Discord is one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among tech-savvy people. Like many other apps, Discord has a Beta version. This Beta version allows Discord to test features in advance and tweak them based on user feedback.
Discord has three public builds: stable (regular), PTB (public test build), and Canary. As its name suggests, Stable is the actual version of Discord that most people use, while PTB and Canary are test versions. The difference between PTB and Canary is that PTB is more stable, but Canary receives updates earlier.
In this guide, we’ll examine PTB, compare it with Canary, and teach you how to download it to desktops and mobile devices.
Why is it Called Discord PTB (Public Test Build)?
While the regular Discord often gets updated, the developer team needs to test those updates. After the internal testing is done, Discord uses the test builds PTB and Canary to push those updates to a live user base. While the update is being tested by PTB and Canary users, Discord collects feedback and data so they can improve or even fix the update before publishing it to the regular app.
Public Test Build means exactly that, a public version that Discord uses to test updates, features, and other patches.
Is Discord PTB Safe?
The only difference between the regular Discord and PTB is the fact that PTB is more prone to crashes and bugs but gets updated earlier. Those crashes and bugs don’t mean security flaws, though. Discord takes security very seriously and won’t push any updates to the test builds.
You can safely use Discord PTB without any concern. The only problem with Discord PTB is that if an update breaks Discord, you’ll be one of the first ones to experience it. Don’t worry, though, Discord will probably push a fix to the problem soon after.
Is Discord PTB or Canary Better?
We have already touched upon Discord Canary. It’s the alpha version of Discord. To understand the differences between the Stable, PTB, and Canary builds, you can think of the three as runners. Canary is the fastest one (most frequent updates), then PTB, then Stable (regular Discord). But as Canary and PTB are faster than Stable, they’re more prone to falling down (crashes, bugs, and other issues.)
So, which one is better, PTB or Canary? There’s no easy answer to this since the only difference between them is the update frequency and tendency to have crashes and bugs.
- If you’re fine with the possibility of frequent crashes, bugs, and other issues in exchange for the earliest updates - use Canary
- If you want early updates but still think stability is important - use PTB (Public Test Build)
How to Use Discord PTB
Discord PTB (Testflight in iOS and Beta in Android) and Stable versions do not differ in terms of using the app. Everything you know about regular Discord will apply to PTB and vice versa. The only possible difference is the features. There aren’t new features all the time in PTB - it's just when developers want to test any new ones. So, don’t worry if your Discord PTB is virtually the same as its regular counterpart.
Downloading them might be the biggest difference between the two. Let’s take a look at how you can download Discord PTB on desktop and mobile devices.
Downloading Discord PTB on Desktop
You can download Discord PTB just as easily as the Stable build. All you have to do is visit Discord’s official download page, scroll down, hover over the Public Test Build, and select your operating system.
After downloading Discord PTB, you can use it just like how you use the Stable (regular) Discord app. There’s no difference in basic functionality.
How to Download Discord Testflight on iOS
On iOS devices, the counterpart of Discord PTB is known as Testflight. It might sound familiar since Testflight is an iOS app that lets developer publish test versions of their apps with ease. The Testflight version of Discord is no different than the regular app in terms of functionality. Just like other counterparts of PTB, the only difference is they get updates earlier and are more prone to crashes and bugs.
To be able to download the Testflight version of Discord, you should download the actual Testflight app from the App Store. After downloading it, head to the https://dis.gd/testflight link so that you can sign up and download Discord Testflight.
Downloading Discord PTB (Beta) on Android
The Android counterpart of Discord PTB has a different name on Android as well - it’s known as Discord Beta. Downloading it is the same as downloading the beta version of other apps in Android. You should head to the Discord page in the Google Play Store and scroll down. There, you’ll see the “Join the beta” section, and there should be a “Join” button. Clicking it will make you a part of the Beta, and you can start using Discord Beta after updating your app.
The only difference between Discord Beta and the regular Discord app is that the Discord Beta gets updates earlier and is more prone to crashes and bugs. There’s no functional difference, so you can download the app and start using it right away.
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