Where to find Discord's notification settings

Discord's notification controls live in one place: the User Settings menu. Open Discord on your computer or phone, click your username in the bottom left corner (on desktop) or tap the three horizontal lines at the bottom right (on mobile), then select User Settings. From there, click Notifications in the left sidebar. This is where you control what pings you, how loud it is, and when it stops.

The settings you change here explore to your entire Discord account across all servers and direct messages. If you want different rules for different servers — say, mute notifications from your gaming friends but keep them on for work — you'll use server-specific settings instead, which we cover below.

Key Takeaways

  • Discord's main notification controls are in User Settings > Notifications, where you can turn off sounds, badges, and desktop alerts all at once.
  • You can silence individual servers or channels without leaving them, so you stay in the conversation but don't get interrupted.
  • Do Not Disturb mode stops all notifications for a set time without changing your settings, and you can set it to turn off automatically.
  • Muting a direct message conversation stops notifications from that person without blocking them or making them aware.
  • Discord's default settings notify you of almost everything; turning off what you don't need takes five minutes and makes a real difference.

Turn off all notifications at once

If you want Discord to stop interrupting you entirely, the fastest route is to disable notifications in bulk. In User Settings > Notifications, look for the toggle next to Enable Desktop Notifications and turn it off. This stops the pop-up alerts that appear on your screen. Then toggle off Unread Message Badge to remove the red dot that appears on the Discord icon in your taskbar or phone home screen.

You can also mute the notification sound without turning off visual alerts. Scroll down to Notification Sounds and set it to None. This way you'll still see that someone messaged you, but your computer or phone won't make noise. If you want to keep some notifications but silence others, skip this section and use the channel-by-channel approach instead.

Mute specific servers without leaving them

You don't have to turn off all Discord notifications to get peace. Right-click any server name in your left sidebar and select Notification Settings. From here you can choose All Messages (the default, which notifies you of everything), Only @mentions (you only hear from people who tag you directly), Nothing (no notifications at all), or Muted (you stay in the server but get no alerts and no unread badge).

This is useful when you're in a server you want to stay part of — a friend group chat, a community, a gaming clan — but you don't want constant interruptions. You can still read messages whenever you open Discord; you just won't be pinged. If someone mentions you directly with an @, most servers will still alert you even if you've muted the channel, depending on your settings.

Silence individual channels within a server

Some servers have dozens of channels. You might want notifications from #announcements but not from #random-memes or #off-topic. Right-click the channel name and select Mute Channel. The channel will show a muted speaker icon next to its name. You can still see new messages when you click into that channel; you just won't get notified when they arrive.

If you want more control than straightforward mute, right-click the channel and choose Notification Settings instead. This gives you the same options as server muting: All Messages, Only @mentions, Nothing, or Muted. Use this when a channel is useful but noisy — like a live-chat channel during a stream, or a channel where people post links and articles all day.

Use Do Not Disturb mode for temporary quiet

Sometimes you need Discord to stop notifying you for the next hour or two, but you don't want to change your settings permanently. Click your username in the bottom left corner (desktop) or tap your profile icon (mobile), then select Set Status. Choose Do Not Disturb from the menu. While this is on, Discord will not send you any notifications, but your settings stay exactly as they were.

You can set Do Not Disturb to turn off automatically after a certain time. Click the status menu again and select how long you want it to last — options usually range from 30 minutes to 8 hours. When the timer runs out, your notifications go back to normal. This is much faster than diving into settings when you just need a break.

Mute direct messages from specific people

If someone is messaging you too much, you can mute their direct message conversation. Open the DM with that person, click the settings icon (usually a gear or three dots at the top), and select Mute @[their username]. You'll still see their messages when you open Discord, but you won't get notified when they send them. They won't know you've muted them.

This is different from blocking. A muted person can still message you, and you can still message them back. You're just choosing not to be interrupted by their notifications. If you want to stop seeing their messages entirely, that's when you use the block feature instead, which is in the same settings menu.

Adjust notification timing and content

Discord lets you fine-tune when and what you're notified about. In User Settings > Notifications, scroll down to Notification Overrides. Here you can set rules for specific servers or channels — for example, "notify me of @mentions in this server, but nothing else" or "don't notify me between 10 PM and 8 AM." You can also choose whether notifications show you a preview of the message or just tell you that someone messaged you.

The Compact Mode toggle (if you use it) also affects how notifications appear. Some people find fewer visual notifications less distracting. If you're on mobile, check your phone's notification settings too — Discord's settings control what Discord sends, but your phone's settings control whether your phone actually shows it to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will people know if I mute their messages or a server?

No. Muting a server, channel, or person is invisible to them. They won't see any indication that you've muted them. You'll still receive their messages; you just won't be notified when they arrive. If you want to block someone entirely so they can't message you, that's different — but muting is silent on your end.

Can I turn off notifications for one server but keep them on for another?

Yes. Right-click each server name and choose Notification Settings to set different rules for each one. You can have notifications on for your work server and off for your gaming server, or any combination you want. These settings override your global notification settings.

What's the difference between muting and Do Not Disturb?

Muting a server or channel is permanent until you unmute it. Do Not Disturb is temporary — it silences all notifications for a set time, then your normal settings come back. Use muting for servers you never want to be interrupted by, and Do Not Disturb when you need a short break.

If I turn off notifications, will I miss important messages?

You'll still see the messages when you open Discord. Turning off notifications just means you won't be alerted when they arrive. If someone needs to reach you urgently, they can mention you with @, and you can set @mentions to always notify you even when other notifications are off.

Can I set different notification rules for different times of day?

Discord doesn't have a built-in scheduling feature for notifications, but Do Not Disturb can turn on and off automatically at a time you set. For more complex schedules, you'd need to manually switch Do Not Disturb on and off, or use your phone's built-in notification settings to silence Discord during certain hours.