platform. Depending on the quality of your connection, this message may appear for several seconds.

However, if the RTC Connecting message stays on for more than a minute, there is something wrong with Discord or your computer.

discord rtc connecting message

A slow or unstable network connection usually causes Discord to get stuck in the ‘RTC Connecting’ message. It is also possible that Discord’s services are unavailable at the moment or some files on your computer are corrupt.

Automatically Repair Discord Errors

Recommended: To easily install drivers automatically, use the tool below.

Download Now
Fortect System Repair

Today, we will show you the best methods for fixing Discord if it’s stuck in the ‘RTC Connecting’ message. Check out this post if your Discord issue involves it not starting up correctly.

Common Reasons for Discord RTC Connecting Issues

In this section, we’ll discuss the most common reasons that can cause Discord to be stuck on the ‘RTC Connecting’ message. Understanding these underlying issues can help you diagnose and resolve the problem more effectively.

  1. Unstable Network Connection: An unstable or slow network connection is one of the most common reasons behind Discord’s ‘RTC Connecting’ issue. If your Internet connection has frequent drops or low speed, Discord may struggle to establish a connection with its servers, causing it to remain stuck on the ‘RTC Connecting’ screen.
  2. DNS Server Problems: As mentioned earlier, DNS servers act as the phone book of the Internet, translating domain names into IP addresses. If the DNS server provided by your ISP is down or not responding, Discord may not be able to connect to it, causing the ‘RTC Connecting’ error.
  3. Firewall or Antivirus Interference: Firewalls and antivirus programs on your computer may occasionally block or limit Discord’s connectivity. If these security measures view Discord as a potential threat, they will prevent the app from properly connecting to the server, leading to the ‘RTC Connecting’ message.
  4. Outdated Network or Discord App: Outdated network drivers or an older version of the Discord app may cause compatibility issues, preventing the app from functioning properly. In such cases, updating your network drivers and the Discord app can resolve the issue.
  5. Discord Server Issues: Discord’s servers may sometimes experience issues or go down for maintenance. This can result in users being unable to connect to voice channels, leading to the ‘RTC Connecting’ screen. In such cases, waiting for Discord to resolve the issue is often the only solution.
  6. Discord Regional Settings: If you are connected to a Discord server that is located far away from your geographical location, you may experience connection issues, including the ‘RTC Connecting’ error. Changing your regional settings to match your location can resolve this.
  7. Quality of Service (QoS) Settings: Although QoS settings are designed to optimize your Discord experience, some routers or ISPs may not handle these settings correctly, leading to network-related problems. Disabling QoS can sometimes resolve the ‘RTC Connecting’ issue.

By understanding these common reasons, you can better pinpoint the cause of the ‘RTC Connecting’ error in Discord and apply the appropriate fixes mentioned in the article.

How to Fix RTC Connecting Discord Error

Fix 1: Restart Discord

The easiest way to fix this error on Discord is to restart the app on your computer. Doing this allows the app to re-initialize its resources and remove any temporary bugs that may have occurred when you joined a voice channel.

Follow the steps below to restart Discord on your computer:

  1. First, press the Windows Key + X on your keyboard to open the Quick Access Menu.
  2. Click on the Task Manager to launch it and go to the Processes tab.
quick access menu

3. Now, find Discord from the list of programs running on your system.

4. Lastly, click on Discord and hit the End Task button to stop it from running.

end discord task

Try joining another voice channel after restarting Discord to check if the problem is solved.

Fix 2: Restart Your Computer

Your network adapters or drivers may have encountered a temporary error, which causes instability in your network connection. This makes it difficult for Discord or any application to communicate with their respective servers.

To fix this, restart your computer to reload your system resources and drivers:

  1. Click on the Windows icon on the bottom left corner of your display to access the Start Menu.
  2. Now, click on the Power button and select Restart.
restart computer

3. Wait for your operating system to reboot, which may take several seconds.

Go back to Discord afterward and check if the app still gets stuck on the ‘RTC Connecting’ message.

Fix 3: Change Your DNS

A DNS server is the phone book of the internet, which converts domain names to the IP address of servers and websites. Without this, we’ll be forced to enter complex numbers on URL boxes instead of simple website names like Google.com or Facebook.com.

If Discord is stuck on the ‘RTC Connecting’ message, your ISP’s default DNS may be unavailable.

To fix this, follow the steps below to change your DNS:

  1. First, press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard to access the Run Command Box.
  2. Type ncpa.cpl and hit Enter to access your Network Connections.
run ncpa

3. Right-click on your current network and select Properties.

network properties

4. Double-click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and select ‘Use the Following DNS server address.

5. Enter the following DNS and save the changes afterward:

  • Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
  • Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4
reconfigure dns settings

Once done, go back to Discord and check if the problem is solved.

Fix 4: Reset Your IP Address

After changing your DNS, you should also flush your previous DNS server and reset your IP address.

