What a Discord welcome screen is and why you'd use one

A welcome screen is the first thing people see when they join your Discord server. It appears before they can access any channels, and you control exactly what it says and what buttons or links appear on it. Think of it as a digital front door — you can greet people, point them toward rules, direct them to an introduction channel, or ask them to accept terms before they go further.

The welcome screen is useful if you want new members to read something before they start talking, or if you want to funnel them toward specific channels first. For example, a gaming server might use it to point people toward a rules channel. A community server might use it to ask people to introduce themselves. You're not forcing them to do anything — they can dismiss the screen and explore — but you're making sure they see what matters to you first.

Key Takeaways

  • You need server owner or administrator permissions to create or edit a welcome screen.
  • The welcome screen appears only to new members on their first visit, not to people who were already in the server.
  • You can add up to five buttons that link to channels, roles, or external URLs, or you can skip buttons entirely and just show a message.
  • The welcome screen is optional — if you don't set one up, new members go straight to the first channel they have permission to see.

How to access the welcome screen settings

Open Discord and go to the server where you want to add a welcome screen. Click the server name at the top left to open the dropdown menu. Select Server Settings — you'll see a gear icon next to it.

In the left sidebar of Server Settings, scroll down until you see Onboarding. Click it. You'll see a section called Welcome Screen with a toggle switch. Turn the toggle on. Once it's on, you can start editing what the welcome screen shows.

Writing the welcome message and choosing a background

After you turn on the welcome screen, you'll see a text field labeled Server Description. This is where you write the message people see. Keep it short — a sentence or two works best. Something like "Welcome to our gaming community. Read the rules in #rules before you start playing with us" tells people what to do without overwhelming them.

You can also upload a background image. Click the image icon and choose a file from your computer. Discord will resize it to fit, so pick something that looks good even when it's cropped. If you don't upload an image, Discord uses a default background.

Adding buttons that link to channels or roles

Below the description, you'll see a section for buttons. Click Add Button to create one. Each button needs a label (the text people see on the button) and a destination (where the button takes them or what it does).

You have three types of destinations. Channel opens a specific channel in your server — useful for pointing people to rules or introductions. Role gives people a role when they click the button — useful if you want to let people self-assign roles like "gaming" or "art" without moderator help. Link takes people to an external URL — useful if you want to link to a website, Discord invite to another server, or a form.

You can add up to five buttons total. If you don't want any buttons, that's fine — just leave this section empty and people will see only your message.

Testing the welcome screen before new members see it

You can't see the welcome screen yourself once you've created it, because you're the server owner and it only shows to new members. But you can test it by creating a test account, having a friend join the server, or using Discord's preview feature if available in your version.

The safest way is to ask a friend who isn't in the server yet to join and tell you what they see. They'll give you real feedback on whether the message is clear, whether the buttons work, and whether the background image looks right. After they report back, you can edit the welcome screen and have them rejoin to check the changes.

Editing or removing the welcome screen later

You can change the welcome screen anytime by going back to Server Settings > Onboarding > Welcome Screen. Edit the description, swap the background image, add or remove buttons, or change what each button does. The changes take effect when ready for the next person who joins.

If you want to turn off the welcome screen entirely, toggle it off in the same place. New members will then skip straight to the first channel they have permission to see. Turning it off doesn't delete your settings — if you turn it back on later, everything you wrote will still be there.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

The most common mistake is making the welcome message too long. People skim it in seconds, so if you write a paragraph, most of it won't be read. Stick to one or two sentences and let the buttons do the rest of the work.

Another mistake is linking buttons to channels that new members can't see. If you link a button to a channel that requires a role to view, the button will work but people won't be able to read the channel. Either make the channel visible to new members, or use a role button instead to give them access first.

A third mistake is forgetting that the welcome screen only shows once. If someone joins, dismisses the screen, and comes back later, they won't see it again. So don't put critical information only on the welcome screen — also pin important rules or links in your main channels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the welcome screen mandatory so people can't skip it?

No. People can always dismiss the welcome screen and move on. If you need people to read something before they participate, put it in a channel and use a role button on the welcome screen to give them access only after they've clicked it. That way they have to interact with your message to get further.

What happens if I change the welcome screen after people have already joined?

Only new members see the updated version. People who joined before your changes won't see the welcome screen again. If you want existing members to see new information, post it in a channel and mention them or pin it.

Can I use emoji or formatting in the welcome message?

Yes. You can use Discord's text formatting like bold, italics, and code blocks. You can also paste emoji. Just remember that the message is small and people read it fast, so keep it straightforward and readable.

What if I want different welcome screens for different types of members?

Discord's welcome screen is the same for everyone. If you need different messages for different groups, use role-based channels instead — create channels that only certain roles can see, and use the welcome screen to direct people toward role buttons.

Does the welcome screen work on mobile Discord?

Yes. The welcome screen appears the same way on mobile as it does on desktop. The layout adjusts to fit the smaller screen, but the message, image, and buttons all show up.