Quick Links
You have some level of control over your personal information and interactions on Discord. This allows you to improve your privacy and use the platform with peace of mind. Here are some tips that can help.
1Tweak Privacy and Safety Settings
By adjusting your privacy and safety settings on Discord, you can control certain interactions. These include who can contact you, how Discord uses your data, and which messages to apply the spam filter to.
To access your privacy and safety settings on mobile, open the Discord app and tap your profile image in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Then, tapSettings–the gear icon–in the top-right corner. In settings, tapPrivacy & Safety.
Select theFilter All Direct Messagesradio button in theDM Spam Filtersection to send potential spam to a different inbox marked for it. Then, scroll down to theServer Privacy Defaultssection and toggle offAllow Direct Messages From Server Membersso that server members who aren’t your friends on Discord can’t message you directly.
Remember toggling off direct messages from server members who aren’t friends only applies to servers you join from now on. The setting won’t affect servers you’re already a member of.
You can also tell Discord not to use data, such as your usage patterns, friends, and games, to improve its services and to personalize your experience. To do that, scroll down to theHow We Use Your Datasection and toggle offUse Data to Improve DiscordandUse Data to Personalize My Discord Experience.
On Desktop
To access your privacy and safety settings on the Discord desktop app, open it and clickUser Settings–the gear icon–in the bottom left.
In the left-side menu, clickPrivacy and Safety.
In theDM Spam Filtersection, select theFilter All Direct Messagesradio button. This will send messages that may contain spam to an inbox dedicated to this type of content.
Next, toggle offAllow Direct Messages From Server Membersin theServer Privacy Defaultssection. This will block messages sent by people who aren’t your friends when joining a server. It won’t apply to servers you’re already a member of before changing the setting.
Now, scroll down to theHow We Use Your Datasection. Here, toggle offUse Data to Improve DiscordandUse Data to Personalize My Discord Experience. These settings will prevent Discord from using your data, such as your behavior on the platform, the people you chat with, and the games you play, to improve its services and customize your experience.
2Set Your Online Status to “Invisible”
If you want to be online without anyone bothering you, you may set your status to “Invisible.” You will appear offline, but you can use Discord normally.
To appear invisible on the Discord mobile app, tap your profile image in the bottom right corner of the screen. On the next screen, tap your profile picture icon in the top-left and then tapInvisiblein the menu.
Now people won’t know when you’re online since your status will show that you’re offline.
To appear invisible on the Discord desktop app, click your profile image in the bottom left. In the menu, hover the mouse pointer overOnlineand selectInvisible.
Now you will appear offline, but you can still interact with people normally.
3Block Users You Don’t Want to Interact With
When you block someone on Discord, they can’t send you direct messages, ping you, add you as a friend, or see your online status or activity. It also reduces their ability to interact with you by hiding their messages on shared servers.
To block a user in the Discord mobile app, tap their profile image in the server. Next, tap the three-dot icon in the top-right corner and then tapBlockin the menu.
You can also remove them from your friends list by tappingRemove Friend.
To block a user in the Discord desktop app, right-click the user’s profile image and clickBlockin the menu.
In the prompt, confirm you want to block them by clickingBlock. You can also clickRemove Friendin the menu to remove them from your friends list.
4Use a Generic Profile Image
Discord doesn’t allow you to make your profile image private or only visible to those you trust. However, you can enhance your privacy by using a generic profile image or remove it altogether.
However, you can set it to something generic to hide who you are, ensuring no one can use the profile image to track down who you are.
To change your profile image on the Discord mobile app, tap your profile image in the bottom left corner. Next, tapEdit Profileand tap your profile image in the top left. Then, tapRemove AvatarorChange Avatarin the menu.
If you choose to change the avatar and this is your first time doing this, Discord will need permission to access your photos. Next, choose a photo from your gallery to become your new profile image.
To change your profile image on the Discord desktop app, click your profile image in the bottom-left corner. Next, click the pencil icon in the top right corner to edit your profile.
Below theAvatarheading, clickRemove Avatarif you want nothing as your profile image. Otherwise, clickChange Avatar.
ClickUpload Imageand select an image from your computer.
5Don’t Share Sensitive Information
Discord is not only for gamersand many people use it for work or just chatting in general. Regardless of why you use Discord, there is information you should never share on the platform. For example, never share your password or token, with anyone. You also shouldn’t share personal details like addresses or credit card information. Discord doesn’t have end-to-end encryption, meaning malicious individuals can read your messages in the event of a data breach.
Also, Discord will never ask for that information. If you suddenly get a message or email from Discord asking for it, it is aphishing attempt.
Keep in mind thatdata scrapers have also gathered Discord messages in server chatsin the past, so you don’t want to share any sensitive information on the platform.
6Don’t Click Suspicious Links
If a link is coming from a bot or someone you don’t trust, you shouldn’t click it right away. It could lead to amalicious websitethat can infect your device with malware. It could also be aphishing websitethat can steal your sensitive information or take over your account.
Examine it and click only when youcheck if the link is safe. If you find out that it is indeed suspicious, report the user or bot that sent it to make Discord safer for everyone.
While these tips help with privacy, they won’t necessarily make your account more secure. We recommend improving your security as well byenabling two-factor authentication and using a stronger password on Discord.
