What you need to do to add a bot
To add a bot to your Discord server, you need three things: a bot that exists and is publicly available, permission to manage the server (or the server owner's help), and the bot's invite link. Most bots come with an invite link you can click, which takes you through Discord's authorization screen, shows you what the bot will be able to do, and adds it to your server in one step. The whole process takes about two minutes.
The bot then appears in your member list as an offline account. It stays offline until the bot's owner turns on their bot software on their computer or hosting service — that part is not your job. Once it is running, you can give it commands by typing in any channel where it has permission to read and send messages.
Key Takeaways
- You need either server owner status or the "Manage Server" permission to add a bot; if you do not have either, ask the server owner to add it for you.
- Most bots have an invite link on their website or in their documentation — clicking it is faster and safer than searching for the bot by name in Discord.
- When you click the invite link, Discord shows you exactly what permissions the bot is asking for; read this screen before confirming, because some bots ask for more access than they need.
- The bot appears in your member list immediately, but it will not respond to commands until the bot's owner has turned on their bot software.
- After the bot joins, you can restrict it to specific channels or roles by changing its permissions in your server settings.
Finding the bot's invite link
The safest way to add a bot is through its official invite link, not by searching Discord's bot directory. Search for the bot's name online along with "Discord bot" — for example, "MEE6 Discord bot" or "Dyno Discord bot" — and look for the official website or documentation page.
On that page, you will usually see a button labeled "Invite", "Add to Server", or "Invite Bot". Click it. This takes you to Discord's authorization page, which is the same page you would see if you searched the bot directory, but you know you are using the real bot and not a fake one with a similar name. Fake bots with names like "MEE6 Official" or "Dyno Pro" exist specifically to trick people into adding them.
If the bot is hosted on a site like top.gg, you can find the invite link there too — look for a button on the bot's profile page. The link will start with "discord.com/oauth2/authorize" and include a long string of numbers. That is normal and safe.
Checking permissions before you confirm
After you click the invite link, Discord shows you a screen titled "Authorize" with the bot's name and a list of permissions it is asking for. Read this list carefully. A music bot should ask for permission to connect to voice channels and send messages. A moderation bot might ask for permission to kick members or delete messages. If a bot asks for permissions it does not need — for example, a music bot asking to manage roles — that is a red flag.
You can also choose which server to add the bot to using the dropdown menu at the top of the authorization screen. Make sure you have selected the right server before you click "Authorize". Once you confirm, the bot joins that server immediately.
After authorization, Discord may ask you to complete a CAPTCHA to prove you are not a bot yourself. Type the characters shown and click "Submit".
What to do if you do not have permission to add bots
If you try to add a bot and Discord tells you "You do not have permission to perform this action", you do not have the "Manage Server" permission on that server. Ask the server owner to add the bot for you, or ask them to give you the "Manage Server" permission so you can add it yourself.
The server owner can give you this permission by going to Server Settings > Roles, finding your role in the list, and turning on the "Manage Server" toggle. This is a powerful permission — it lets you change almost everything about the server — so most owners only give it to people they trust.
Controlling what the bot can do after it joins
Once the bot is in your server, you can limit its access by changing its permissions. Go to Server Settings > Roles, find the bot's role in the list (it usually has the bot's name), and turn off any permissions you do not want it to have. For example, you might turn off "Send Messages" in your general chat but leave it on in a bot-commands channel.
You can also restrict the bot to specific channels. Go to the channel settings, click "Permissions", and add the bot's role. Then turn off or turn on permissions for just that channel. This is useful if you want a music bot to work only in a music channel, or a moderation bot to work everywhere except announcements.
Some bots have their own permission system inside Discord — you set permissions using bot commands rather than Discord's settings. Check the bot's documentation to see if it has custom commands for this.
Why the bot is not responding to commands
If you added the bot successfully but it does not respond when you type commands, the bot's owner has not turned on their bot software yet. Bots are just Discord accounts — they do not run automatically. Someone has to start the bot software on a computer or hosting service, and it has to stay running for the bot to respond to messages.
Check the bot's documentation or support server to see if the bot is currently online. Some bots are hosted by their creators and run all the time. Others are self-hosted, meaning the owner has to turn them on manually, and they might not be running right now. If the bot is supposed to be running and it is not responding, try typing a simple command like "!ping" or "@botname help" to see if you get a response.
Removing a bot from your server
To remove a bot, go to Server Settings > Members, find the bot in the member list, click it, and click "Remove from Server". The bot disappears from your member list immediately. You can add it back later by using the invite link again.
If you want to keep the bot but stop it from working, you can remove all its permissions instead of removing it entirely. Go to Server Settings > Roles, find the bot's role, and turn off all permissions. The bot will still be in your server, but it will not be able to read or send messages anywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to add bots to my server?
Bots from well-known creators are generally safe. Bots with thousands of servers and active support communities are unlikely to be malicious. However, always check the permissions the bot is asking for — if a bot asks for more access than it needs, do not add it. Avoid bots with very few servers or no documentation.
Can I add the same bot to multiple servers?
Yes. Most bots are designed to work on many servers at once. You can use the same invite link to add the bot to different servers, and it will work independently in each one. Settings you change in one server do not affect the bot in another server.
What does "Manage Server" permission mean?
The "Manage Server" permission lets you change almost everything about the server — roles, channels, permissions, and settings. It is a high-level permission that should only go to people you trust completely. You need it to add bots, but you can ask the server owner to add bots for you instead.
Why does the bot need so many permissions?
Some bots ask for broad permissions because they might need them for different features. A moderation bot might ask for permission to kick members, ban members, and delete messages — even if you only plan to use the kick feature. Check the bot's documentation to see which permissions are actually necessary for the features you want.
Can I make a bot that only works in one channel?
Yes. After the bot joins, go to that channel's settings, click "Permissions", add the bot's role, and turn on the permissions you want. Then go to all other channels and turn off the bot's permissions there. The bot will only work in the channel where you left its permissions on.