Fixing the "Unable to Register" Error on Discord – A Comprehensive Troubleshooting Guide

Seeing the "Unable to register based on the information provided" error message when trying to create a Discord account can be incredibly frustrating. But don‘t worry – in most cases, this error can be easily fixed by clearing your cookies and site data or trying a different device.

In this detailed guide, I‘ll walk you step-by-step through why you‘re getting this vague error, the different troubleshooting solutions to try, and some handy workarounds to get you registered on one of the world‘s most popular chat apps.

Why Discord Requires You to Be 13+

Before diving into fixes, it‘s helpful to understand why Discord instituted a 13+ age minimum in the first place.

Discord exploded in popularity in recent years as a platform for chat-based communities centered around gaming, streaming, and even business. It now boasts over 150 million monthly active users. With that massive user base comes the reality that kids under 13 will want to join the fun.

The company put safeguards like age verification in place to help protect younger users from being exposed to inappropriate content or conversations on Discord‘s wide array of servers. Requiring a minimum age helps them moderate and maintain community guidelines.

Of course, 13 is a somewhat arbitrary cut-off based on the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) — most kids don’t magically become mature at that age. But you have to draw a line somewhere for legal and ethical reasons.

Discord employs automated systems to check the birth date you provide during account creation against their minimum age requirement. If the system detects you inputting an underage birth date, you‘ll get the dreaded error message.

But even if you‘re over 13, you may still run into this if you previously signed up with an incorrect birthday or have old Discord data cached on your device. Not to worry – we‘ll get you registered with the right troubleshooting!

Step 1: Clear Your Cookies, Cache, and Site Data

The most common fix is to clear out any cached cookies and site data from previous attempts at registering on Discord:

1. Completely close Discord on your current browser and device. This ensures cached data is cleared from active memory.

2. Open your browser settings and find the “clear cookies and site data” option.

   • On Chrome, click the 3-dot menu > Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data.

   • On Firefox, click the 3-line menu > Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data

   • On Safari, click Safari > Clear History and Website Data

3. Select the time range “All history” and make sure “Cookies and other site data” is checked. Uncheck all other boxes.

4. Click “Clear history” or “Clear data”. This removes Discord‘s cookies and cached data.

5. Restart your browser and navigate back to the Discord signup page. Re-enter your birthday when prompted during account creation, making sure it shows you as 13 or older.

Clearing out old cookies and site data essentially gives Discord a blank slate to recheck your age information. As long as you input your correct birthday showing you meet the minimum age this time around, you should bypass the error message.

If you’re still seeing the “unable to register” error after trying these steps, don’t panic yet! Here are some other troubleshooting fixes to try:

Try Creating an Account on Another Browser

Since the registration error seems tied to your browser‘s cached Discord data, try opening a different browser and starting the signup process there.

Discord works great on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and others. If one browser is giving you issues, installing and trying another is an easy workaround.

Open your alternate browser of choice and navigate directly to the Discord signup page. Again, double check that you correctly enter a birth date showing you are 13 or older when asked. With fresh browser data, you may avoid further registration errors.

Attempt Signing Up on a Different Device

Similarly, making a Discord account on another internet-connected device like a phone, tablet, or computer can help circumvent browser data causing registration headaches.

If you were originally trying to sign up on desktop, grab your smartphone and pull up Discord in your mobile browser or install the app. On the signup screen, carefully enter your birth date to show you meet the minimum age requirements.

On the flip side, if you were trying and failing to create an account on mobile, move over to a laptop or desktop computer. The change of environment to a device with absolutely no previous Discord activity can often resolve sign up issues.

Contact Discord Support for Additional Troubleshooting

If you still can‘t register after the usual troubleshooting, it‘s time to bring in the experts themselves. The Discord support team is very responsive and equipped to help solve account creation problems.

Start by thoroughly reading Discord’s help guide on fixing registration issues, which covers steps like:

• Switching browsers and devices

• Turning off VPNs and proxies

• Temporarily disabling antivirus or firewall software

• Trying incognito/private browsing mode

If you still can’t register after exhausting their self-help tips, reach out to @Discord on Twitter or submit a request via their contact form.

When you contact them, provide as many details as possible including:

• The exact error message you see

• The browser(s) and device(s) you experience the issue on

• Screenshots of the error occurring

• Steps you’ve already tried to resolve it

Discord‘s team is quite responsive and will work with you to pinpoint any other potential obstacles to getting registered. Whether it takes changing settings, whitelisting your IP address, or manually verifying your info, they’ll assist you in covering all bases.

Workarounds: Use a Parent/Guardian Account or Wait Until You’re 13

If you’re still completely stuck battling the registration error after all troubleshooting, there are a couple last ditch workarounds:

The first is using a parent or legal guardian‘s Discord account to access the platform, with their express knowledge and permission. Have them create a shared family account under their name and birthdate, and set restrictions as they see fit. This grants you access while meeting Discord‘s terms of service.

However, there‘s no foolproof way for Discord to verify familial relationships. And account sharing violates their ToS if unauthorized. So proceed with caution and parental oversight if pursuing this option.

If you have your heart set on your own personal Discord account, the hard truth may be waiting until you actually reach 13 years of age. As frustrating as it is, abiding by Discord’s minimum age is the only guaranteed way to permanently resolve the registration issue.

The bright side is 13 comes quicker than you think! In the meantime, explore other kid-friendly social platforms with lower age limits like Snapchat. And remember to always get a parent or guardian’s approval before using any new apps or services.

In Summary: How to Troubleshoot Discord‘s Age Verification

To recap, here are the key steps to try when facing Discord‘s "unable to register" error:

1. Clear cached cookies/data from your browsers and devices.

2. Attempt creating an account in a different browser.

3. Try signing up on another device like mobile or desktop.

4. Reach out to Discord‘s support team for help.

5. Consider workarounds like using a parent‘s account or waiting until you‘re 13.

With the right combination of browser, device, and birth date, you should be chatting on Discord servers in no time. And remember – Discord‘s age requirements are designed to keep you safe, even if they seem overly strict.

Have you struggled to register for Discord? Let me know in the comments if these tips helped resolve your issue!