How to Add Friends on Discord (Username, Profile and Nearby)

On Discord, being in the same server as someone and being their friend are two different things. Friends appear on your Friends list, can see when you're online and can message you directly without hunting through a server. Adding one comes down to a single detail: you need their exact username, spelt and capitalised the way Discord has it.

That's why so many friend requests fail. Below I'll show the username method on computer and phone, the quicker routes through profiles and member lists, what each error message means, and how to control who can send requests to you, which matters a lot if you run a public community.

Adding friends on Discord by username on a computer

1. Open Discord on your computer or in a browser.
2. Click Friends at the top of the list.
3. Click the Add Friend button.
4. Type the person's username exactly as it appears on their profile.
5. Click Send Friend Request.

Discord's help article suggests checking the Pending tab afterwards. If the request appears there, it's gone through and you're waiting for them to accept.

Adding friends on Discord by username on your phone

1. Open the Discord app and go to the Messages tab.
2. Tap Add Friends.
3. Choose Add by Username.
4. Type the exact username and send the request.

Menus vary by app version, but the Add Friends and Add by Username labels are the ones Discord's help uses.

Adding a Discord friend from a server or a profile

If you've met someone in a server, you don't need to ask for their username at all. Discord's help says you can send a request from their profile or from a server member list:

• Click or tap their name in a chat message or in the member list on the right of a server.
• Their profile card opens. Choose the option to add them as a friend.
• The request lands in your Pending tab, just like a username request.

This is handy in course or membership servers, where you might want to stay in touch with a fellow student or client after a project ends.

Adding friends nearby on Discord mobile

If you're sitting next to the person, the mobile app has a Nearby Scan option on its Add Friend screen. Discord's help article says both of you need to be on that screen at the same time for it to work. Your phone may ask for permissions the first time, because the feature uses things like Bluetooth to find people close by. When you leave the screen, the scan stops.

What Discord friend request error messages mean

These are the two messages people see most, and they mean different things:

Message	What it means	What to try
Hm, didn't work	The username wasn't typed or pasted correctly	Check every letter, capitals and any stray spaces
Friend Request Failed	The person isn't accepting friend requests	Ask them to send a request to you instead

If you've checked the spelling and it still fails, Discord's help suggests asking your friend to add you instead. Older accounts sometimes still show a username with a hash and four digits, and in that case you need the full version, digits included.

There's also a limit to keep in mind. Discord's help says you can have up to 1,000 friends, and up to 1,000 friend requests waiting to be accepted. If either of you is at the cap, a request won't go through.

Accepting, ignoring and managing Discord friend requests

All your requests live in the Pending section of the Friends list, both the ones you've sent and the ones you've received. From there you can accept or ignore each one. Discord also tucks likely junk into a separate View spam requests section, so check there if you're expecting a request that never seems to arrive.

If someone keeps sending requests you don't want, ignoring is fine, and blocking is the stronger option. If anyone harasses or threatens you, report it to Discord and, if you're in danger, contact the police.

Choosing who can send you Discord friend requests

This setting matters most for community managers and creators, because running a public server can bring a flood of requests from strangers. Discord's privacy help article says you'll find it under User Settings, then Content & Social, then Friend Requests. There are three options:

• Everyone: anyone who knows your username or shares a server with you. Turning this on switches on the other two.
• Friends of Friends: people who share a mutual friend with you.
• Server Members: people in any server you're in.

Untick all three and nobody can send you new requests. That's a sensible choice for a business account, where you'd rather people reached you through a support channel. The flip side is that friends will see Friend Request Failed when they try, so you'll need to add them yourself.

Adding friends on Discord when you use it for business

If Discord is part of how you work with customers, a few habits keep things tidy:

• Share your exact username, capitals and all, on your website or in your welcome message so people don't guess.
• Use server channels for group questions and save friend requests for close collaborators.
• Review your Pending tab now and then so real requests from clients don't sit unseen.

If your customers also reach you on other apps, the steps are different there. Here's my guide to adding a contact on WhatsApp, and for Facebook, my walkthrough on adding friends on Facebook.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add friends on Discord?

Open your Friends list, click Add Friend, type the person's exact username and send the request. On mobile, go to Messages, tap Add Friends, then Add by Username.

Why does Discord say Hm, didn't work?

It means the username wasn't typed or pasted correctly. Usernames must match exactly, so check capitals, spelling and spaces.

What does Friend Request Failed mean on Discord?

Usually that the person isn't accepting friend requests. Ask them to send you a request instead.

How many friends can you have on Discord?

Discord's help says up to 1,000 friends, with up to 1,000 outgoing requests waiting to be accepted.

How do I stop strangers adding me on Discord?

Go to User Settings, then Content & Social, then Friend Requests, and untick Everyone, or untick all three options to stop new requests completely.