How to Fix Discord Overlay Not Working in Valorant (2025 – USA)

Discord overlay is a game-changer for communicating with friends while gaming, but many Valorant players in the USA are facing a frustrating issue in 2025: the overlay simply doesn’t show up. Whether you want to see who’s talking or quickly reply to a DM without tabbing out, Discord’s overlay is essential. If it’s not working in Valorant, don’t worry — we’ve got you covered.

In this detailed guide, we’ll walk through step-by-step how to Fix Discord Overlay Not Working in Valorant. These solutions are up-to-date, tailored for the US audience, and compatible with the latest versions of Discord, Windows 11, and Riot Vanguard.

Why Is Discord Overlay Not Working in Valorant?

Before jumping into solutions, it’s important to understand the root causes. Several factors could cause the overlay to stop working:

  • Discord overlay is disabled
  • Game activity not registered
  • Admin permission conflicts
  • Hardware acceleration issues
  • Conflicts with Riot Vanguard anti-cheat
  • Outdated software (Discord or Valorant)
  • Windows settings interference (Focus Assist, notifications)

Now, let’s get into how to fix these issues.

Step-by-Step Fixes for Discord Overlay Not Working in Valorant

1. Enable In-Game Overlay in Discord

How to Check:

  1. Open Discord.
  2. Click the Gear icon (User Settings) at the bottom-left.
  3. Go to Game Overlay under the “Activity Settings” section.
  4. Toggle on “Enable in-game overlay”.

Verify for Valorant:

  1. Go to Registered Games (under Activity Settings).
  2. Make sure Valorant is listed.
  3. If it says “Overlay: Off,” click the monitor icon next to Valorant to turn it on.

Pro Tip: If Valorant isn’t listed, open Valorant while Discord is running, then go back and check again.

2. Run Both Discord and Valorant as Administrator

Running both apps with admin rights resolves permissions and background priority issues.

How to Do It:

  • Right-click on the Discord shortcut → Click Run as administrator.
  • Do the same for Valorant.

If this fixes the problem, you can set them to always run as administrator:

  1. Right-click → Properties → Compatibility tab.
  2. Check “Run this program as an administrator”.

3. Check Discord Overlay Hotkey

You might have changed or removed the hotkey for opening the overlay.

Steps:

  1. Go to User Settings > Game Overlay.
  2. See the “Toggle Overlay Lock” setting.
  3. Assign a hotkey (e.g., Shift + ) that doesn’t conflict with Valorant.

4. Disable Hardware Acceleration

Hardware acceleration sometimes causes overlay glitches in full-screen applications.

Disable It:

  1. Go to User Settings > Advanced.
  2. Toggle off Hardware Acceleration.
  3. Restart Discord.

5. Disable ‘Fullscreen Mode’ in Valorant

Valorant running in fullscreen may prevent the overlay from showing.

Fix:

  1. Launch Valorant.
  2. Go to Settings > Video > Display Mode.
  3. Change it from Fullscreen to Borderless Windowed.

This tweak often makes Discord overlay appear instantly.

6. Temporarily Disable Riot Vanguard

Sometimes Vanguard’s anti-cheat system blocks overlays.

Warning: Only do this for testing. Don’t disable Vanguard permanently or you’ll be unable to play Valorant.

Try This:

  1. Close Valorant and Discord.
  2. Right-click the Windows Taskbar → Open Task Manager.
  3. End any Vanguard (vgc) processes.
  4. Reopen Discord and Valorant to test if overlay appears.

If this works, consider reporting the issue to Riot so future updates can fix the conflict.

7. Update Both Discord and Valorant

An outdated version of either app could be causing compatibility issues.

Update Discord:

  • Restart Discord to auto-update, or download the latest from the Discord website.

Update Valorant:

  • Riot Client usually auto-updates, but ensure your internet is stable and check for pending updates.

8. Allow Discord Through Windows Defender Firewall

Sometimes overlays get blocked due to aggressive firewall rules.

Steps:

  1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall > Allow an app.
  2. Look for Discord and ensure both Private and Public are checked.
  3. If it’s missing, click Allow another app and manually add the Discord executable.

9. Turn Off Focus Assist in Windows 11

Focus Assist mutes notifications, which may affect Discord overlays and popups.

Disable It:

  1. Open Settings > System > Focus Assist.
  2. Select “Off” to allow all notifications.

10. Reinstall Discord (Clean Install)

If nothing works, a clean reinstall can fix corrupted files.

Steps:

  1. Uninstall Discord via Control Panel > Programs and Features.
  2. Delete leftover files at:
    • C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Discord
    • C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Discord
  3. Restart your PC.
  4. Download the latest version from Discord.com and reinstall.

Bonus Tips for USA Users

  • Check for Regional Outages: Visit Discord Status to confirm if servers in your region are experiencing issues.
  • Use a VPN: Sometimes overlay errors relate to your network. A VPN can help if your ISP is throttling Discord.
  • Windows Gaming Features: Disable Xbox Game Bar if you don’t use it — it can sometimes interfere with overlays.

Final Thoughts

Discord overlay not working in Valorant is a common issue, but it’s usually easy to fix once you know where to look. Most users in the USA find success with simple fixes like enabling the overlay, switching to borderless windowed mode, or running apps as admin.

We hope this guide helped you solve the problem. If you’ve tried all of the above and nothing works, consider reaching out to both Discord Support and Riot Support — they’re familiar with these issues and can provide advanced troubleshooting for 2025-specific setups.

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