Soundmoji are short audio clips you send instead of emoji
Soundmoji are tiny sound effects or voice clips that play when someone clicks them in a Discord message. They work like regular emoji — you pick one from a menu and it appears in your message — except when another person clicks it, they hear audio instead of seeing a static image. Discord added them in 2023, and they are available on most devices, though the exact steps depend on whether you are using the desktop app, the web version, or mobile.
Soundmoji are not turned on or off globally. Instead, they appear automatically in your emoji picker once your Discord account has access to them. If you do not see them yet, it usually means your account is still rolling out the feature, or you are using an older version of Discord that has not been updated.
Key Takeaways
- Soundmoji appear in your regular emoji picker menu and do not require a separate setting to enable.
- You need the latest version of Discord — update through your app store or refresh your browser if you are using the web version.
- On desktop, open the emoji picker by pressing the smiley face icon or using the keyboard shortcut, then look for a sound wave icon to find Soundmoji.
- If Soundmoji do not appear after updating, your account may still be in the rollout phase, which can take weeks.
- Soundmoji work on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and the web browser version of Discord.
Update Discord to the latest version
Soundmoji require a recent version of Discord. If you have not updated in several weeks, the feature will not show up in your emoji picker no matter what you do.
On Windows or Mac, open Discord and look for a read icon or notification at the top of the window. Click it to install the update, then restart the app. You can also check manually by clicking the three-line menu (hamburger icon) in the top left, then scrolling down to see the version number. If it is older than a few months, uninstall Discord completely and read the latest version from discord.com.
On iOS or Android, open your app store (Apple App Store or Google Play Store), search for Discord, and tap Update if the button appears. If you do not see an Update button, you already have the latest version.
On the web version, refresh your browser tab by pressing F5 or Ctrl+R (Cmd+R on Mac). Discord updates automatically in the browser, so a refresh usually loads the newest code.
Open the emoji picker and look for the Soundmoji tab
Once Discord is updated, open any server or direct message and look for the smiley face icon near the message box. Click it to open the emoji picker. On desktop, you can also press Ctrl+; (Cmd+; on Mac) to open it faster.
In the emoji picker, you will see several tabs at the bottom or side — usually showing categories like Smileys, Nature, Food, and so on. Look for a tab with a sound wave icon (three curved lines). That is the Soundmoji tab. Click it to see all available Soundmoji.
If you do not see a sound wave tab, scroll through the other tabs to check if Soundmoji are grouped with another category. On some versions, they appear mixed in with regular emoji. If you still do not see them after updating, your account may not have access yet — Discord rolls out features gradually, and Soundmoji may take weeks to reach your account.
Send a Soundmoji in a message
Once you find the Soundmoji tab, click the one you want to send. It will appear in your message box just like a regular emoji. You can add text before or after it, or send it alone. Press Enter or click Send to post the message.
When someone else reads your message and clicks the Soundmoji, they will hear the audio clip play on their device. The sound plays at whatever volume they have Discord set to, and they can click it multiple times if they want to hear it again.
Soundmoji work differently on mobile than desktop
On iPhone or iPad, tap the smiley face icon in the message box to open the emoji picker. Swipe left and right through the tabs at the bottom until you find the sound wave icon. Tap a Soundmoji to add it to your message, then tap Send.
On Android, the process is the same — tap the emoji icon, swipe to find the Soundmoji tab, tap one, and send. The main difference is that some Android devices may have a slight delay before the sound plays when someone clicks it, depending on the device's processor speed.
Mobile versions of Discord sometimes lag behind the desktop app in rolling out new features. If Soundmoji do not appear on your phone but do appear on your computer, update the Discord app through your device's app store and try again in a few hours.
What to do if Soundmoji still do not appear
If you have updated Discord and still do not see the Soundmoji tab, the most likely reason is that your account is still in the rollout phase. Discord does not turn on features for all users at once — they test with a portion of users first, then gradually expand access. This can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
You can check Discord's status page at discordstatus.com to see if there are any known issues with Soundmoji. You can also try signing out of Discord completely, waiting a few minutes, and signing back in — sometimes this speeds up the rollout on your account.
If you have a Discord Nitro subscription, you may have access to exclusive Soundmoji that free users do not have. Check the Soundmoji tab to see if there are any marked as Nitro-only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off Soundmoji so they do not play when I click them?
Discord does not have a setting to disable Soundmoji globally. However, you can mute individual Soundmoji by right-clicking on a message containing one and selecting Mute Sound (on desktop) or holding down on the message and tapping Mute (on mobile). You can also lower your Discord volume or mute the app entirely in your system settings.
Do Soundmoji work in all servers?
Yes, Soundmoji work in any server or direct message. Server owners cannot disable them. However, some servers may have rules against spamming Soundmoji, so check your server's guidelines before sending them repeatedly.
Can I create my own Soundmoji?
No, you cannot create custom Soundmoji. Discord provides a set list of official Soundmoji that all users can access. Some Soundmoji are exclusive to Nitro subscribers, but you cannot upload your own audio clips as Soundmoji.
Why do Soundmoji not play on my device?
Make sure your device volume is turned up and Discord is not muted in your system settings. If the sound still does not play, check that your Discord app is fully updated. On some older phones, Soundmoji may not work at all due to hardware limitations.
Are Soundmoji the same as voice messages?
No, they are different. Voice messages are longer recordings you send as attachments. Soundmoji are short, pre-made audio clips that play when clicked, similar to how regular emoji work but with sound instead of an image.