How to Transfer Discord Server Ownership (Desktop and Mobile)

Handing over a Discord server is a one-way door. Once you transfer ownership, Discord's Support team can't move it back to you, even if you clicked the wrong name. So the button itself takes seconds, but choosing who gets the keys deserves a little more thought.

People usually need this when a community outgrows its founder, a business changes hands, a moderator takes over a club, or the owner wants to delete their own Discord account. Below are the steps on computer and phone, what changes for you afterwards, and what happens when the owner has vanished and can't do it themselves.

What you need before transferring Discord server ownership

• You must be the current owner. Admins and moderators can't transfer a server, however many permissions they have.
• The new owner must be a member of the server. If they aren't, send them an invite and wait for them to join first.
• Your two-factor code, if you use it. Discord asks for your multi-factor authentication code when it's switched on for your account.

It's also worth agreeing the handover with the new owner in advance, so they're ready to take responsibility for the rules, the moderators and any bots. If they're easier to reach on Facebook than on Discord, here's how to find someone on Messenger so you can talk it through first.

Transferring Discord server ownership on a computer

These steps follow Discord's help article for the desktop app and browser:

1. Open the server and go to its Members list.
2. Find the person who'll be the new owner and right-click their name.
3. Choose Transfer Ownership.
4. In the confirmation window, switch on the toggle that acknowledges you're handing over the server.
5. Click Transfer Ownership.
6. Enter your two-factor code if Discord asks for it.

That's it. The server now belongs to them.

Transferring Discord server ownership on your phone

1. Open the server and tap Server Settings.
2. Tap Members.
3. Tap the member who'll become the owner.
4. Tap Transfer Ownership.
5. Acknowledge the transfer on the confirmation screen and tap Transfer.
6. Enter your two-factor code if prompted.

Menus vary by app version, so if Members sits in a slightly different place, look under Server Settings for the list of people in the server.

What changes for you after the Discord server transfer

According to Discord's help, you stay in the server as a normal member. What you can see and do from then on depends on whichever roles you hold. If you had an admin role, you'll keep it unless the new owner removes it, but you lose the owner-only powers.

Before	After
You're the server owner	The person you chose is the owner
You can't be removed by anyone	The new owner can change your roles or remove you
Only you can transfer or delete the server	Only the new owner can
Ownership can move freely	Discord Support can't reverse the transfer

If you're leaving entirely, give the new owner a little time to settle in, then leave the server yourself.

Choosing the right person to take over your Discord server

Because the change is permanent, I'd treat this like handing over the keys to a shop. A few questions worth asking:

• Have they moderated the community before, and do the members trust them?
• Do they have two-factor authentication on their own account, so the server isn't easy to hijack?
• Do they know which bots, roles and channels matter, and why?
• If it's a business community, is the transfer part of a wider handover agreement, for example when you sell a brand or close a project?

For a business, it's often cleaner to make the server owner a shared company account controlled by the business rather than one person's personal profile. Then staff changes don't put the community at risk. The same thinking applies on YouTube, where my guide to transferring a YouTube channel to another email covers handing over a channel.

Transferring Discord server ownership so you can delete your account

Discord won't delete your account while you still own a server. Its account deletion help says you must transfer ownership of, or delete, every server you own first. If you're closing your account, work through your server list one server at a time, transfer the ones that should carry on, and delete only the ones nobody needs.

When the Discord server owner has gone missing

Sometimes the owner disappears: they stop logging in, lose access to their account or simply stop replying. Only the owner can use the Transfer Ownership button, so moderators can't do it for them. Discord's help centre does have a separate process for requesting a transfer of server ownership when the owner is inactive or unreachable. It comes with its own eligibility rules, so read Discord's official article on requesting a transfer and check your server qualifies before you apply.

In the meantime, keep the community running with the permissions you already have. If anyone uses the confusion to harass members or threaten you, report it to Discord and, if you're in danger, contact the police.

If Transfer Ownership doesn't appear in Discord

• You're not the owner. Only the owner sees the option, no matter what roles you have.
• You're looking at the wrong person. You can't transfer to someone who isn't in the server, or to yourself.
• Your app is out of date. Update Discord or try the desktop app or browser instead.
• The two-factor step failed. Check the code in your authenticator app and try again.

If none of those help, Discord's help centre is the right place to ask, since its team can see account details you can't.

Frequently asked questions

How do I transfer Discord server ownership?

On desktop, open the server's Members list, right-click the new owner, choose Transfer Ownership, switch on the acknowledgement toggle and confirm. Enter your two-factor code if Discord asks.

Can a Discord server transfer be undone?

Not by Discord. Its help says that once a server has been transferred, the Support team can't transfer it back. Only the new owner could choose to hand it back to you.

Do I stay in the server after transferring ownership?

Yes. You remain a member, and your access depends on the roles you hold. The new owner can change those roles.

Can an admin transfer Discord server ownership?

No. Only the current owner can transfer a server. If the owner is unreachable, Discord has a separate request process with its own eligibility rules.

Why do I need to transfer servers before deleting Discord?

Discord won't delete an account that still owns servers. You have to transfer or delete each server you own first.