- Discord has released a major update with a new UI design, dark themes, and spacing options.
- The update includes the Onyx theme, a dark mode, and a "UI Density" option to adjust spacing.
- The in-game overlay has also been updated with widgets, improving performance and user experience.
For as long as I can remember, Discord has sported the same dull and monotonous UI, which completely contrasts its more fun and friendly mobile interface. If you agree with me, then there’s good news for you. The app surprised us today with a new desktop update that redesigns the entire Discord UI, introduces new dark themes, and adds spacing options.
This is a big update, and Discord shared a blog post discussing everything new included for the desktop app. Starting with the Onyx theme, which embraces the complete dark mode, best suited for OLED monitors and laptop displays”.
The new Onyx theme is accompanied by another, darker grayish overlay called “Dark.” Both are available for free. So users without Discord Nitro have four free themes at their disposal. Discord now also shows the “UI Density” option. This lets you adjust the spacing in the channel list and the overall UI.
Other than that, and of course, the entire UI design change, Discord has quietly updated its in-game overlay with widgets. It more closely resembles the Xbox Game Bar, where you can drag widgets and channel updates around the screen.
It also fixes the issues where the Discord overlay would affect the FPS and performance of the games. According to Discord Vice President, Peter Sellis, “This new version of the Overlay delivers a snappier, faster experience, focused around what you care about most.”
So with these changes on board, the Discord app looks and feels like a more user-friendly experience overall. While the older layout looked quite off-putting to me personally, this new redesign seems more welcoming. I do understand that long-term users will be quite upset with the changes, especially the saturation of colors in certain areas, if you go with the Onyx theme.
That said, what are your thoughts about this new Discord desktop app redesign? Are you on board with it or desperately looking for ways to switch back to the older theme? Start a discussion in the comments below.