Follow the steps below to guide you through the process:

  1. Press the Windows Key + X on your keyboard and click on Command Prompt (Admin).
quick access menu

2. In the Command Prompt, enter the following lines one by one:

  • ipconfig /flushdns
  • ipconfig /all
  • ipconfig / release
  • ipconfig /renew
ipconfig flushdns

3. Once done, close the Command Prompt and restart your computer.

Go back to Discord after restarting your system and check if you’ll still see the ‘RTC Connecting’ message.

Fix 5: Change Your Discord Server Region

Discord has several servers available in different regions. If you keep seeing the ‘RTC Connecting’ error when joining a voice channel, make sure that you select the nearest server for your area.

To do this, follow the step-by-step guide below:

  1. First, select a Voice Channel you want to join and click on the Gear icon to edit the channel.
select voice channel

2. Now, click on Overview and find the Region Override tab.

3. Select the nearest server in your location and close the Settings tab afterward.

select discord region

Try joining your voice channel again to check if the problem is solved.

Fix 6: Turn Off QoS

While this option improves performance on the Discord app and reduces latency on the voice chat, some ISPs or routers may misbehave, resulting in network-related problems, as stated in the note below the QoS Settings on Discord.

If you keep seeing the ‘RTC Connecting’ message on Discord, try turning off QoS and see if the problem goes away.

  1. On Discord’s Settings, click on Voice & Audio.
  2. Now, scroll down and look for Quality of Service.
  3. Lastly, disable this feature on Discord and restart the app.
voice and video settings

If the problem persists, proceed to the following method below to fix the issue.

Fix 7: Update Your Network Driver

Since this issue is mainly related to network problems, we recommend checking if there are available updates for your network drivers.

Check out the steps below to check if there are updates for your network driver:

  1. First, press the Windows Key + X on your keyboard and click on Device Manager.
quick access menu

2. Click on Network Adapters and select your current Network Driver.

3. Right-click on your Network Driver and select Update Driver.

4. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the latest drivers for your device and restart your system.

update wireless driver 1

Go back to Discord after updating your drivers and check if you will still get stuck on the ‘RTC Connecting’ message when joining a voice channel.

Fix 8: Reinstall Discord

If you still can’t join a voice channel on Discord, try reinstalling the app to ensure that you have a working and updated copy of the program on your computer.

Follow the guide below to reinstall Discord on your PC:

  1. First, open the Control Panel on your computer and click on Uninstall a Program.
control panel

2. Locate Discord from the list of programs installed on your system.

3. Right-click on Discord and click on Uninstall to delete the application.

uninstall discord

Go to Discord’s official website after uninstalling it to download the installer. Once the app is reinstalled, go back to your account and check if you can successfully join voice channels.

If the problem persists, try using the web version of Discord in the meantime or visit the Help Center to report the issue to their customer support.

Frequently Asked Questions:

how to fix stuck on RTC connecting?

If your computer is stuck on the “RTC Connecting” screen, it is having trouble connecting to your internet service provider. You will need to change to the following DNS server addresses to fix this. The easiest way to do this is to use the Google DNS servers, which are 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.

How to fix Discord RTC connecting stuck?

There are a few things that can cause the “Discord RTC Connecting” error to occur. One is if your DNS cache gets corrupted. To fix this, you can try flushing your DNS cache.

Another potential cause is an issue with your internet connection. Try restarting your router or modem to see if that fixes the problem.

What is using quality of service high packet priority?

Using Quality of Service High Packet Priority is a process that helps to ensure that packets are delivered promptly. This is especially important for time-sensitive applications such as VoIP or video streaming.

By assigning a high packet priority to certain types of traffic, the router can give those packets preferential treatment and ensure that they are delivered quickly and efficiently.

Why does Discord stay stuck on RTC connecting?

There are a few reasons for this. First, Discord uses UDP instead of TCP for its voice connections. This means there is no need for the constant handshaking that TCP requires, reducing latency.

Second, Discord uses voice activity detection (VAD) to determine when a user is speaking. This helps to reduce the amount of data that needs to be sent since only the portions of the audio where someone is speaking are sent.

Should I turn on enable quality of service high packet priority in the Discord App?

When enabling quality of service, high packet priority is turned on; it allows for the prioritization of packets so that they are handled in a more efficient manner. This can be beneficial in situations with a lot of traffic and congestion. However, it is important to note that this setting is not always necessary and can cause more problems than it solves.

How do I bypass the Windows firewall for the Discord app?

To bypass the Windows firewall for the Discord App, you’ll need to add an exception. To do this, go to your Windows Firewall settings and click “Add an app.” Select the Discord App from the list of apps and click “Add.” Once you’ve added the Discord App to your exceptions list, it will be able to bypass your firewall.

Shayne Sherman
Meet the author

Shayne is an expert on all things Microsoft Windows and computer security. As a Windows user of over 30 years, he has been featured on Business Insider, Yahoo, Tech Republic, Hacker Noon, Techopedia, and many other publications. Aside from entertaining at his home theater, he enjoys spending time with his family, including his English bulldog, Fergie.