Discord has become the lifeblood of the gaming world. It will no longer be a chat or streaming application, but a place where communities will flourish, and creators and gamers can showcase what they love in 2025.
A Game Activity status is one of the most entertaining functions of Discord, which automatically shows which game you are playing in your name.
View the possibilities of your friends, who immediately write that they play Valorant or are exploring worlds in Minecraft. It generates immediate discussions, unites people and even enables streamers to expand.
The 2025 Discord has also taken the 2020 version, improving the feature with better detection, privacy and customisation accuracy.
Here, we will discuss how to display what game you are playing on Discord, both on desktop and mobile, how to solve the detection problem, and even how to customize your presence. This guide will make your profile distinctive, regardless of whether you are a streamer, gamer, or casual player in Discord.
What Is “Game Activity” on Discord and How It Works
The Game Activity feature of Discord identifies the game you are playing on your computer and automatically shows it in your name. It uses the Game SDK of Discord, which searches the processes that are running on your computer and finds supported games in a list that has been verified.
When it is turned on, there is a message such as Playing Apex Legends or In Game: League of Legends. Your friends will immediately be informed of what game you are playing, how much time you spent playing it, and whether you are online or off.
Here’s what Game Activity shows in 2025:
- Game Name: Displays the title of your running game.
- Play Duration: How long you’ve been active in the game.
- Custom Message: Add personalized text, such as “Grinding Ranked Mode.”
- Online Status: Indicates your current Discord presence.
The 2025 update introduced an improved Game Detection Engine that recognizes over 50,000 PC and mobile titles, including indie and browser-based games. It’s smarter, faster, and works even when you switch between launchers like Steam, Epic Games, or Riot.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Show What Game You’re Playing on Discord (Desktop)
If you’re using Discord on your computer, enabling Game Activity takes less than a minute. Follow these updated 2025 steps:
Step 1: Open Discord
Launch the Discord desktop app or access it via your browser. Log in to your main account.
Step 2: Access User Settings
In the screen’s bottom-left corner, click the gear icon (⚙️) beside your username.
Step 3: Go to “Activity Privacy”
In the sidebar, scroll to Activity Settings → Activity Privacy. This section controls whether Discord detects your game activity.
Step 4: Enable “Display Current Activity as a Status Message”
Toggle ON this setting. This tells Discord to show your current game beneath your username.
Step 5: Start Your Game
Open your favorite game — within seconds, you’ll see it appear on your profile as “Playing Fortnite” or “Playing Call of Duty: Warzone.”
Pro Tip (2025 Update): Discord now remembers your last played games and loads their display faster. You can also manually add unsupported games through Registered Games in settings.
Your friends and community members can now see your current game in real-time whenever you’re online.
How to Show Game Activity on Discord Mobile (Android & iOS)
Discord’s mobile app used to lack game detection, but the 2025 update changed that. Android and iOS users can now display their active games or custom status.
Here’s how to enable it:
Step 1: Open the Discord App
Update the latest version from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, then log in.
Step 2: Access User Settings
Tap your profile picture in the bottom-right corner to open User Settings.
Step 3: Navigate to “Activity Status”
Scroll down and select Activity Status under App Settings.
Step 4: Enable Game Detection
Toggle ON the option “Display current activity as a status message.” Supported mobile games like Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, or Call of Duty Mobile will now show automatically.
Step 5: Set a Custom Status (Optional)
For games not detected automatically, tap Set Custom Status and type something like “Playing Mobile Legends with Squad.”
Note: Due to iOS security restrictions, Discord might not detect all games directly. For those, custom status remains the best option.
Discord’s latest version supports over 1,200 verified mobile games, ensuring your activity shows whether you’re gaming on the go or streaming live.
What to Do If Discord Doesn’t Detect Your Game (Fix 2025)
Sometimes, Discord may fail to detect a game. This usually happens with new, indie, or launcher-based titles. Fortunately, there are easy fixes:
1. Add the Game Manually
- Go to User Settings → Registered Games.
- Click Add it! Under “Not seeing your game?”
- Select your running game’s .exe process.
- Press Add Game — now it will appear instantly.
2. Check Privacy Settings
Ensure the “Display current activity as a status message” option is turned ON under Activity Privacy.
3. Run Discord as Administrator
Right-click on the Discord shortcut → choose Run as Administrator. This allows Discord to read running processes properly.
4. Update the App
Outdated builds can cause detection errors. Go to Help → Check for Updates to ensure you use the 2025 version.
5. Check Your Status Mode
If your profile is set to Invisible, your activity won’t display. Switch to Online or Do Not Disturb mode.
Expert Tip: Even if Discord doesn’t detect a game automatically, you can still use custom text to display what you’re playing — perfect for web-based or beta titles.
With these simple steps, Discord will instantly recognize and display your game activity for your friends and community members.
How to Customize or Hide Game Activity for Privacy Control
Not everyone wants to broadcast their activity. Discord’s privacy tools let you control who sees your game status and when.
Control Who Sees Your Activity
Go to User Settings → Privacy & Safety → Activity Privacy.
Toggle off “Display current activity as a status message” to hide it globally.
For advanced control, use Server Privacy Overrides to only show or hide your game activity on specific servers.
Set a Custom “Playing” Message
Want to have fun with your status? Click your profile → Set Custom Status → type a personalized message like “AFK but dreaming of victory.”
Auto-Clear Game Activity
The 2025 Discord version offers Auto-Clear, which removes your game activity after a selected time (e.g., 1 or 2 hours). Ideal for privacy-conscious gamers.
Invisible Mode
Discord shows you offline when set to Invisible and hides your activity from everyone until you toggle it back.
Pro Tip: Your privacy settings now sync across all your logged-in devices, so changes made on desktop apply to mobile automatically.
These features give you full control over your visibility — perfect for gamers who balance public streaming with private playtime.
Final Thoughts
Discord is not only about communicating, but it is also about expressing. It is just a matter of sharing your activity on the game and informing others about what you like and are playing in 2025.
It makes your profile living, whether you are demonstrating your latest grind in Elden Ring 2 or you are in Starfield.
With this feature enabled, you are not merely presenting a title, but establishing chances of collaboration, dialogue, and relationship. With the increased detection, privacy settings, and mobile support, your game presence is more than ever.
Please turn it on, make it your own, and get the world to witness what makes your gaming experiences a personal experience.
FAQs
Why doesn’t Discord show what game I’m playing on Steam?
Discord might not detect Steam games if Game Activity is disabled or Discord lacks admin permissions. Enable “Display current activity” and run Discord as administrator to fix it.
Does Discord show what game I’m playing while invisible?
No, Discord hides your game activity completely when your status is set to Invisible. Switch to Online or Do Not Disturb to make it visible again.
How to enable game overlay on Discord?
Go to User Settings → Game Overlay and toggle Enable in-game overlay ON. Then choose your shortcut key to open or hide the overlay while gaming.
How to make it look like you’re playing a game on Discord?
You can fake a game status by going to User Settings → Registered Games → Add it!, then manually adding any app or file name you want Discord to display.