Every Discord server is already private in one sense: nobody can join without an invite link. To make a Discord server private in practice, delete old invites in Server Settings > Invites, take the server out of Discovery (or switch Community off), raise the Verification Level in Safety Setup, and hide channels from the @everyone role with channel permissions.
Discord's own Invites guide puts it plainly: the only way anyone can get into your server is through an invite link. So privacy is really about controlling which links exist, who can make new ones, and what a newcomer can see in the first few minutes.
The catch: an invite you posted months ago still works. A link someone shared on a forum, in a video description or in a group chat keeps letting people in until it expires or you delete it. Discord's help centre also says invite links for Community servers never expire, so a Community server can have open doors you've forgotten about.
Lock down your server in five steps
You need the Manage Server permission, or to be the owner, for most of these. The steps below follow the desktop app; the mobile app has the same settings under slightly different menus.
- Delete old invites. Click the server name at the top left, open Server Settings, then Invites. You'll see every active link, who made it and how many times it's been used. Click the X next to each one you don't want. Discord says a deleted invite can't be recreated with the same code, so it's gone for good.
- Pause invites if you need a breather. On the same Invites page, Pause Invites stops anyone joining through any link, without deleting them. Press Enable Invites when you're ready. Discord says this only works on desktop for now.
- Take the server out of Discovery. If your server is listed in Discover, open the Discovery section of Server Settings and turn it off. To drop the Community features altogether, go to Community, then Overview, and press Disable Community at the bottom of the page.
- Raise the Verification Level. Go to Server Settings, then Safety Setup. On a Community server it sits inside DM and Spam Protection. On mobile, tap the server name, the cog icon, then Moderation.
- Hide channels from everyone by default. Edit each channel, open Permissions, and switch on Private Channel, or turn off View Channel for the @everyone role. Then add the roles or members who should see it.
Menu names change from time to time. If something looks different, search Discord's settings for the word, such as "Invites" or "Verification".
Control who can create invites
Deleting old links doesn't help if every member can make new ones. Open Server Settings, then Roles, pick @everyone, and turn off Create Invite. Leave it on only for roles you trust, like moderators. When you do share a link, click Edit invite link and set it to expire after a short time and allow a small number of uses. Discord's default invite lasts 7 days, and you can choose a link that lasts only 30 minutes.
There's also a Grant temporary membership switch. People who join through that link are removed when they disconnect unless you give them a role, which is handy for a one-off event or a guest who only needs to drop in once.
What each Verification Level does
Verification Levels decide what a new member must have before they can send messages. Discord's help page describes them like this:
| Level | What a new member needs before they can chat |
|---|---|
| None | Nothing. They can talk straight away. |
| Low | A verified email on their Discord account. |
| Medium | An email that has been verified for more than 5 minutes. |
| High | A verified email, a Discord account older than 5 minutes, and 10 minutes as a member of your server. |
| Highest | All of the above, plus a verified phone number. |
One detail people miss: Discord says a verified phone number overrides the other checks, so someone with a verified phone can chat at any level. For a small private group, Low or Medium is usually enough; High helps if strangers have found an old link.
Private channels or a private server?
You don't always need to close the whole server. Often it's one or two channels that should stay members-only.
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| Private channels | Private server | |
|---|---|---|
| Who's affected | Only the channels you lock | Everyone trying to get in |
| Main tool | Channel permissions and roles | Invites, Discovery and Verification Level |
| Good for | Staff rooms, a moderators' room, a close-friends corner | Friend groups, families, small teams |
| New members see | Public channels only, until given a role | Nothing, unless they hold a valid invite |
| Risk if you get it wrong | A role with too much permission can see everything | An old link keeps letting people in |
Watch the Administrator permission. Discord's Roles guide says it grants every permission and bypasses all channel restrictions, so anyone holding it can read your private channels whatever you set.
Screen new members before they talk
Rules Screening makes newcomers read and accept your rules before they can chat, react or send direct messages to other members. Discord says you can set up to 16 rules. It sits in Safety Setup, under DM and Spam Protection, as "Members must accept rules before they can talk or DM".
There's a trade-off. Rules Screening only works on Community servers, so switching Community off to hide from Discovery also removes it. If you want both screening and privacy, keep Community on, stay out of Discovery and keep a tight grip on invites instead.
My advice
Clear out the Invites page first, because that's where most leaks are. Then turn off Create Invite for @everyone and set the Verification Level to Medium. That covers most private servers in a few minutes. If you're ready to close the space for good, my guide on how to delete a Discord server covers it; if you're giving it a fresh look as a private club, changing the server banner is a nice finishing touch.
Frequently asked questions
Are Discord servers private by default?
Yes. Discord says the only way into a server is through an invite link, and new servers aren't listed anywhere public. They only become searchable if they're Community servers that qualify for and join Discovery.
Can people still join with an old invite link?
Yes, until it expires or you delete it in Server Settings > Invites. Links that never expire keep working forever, so check that page whenever you tighten things up.
How do I make one channel private on Discord?
Edit the channel, open Permissions and switch on Private Channel, or turn off View Channel for @everyone. Then add the roles or people who should see it.
Do kicked members lose access through invites?
A kick removes them, but they can rejoin with any valid invite. Ban them instead if they shouldn't come back. For how the joining side works, see how to join a Discord server.
