How to Use Discord: A Beginner’s Guide to Servers, Channels and Chat

Discord is a free chat app for text, voice and video. It started as a place for gaming groups, but today study groups, creators, fan clubs and friend circles use it too. If you’re new to Discord, the interface can look busy at first. This guide shows you how to use Discord step by step, from creating an account to joining a server and adjusting your privacy settings.

You’ll also find a quick comparison of the platforms Discord runs on and answers to common beginner questions.

What Is Discord and How Does It Work?

Discord works around three building blocks:

• Servers. A server is a community space. It can be public, like a big fan server with thousands of members, or private, like a small group of friends. You join a server with an invite link.
• Channels. Each server is split into channels. Text channels start with a # symbol and work like group chats. Voice channels have a speaker icon. Click one and you’re in a live call with everyone else in that channel.
• Direct messages (DMs). You can send private messages to friends outside any server, either one-on-one or in a small group DM. DMs also support voice and video calls.

On desktop, the layout follows the same pattern everywhere. Your servers sit in a column on the left side. The channel list for the selected server is next to it. The chat fills the middle, and the member list appears on the right.

You must be at least 13 to use Discord, and the minimum age is higher in some countries.

Where You Can Use Discord

Discord runs on most devices, and your account, servers and messages sync across all of them.

How to Use Discord Step by Step

1. Create a Discord account

Open the Discord app or go to discord.com in your browser and click Register. Enter your email, a display name, a username, a password and your date of birth. Your display name is what people see in chats. Your username is unique and is how friends find you.

2. Verify your email

Discord sends a verification email right after you sign up. Open it and click Verify Email. If it doesn’t arrive, check your spam folder or click Resend in the banner at the top of the app.

Verification protects your account, and some servers won’t let you chat until you’ve verified. For extra security, add a phone number in User Settings > My Account and turn on two-factor authentication there too.

3. Join a server

To join a server, you need an invite link. Friends can send you one, and many communities share theirs on their websites or social pages. Click the link, or click the + button in the server column and choose Join a Server to paste it in.

You can also browse public communities. Click the compass icon in the server column to open Discover and search by topic, such as a game, a hobby or a study subject.

Most large servers have a rules channel. Read it first, since some servers ask you to react to a message or pick roles before you can see all channels.

4. Create your own server

Click the + button at the bottom of the server column and choose Create My Own. Pick a template or start from scratch, add a server name and an icon, and you’re done. Discord adds a default text channel and voice channel for you.

Right-click the server name to create more channels, organize them into categories, and invite people. You can set roles later to decide who can post, speak or moderate.

5. Use text and voice channels

To chat via text, click any channel with a # and type in the message box at the bottom. Discord supports simple formatting: wrap words in double asterisks for bold or single asterisks for italics. You can also attach a file, add emoji and reply to a specific message.

Type a forward slash (/) in the message box to see available commands. Many servers use bots, and slash commands are how you interact with them.

To start talking, click on a voice channel. You’ll connect right away, and the voice panel in the bottom left corner shows your connection. From there you can mute your mic, deafen your headphones, turn on your camera, share your screen, or click the disconnect button to leave.

6. Add friends and send private messages

Click the Discord logo at the top left to open your home screen, then go to Friends > Add Friend. Type the other person’s username and send the request. You can also right-click anyone in a shared server and choose Add Friend.

Once they accept, click their name to start a DM. Use the phone or camera icon at the top of the chat for voice and video calls. To start a group DM, click the + next to Direct Messages and pick up to nine friends.

7. Set up audio and video

Click the gear icon next to your avatar at the bottom left to open User Settings, then go to Voice & Video. Here you can:

• Choose your input device (microphone) and output device (speakers or headphones).
• Run a mic test to hear how you sound.
• Pick Voice Activity or Push to Talk. Push to Talk only sends your voice while you hold a key, which keeps background noise out of the call.
• Turn on noise suppression to cut keyboard clicks and background sounds.
• Preview your camera and adjust video settings.

8. Adjust privacy and notification settings

In User Settings, open Content & Social, Data & Privacy and Notifications to customize these preferences:

• Who can add you as a friend. Limit requests to friends of friends or server members.
• DMs from server members. Turn off direct messages from people in a server unless you’re friends.
• Message filters. Discord can blur or filter sensitive images and route messages from unknown users to a separate requests inbox.
• Notifications. Right-click any server and choose Notification Settings to get alerts only for @mentions. You can also mute a busy server or channel completely.

Discord also uses automatic age checks to decide which default settings apply to your account. If Discord places you in the wrong age group, you can confirm your age in User Settings > Account Status.

Keep Your Discord Chats Private on Public Wi-Fi

Many people chat on Discord from cafés, campuses, hotels and airports. On public Wi-Fi, other people on the same network may try to watch unprotected traffic. A VPN encrypts your internet connection, so your logins and activity stay private on the way to Discord. You can check what your current connection shows to websites with this IP check tool.

Discord is restricted in some countries and on some school or work networks. If you travel, check local rules first. A VPN gives you a stable, private connection to your usual services, but it doesn’t change Discord’s own rules. It won’t remove a server ban, skip age checks, or protect you from scams and suspicious links inside chats. Use common sense there too. For Discord specifically, see how Planet VPN works as a VPN for Discord.

If you game with friends, Planet VPN offers apps for gaming and social platforms. You can download Planet VPN for Windows to use alongside Discord on your PC, or visit the Planet VPN homepage to see all apps.

Use Discord More Privately with Planet VPN

Planet VPN encrypts your connection in a couple of clicks, so your Discord sessions on public Wi-Fi stay private. Core features are free forever. You watch a short ad now and then, and you get reliable encryption in return. For more locations and no ads, compare the options on the Planet VPN plans page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I use Discord on a PC?

You have two options. Download the desktop app from discord.com for the full feature set, or log in at discord.com in any browser without installing anything. Both use the same account, servers and messages.

Is it free to use Discord?

Yes. Messaging, voice and video calls, screen sharing and joining or creating servers are all free. Discord Nitro is an optional subscription. It adds larger file uploads, HD streaming, custom emoji in any server and profile extras. Nitro Basic is a cheaper tier with a smaller set of perks. Check the Nitro page in the app for the current price in your country.

Do you need the app to use Discord?

No. On a computer, you can use Discord in your web browser. On phones, the mobile app gives you the best experience, including notifications and calls.

How do I use Discord on PS5?

On your PS5, go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Linked Services, select Discord, and scan the QR code with your phone to link your accounts. Then open Game Base from the control center, select the Discord tab, and choose a server’s voice channel or a DM call to join.

How do I use Discord on my Xbox?

Link your accounts in your Xbox settings under linked social accounts. Then join a voice channel in the Discord app on your phone or PC and choose the option to transfer the call to your Xbox. Your console handles the audio, and you can mute or adjust volume from the Xbox menu.

Is it safe to use Discord?

Discord is generally safe if you set it up carefully. Turn on two-factor authentication, limit who can DM you and send friend requests, and only join servers you trust. Never click unknown links or download files from strangers, and report anyone who makes you uncomfortable. If you ever decide to leave, here’s how to delete your Discord account step by step.

How do I verify my email on Discord?

Open the email Discord sent when you signed up and click Verify Email. If you can’t find it, check your spam folder or click Resend in the banner at the top of the Discord app.