Connect Discord to Xbox through your account settings
You connect Discord to Xbox by linking your Discord account to your Xbox profile through Microsoft's account system. The process takes about five minutes and happens entirely on your phone or computer — you do not need to do anything on the Xbox console itself.
Start by opening Discord on your phone or computer and signing in. Go to your User Settings (the gear icon next to your username at the bottom left). Select "Connections" from the left menu, then find Xbox Live in the list of services. Click the Xbox Live icon, and Discord will redirect you to sign in with your Microsoft account — use the same Microsoft account connected to your Xbox profile.
After you sign in, Discord asks permission to access your Xbox profile information. Click "Yes, allow" to confirm. Discord then shows your Xbox username and asks if you want to display your Xbox activity on your Discord profile. You can toggle this on or off depending on whether you want other Discord users to see what game you are playing.
Key Takeaways
- Linking Discord to Xbox happens in Discord's Connections settings and requires your Microsoft account, not your Xbox console.
- Once connected, Discord can show your Xbox friends list and display what game you are currently playing to other Discord users.
- You can control whether your Xbox activity appears on your Discord profile after linking is complete.
- The connection works across all Discord servers and direct messages once set up.
- Disconnecting is just as straightforward — go back to Connections and click "Disconnect" next to Xbox Live.
What you can do after connecting Discord and Xbox
Once Discord and Xbox are linked, Discord pulls your Xbox friends list into the app. You can see which of your Xbox friends are online and what they are playing, even if they are not in any Discord server with you. This works one direction only — your Discord friends do not automatically appear in your Xbox friends list.
Discord also displays your current Xbox activity in your profile. When you are playing a game on Xbox, Discord shows that game name next to your username in any server or direct message. Other users can click on the game name to see what you are playing, and some games let them join your session directly from Discord if the game supports it.
You can also use Discord's Rich Presence feature, which means Discord knows more details about what you are doing in Xbox games — like your current mission, your rank, or how long you have been playing. Not all Xbox games support this level of detail, but popular titles like Fortnite, Halo Infinite, and Minecraft do.
Troubleshooting a failed connection
If Discord says your connection failed, the most common cause is using a different Microsoft account than the one linked to your Xbox profile. Check which Microsoft account your Xbox console uses by going to Settings > Account on your Xbox, then make sure you sign into Discord with that same account.
If you see an error message during the linking process, try signing out of Discord completely and signing back in before attempting the connection again. Sometimes Discord's session needs to refresh. If the problem persists, clear your browser cache if you are using Discord on the web, or uninstall and reinstall the Discord app if you are on mobile.
Two-factor authentication on your Microsoft account can occasionally cause the connection to stall. If you have it enabled, make sure you complete the two-factor verification when Discord prompts you during the linking process. Do not close the window or navigate away until the verification is finished.
Controlling what information Discord shares
After linking, you can adjust what Discord shows about your Xbox activity. In User Settings under Connections, click the Xbox Live entry and toggle "Display currently running game as a status message" on or off. When this is off, other Discord users cannot see what Xbox game you are playing, though your Xbox friends list still appears in Discord.
You can also hide your entire Xbox connection from your profile by clicking the eye icon next to Xbox Live in your Connections list. This removes Xbox from appearing anywhere on your profile, though the connection itself remains active in the background.
If you want to disconnect Discord from Xbox entirely, go to Connections, find Xbox Live, and click "Disconnect." This removes your Xbox friends list from Discord and stops showing your activity. You can reconnect at any time by following the same linking steps again.
Using Discord voice chat while playing Xbox
Connecting Discord to Xbox does not automatically route Discord voice chat through your Xbox console. If you want to use Discord voice chat while playing an Xbox game, you need to use Discord on a separate device — your phone, computer, or tablet — and have a headset connected to that device.
Many players use a phone or laptop running Discord in one ear and their Xbox game audio in the other ear, or they use a headset that connects to both devices at once. Some gaming headsets like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless support multiple simultaneous connections, which makes this easier.
If your Xbox has a Kinect sensor, you can use voice commands to control Discord, but you cannot use the Kinect as a microphone for Discord voice chat. The Kinect only works with Xbox's built-in party system, not with Discord.
Connecting Discord to Xbox Game Pass
Discord does not directly connect to Xbox Game Pass, but if you have Game Pass, you can still see which Game Pass games your friends are playing through the Xbox connection. When a friend plays a Game Pass game, Discord shows the game name just like any other Xbox game.
Some Game Pass games have Discord integration built in, which means launching the game from Discord can automatically start it on your Xbox if you have Remote Play set up. This is a feature of individual games, not the Game Pass service itself, so it depends on which game you are playing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an Xbox Game Pass subscription to connect Discord to Xbox?
No. You only need an Xbox profile linked to a Microsoft account. Game Pass is optional and does not affect whether you can connect Discord to your Xbox account.
Can my Discord friends see my Xbox friends list?
No. Your Xbox friends list appears in Discord only for you. Other Discord users cannot see who your Xbox friends are, only what game you are currently playing if you have that setting enabled.
Will connecting Discord to Xbox affect my Xbox privacy settings?
No. Connecting Discord does not change any Xbox privacy settings. Your Xbox profile privacy remains whatever you set it to in your Xbox account settings.
Can I connect multiple Xbox accounts to one Discord account?
No. Discord allows only one Xbox account per Discord account. If you have multiple Xbox profiles, you can only link one of them at a time. You would need to disconnect and reconnect to switch between them.
What happens if I change my Microsoft password after connecting Discord?
Your Discord connection remains active. Changing your Microsoft password does not disconnect Discord from Xbox. You only need to reconnect if you actively disconnect or if Microsoft revokes the permission for some reason.