How to make a Discord server

Create the server

1. Find Add a Server. It's the + icon at the bottom of the server list on the left. If you're in a lot of servers, scroll down to find it.
2. Choose Create My Own, or one of Discord's starter templates if one is close to what you want. The same window has a box for joining with an invite code.
3. Say whether it's for a community or for you and your friends. You can skip this step; you're not committing to anything.
4. Add a name and icon. Icons need to be at least 128×128 pixels. If you crop a larger image, use multiples of 128 (256, 384, 512).
5. Press Create. You're now the owner. You can change the name and icon any time.

The flow is the same on mobile: open the server list and tap +.

The first hour after you create it

1. Plan your channels before you add them. Use the starter layout: about 12 channels in five categories.
2. Write and post rules in a read-only #rules channel. Copy a rules template.
3. Create roles for staff, verified members and pings, in the right order. See roles and permissions.
4. Trim @everyone. Unverified joiners should only see your start-here channels.
5. Make a private staff channel with the Private Channel toggle.
6. Add a verification step so new accounts get a Verified role before they can chat.
7. Add bots one job at a time: verification, moderation, logs, tickets.
8. Test from a second account before you share the invite.

Friend, Community or Discoverable server?

Every server is one of three types. This decides who can find it, not how it looks.

Turning on Community does not make your server public. To enable it, go to Server Settings → Enable Community → Get Started. You can turn it off again later.

Make the server private

Servers are invite-only by default. "Private" usually means new joiners can't see anything until you give them a role:

1. In Server Settings → Roles, select @everyone and press Clear Role Permissions at the bottom (desktop only; on mobile, untick each permission).
2. Create a member role and switch on the permissions members need, such as View Channels and Send Messages.
3. Give that role to members in Server Settings → Members, or let a verification bot hand it out.

Then keep invites under control: only staff should be able to create invite links.

Where first servers usually go wrong

• Too many channels on day one. Empty channels make a new server feel abandoned.
• Bots added before roles. A bot can only hand out roles below its own, so set the order first.
• Everyone can do everything. If @everyone can mention everyone, post links and create invites, a single raid can wreck the server.
• No second account test. As the owner you see every channel, so you never notice what new members can't.

Can I copy a server instead of building one?

If you own or manage a server, Discord's Server Templates (desktop only, under Server Settings → Server Templates) generate a link that creates a new server with the same categories, channels, roles and permissions. Messages, members and bots don't come with it, and Forum, Announcement and Stage channels aren't copied. Don't use tools that ask for your account token to "clone" servers; that breaks Discord's Terms and can get your account taken over.

Final check before you invite anyone

• A fresh account sees only welcome, rules and verify.
• After verifying, it can chat in Community and join voice.
• It can't see staff or log channels.
• Your rules are posted and read-only.
• Your invite link works and you know who can create more.

Sources

Checked on 12 November 2026. Discord changes menus from time to time, so if a step looks different, the linked article is the reference.

• Discord: How do I create a server?
• Discord: Clarifying Server Types
• Discord: Enabling Your Community Server
• Discord: Enabling Server Discovery
• Discord: How do I set up a private server?
• Discord: Server Templates