Best privacy settings for Discord (UK parent walkthrough)
The Discord privacy settings UK parents should switch on first: Family Centre, message scanning, friend requests, DMs, server permissions and 2FA.
Discord is built around servers and DMs, so the privacy work is mostly about who can contact your child and what messages get scanned. Linking Family Centre and switching on "keep me safe" message scanning are the biggest wins.
Use the steps below in order. They take about five minutes.
Step-by-step
Link Discord Family Centre
User Settings → Family Centre → Invite parent. Tip: Shows who they added as a friend in the last week, which servers they joined and who they DM (not contents).
Turn on message safety scanning
User Settings → Privacy & Safety → Safe Direct Messaging → Keep me safe. Tip: Scans all DMs (including from friends) for explicit content and blurs or removes them.
Restrict who can send friend requests
User Settings → Friends Privacy → Server members and Friends of Friends → Off. Tip: Leave Everyone off too if there is no need for it.
Block DMs from server members by default
User Settings → Privacy & Safety → Allow direct messages from server members → Off (default for new servers).
Set sensitive content filter to maximum
User Settings → Privacy & Safety → Explicit media filter → Filter direct messages from everyone.
Disable activity status and game detection if not needed
User Settings → Activity Privacy → Off.
Turn on two-factor authentication
User Settings → My Account → Enable Two-Factor Authentication → Authenticator app.
Review server list and trim
Open each server → if your child cannot say what it is for or who runs it, leave it. Tip: Many grooming cases start in large gaming or fandom servers.
Settings to check
- Family Centre
- Safe Direct Messaging
- Friend request privacy
- Server-member DMs
- Explicit media filter
- Activity Privacy
- Two-Factor Authentication
- Server list
What not to do
- Do not assume your child kept the recommended settings after an app update.
- Do not use the same password on the app as on email or banking.
- Do not allow sign-in via a social account you do not also control.
- Do not skip enabling two-factor authentication.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.