How To Use Discord: A Beginner’s Guide
If the server allows it, you can also toggle on your camera for a video chat. The active video
screens will pop up in the main panel.
Check your privacy settings. Discord enables a lot of data collection at the start. If you want
to tamp down on what everyone can find out about you, take a look at what’s exposed by
your privacy settings. Tap or click the little gear icon by your username (User Settings). Go
into User Settings, then Privacy & Safety. There, you can tell Discord to filter NSFW
messages and servers, decide whether to let strangers message you, and control the types
of activity data you send back to Discord.
Discord will also display some of your activity by default. If you’re playing a game on your
computer, for example, Discord automatically shows what you’re playing to everyone who
can see your status. That means all your friends, and anyone in a public server. To control
that visibility, tap your profile pic. You’ll be able to choose a status there, either Online, Idle,
Do Not Disturb, or Invisible. If you want to appear offline and hide your activity, select
Invisible. As an extra precaution, you can go into your User Settings, then go down to Activity
Settings. Uncheck “Display current activity as a status message.” That will keep your activity
out of your status even if you’re set to Online.
Know your etiquette. Some servers may ask you to read the rules before you can start
posting. Do that! Every group has different policies. If you’re starting your own server, you
can make whatever rules you want. But if you’re joining an existing group you’ll want to take
some time to figure out what flies and what doesn’t.
Down at the bottom of the servers panel is an icon that looks like a compass called “Explore
Public Servers.” Open that up and you’ll find some of the top servers across Discord. The big
categories are Gaming, Music, Education, Science and Tech, and Entertainment. If you’re in
school, Student Hubs can help you find groups and clubs with y