Discord guide
Daniel Okonkwo writes about phones and mobile apps for Appcyclopedia, working on a MacBook Pro, a Pixel 9 Pro and an iPhone 15.
- Web
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
Short answer
Click the + (Add a Server) at the bottom of the server list on the left, choose Create My Own, then choose whether it is for you and your friends or for a club or community. Type a name, add an icon if you like, and click Create.
You own it from the start: the person who creates a server is its owner and controls every setting, including who can join.
Below: the steps on a computer and a phone, inviting people, and the first channels and settings to set up.
How to make a Discord server, from + to the first invite
To create a Discord server, start from the + at the bottom of your server list. The steps are the same on a computer and a phone; the last group covers getting people in.
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Create the server
Click + at the bottom of the server list
Open Discord in the app or at discord.com and sign in. Your servers run down the left side of the screen. Click the + below them, labelled Add a Server. On a phone, open the server list from the left and tap +.
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Choose Create My Own, or a template
A window offers Create My Own and a set of templates, such as a gaming or study group, which come with channels already made. Choose Create My Own to start with a plain server; you can add channels yourself.
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Say who the server is for
Discord asks whether the server is For me and my friends or For a club or community. The choice sets up the server for that kind of use. You can also skip the question.
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Give it a name and an icon, then click Create
Type a server name. Discord suggests one from your username; replace it with something people will recognise. Upload a square image as the icon if you have one, then click Create. Both can be changed later in Server Settings.
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Get people in
Invite people with a link
The new server opens with a welcome screen. Click Invite your friends, or right-click the server icon and choose Invite People. Copy the link and send it wherever your group talks: a group chat, an email or a text message.
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Set how long the invite link works
Under the link, choose Edit invite link to set when it expires and how many people can use it. A link that never expires suits a small private group; a short one is safer for a link you post somewhere public.
A server for a five-a-side football group: create it For me and my friends, call it “Thursday Football”, add a text channel called #fixtures and send one invite link to the group chat. Everyone who clicks it lands in the server.
Create it for friends unless strangers should be able to find it: a private server is one only invited people can join, which is what most groups want.
More about Discord
Voice, video and text chat in servers built around games, hobbies and communities.
When the new Discord server is not working
- Friends say the invite link is invalid
The link has expired or reached its use limit. Create a new one from Invite People and set it to never expire, or raise the number of uses.
- Discord says you cannot join or create more servers
Each account can be in a limited number of servers. Leave a server you no longer use, then try again.
- You cannot see the + button
On a narrow window or a phone, the server list may be hidden. Open it from the left edge of the screen or the menu icon, and scroll to the bottom of the list.
The first things to set up in a new server
A server made with Create My Own starts with a general text channel and a general voice channel. These four changes make it ready for other people.
| Change | Where | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Add text channels | + next to Text Channels | One channel per topic keeps chat readable |
| Add a voice channel | + next to Voice Channels | People drop in to talk without calling anyone |
| Set the icon and name | Server Settings, Overview | Members recognise the server in their list |
| Check the default notifications | Server Settings, Overview | Mentions only stops new members being flooded |
Set default notifications to mentions only before you invite anyone: it is the change members thank you for and rarely notice.
For friends or for a community: what the choice means
The question after Create My Own is about how the server is used, not who can find it. A server for friends is joined through invite links you send yourself. A server for a club or community is still joined by invite, but it is the starting point if you later want features such as a rules screen or applying to Server Discovery.
You can switch a server to a community later in Server Settings, so the first choice is not final.
What to do after you create your Discord server
A server is only as good as the people in it. Send the invite link to the group, add a channel for each thing you talk about, and set notifications so nobody mutes the whole server in the first week.
Create it for friends, add a few channels and send one invite link. As the server grows, turning on two-factor authentication for your own account protects the server along with it, because the owner’s account controls everything.
Discord servers: what new owners ask
- Is making a Discord server free?
- Yes. Creating and running a server costs nothing. Server boosts and Nitro are optional paid extras.
- Can strangers find my server?
- No, not unless you share an invite publicly or set it up as a community and apply to be listed. A server is joined through an invite link.
- Can I change the server name later?
- Yes. Open Server Settings from the server name at the top left and change the name or icon in the Overview section.
- What happens if I leave my own server?
- As the owner, you have to transfer ownership to someone else before you can leave. You can also delete the server from Server Settings.
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Test log
Followed the steps? Tell us how it went on your device. Entries appear here after we check them.
- Worked Every step, start to finish · Elias Brandt and Marta Kowalczyk Team
I tested this
Steps performed and confirmed 11 days ago
When you need this
If you want a place on Discord for your friends, a club or a community, create a server from the + button in your server list. It is free, and you become its owner.
- Describes
- Discord desktop app for Windows and Mac, and Discord in a browser · Discord app for iPhone and Android
- Takes
- A couple of minutes
- Platforms
- Web · Windows · macOS · iOS · Android
- Published
- 13 October 2026
- Facts checked
- 10 October 2026
Steps repeated and verified by 
Elias Brandt and 
Marta Kowalczyk
on
- Elias Brandt: the Windows and web steps on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Windows 11 Pro).
- Marta Kowalczyk: the Mac steps on a MacBook Air (macOS 27.0.1), the iPhone steps on an iPhone 16 Pro (iOS 27.0.1) and the Android steps on a Galaxy A55 (Android 16).
Discord