Mute notifications in Discord by server, channel, or person

Discord lets you silence notifications from specific servers, channels, or direct messages while keeping others active. You can mute entirely (no sound, no badge), suppress notifications (no sound, but a badge still shows unread messages), or customize which types of messages trigger alerts. The setting you choose depends on whether you want to see that you have unread messages or ignore them completely.

The fastest way is to right-click the server name, channel name, or person's name and pick "Mute" from the menu. On mobile, press and hold instead of right-clicking. This mutes that one place without touching your other notifications.

If you want more control — for example, muting everything except direct messages from your close friends — you can set up rules in Discord's notification settings instead. This takes a few more steps but gives you finer control over what wakes up your phone or pings your computer.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click any server, channel, or person and select "Mute" to silence that one place without changing anything else.
  • Muting hides both sound and the unread badge, while suppressing notifications keeps the badge but removes the sound.
  • You can set mute timers (30 minutes, 1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, or until you unmute manually) so notifications come back on their own.
  • Discord's notification settings let you create rules by server or channel type, so you can mute all servers except ones you pick.
  • Direct messages from blocked users never send notifications, but muting a person's DMs still lets you read their messages when you open Discord.

Mute a single server, channel, or person

Right-click the server icon, channel name, or person's name in your sidebar. A menu appears. Select "Mute [Name]" near the top. A small speaker icon with a line through it now appears next to that server, channel, or person to show it is muted.

On mobile (iOS or Android), press and hold the server, channel, or person instead of right-clicking. The same menu appears. Tap "Mute" and choose how long you want the mute to last: 30 minutes, 1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, or until you unmute it yourself.

When you mute something, Discord stops sending notifications and hides the unread message badge (the red dot or number). If you want to see that messages arrived but not hear a sound, use "Suppress @mentions" instead — this keeps the badge visible but silences the notification sound.

Set a mute timer so notifications come back automatically

When you mute a server or channel, Discord asks how long the mute should last. Pick from 30 minutes, 1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, or "Until I turn it back on." If you choose a time limit, Discord automatically unmutes that place when the timer runs out.

This is useful if you are in a busy server but want to focus for the next few hours. Set a mute timer for 8 hours, and notifications resume when you are done working. You do not have to remember to turn them back on.

To change the mute timer after you have already muted something, right-click it again and pick a different duration. To unmute before the timer runs out, right-click and select "Unmute."

Customize notifications by server or channel type in settings

If you want to mute entire categories of channels — for example, all announcement channels, or all servers except your work server — use Discord's notification settings instead of muting one at a time.

On desktop, click the user icon in the bottom left, then select "User Settings." Go to "Notifications" in the left sidebar. You will see a list of servers and channels you have customized. Click "Add an Exception" to create a new rule.

Pick the server or channel you want to customize. Then choose what happens when someone posts there: "All Messages" (you see everything), "Only @mentions" (you only get notified if someone tags you), or "Nothing" (no notifications at all). You can also turn off sounds while keeping the badge, or turn off the badge while keeping sounds.

On mobile, go to User Settings, then Notifications, then scroll down to "Notification Overrides." Tap the plus icon to add a new rule for a server or channel.

Suppress @mentions to keep the badge but silence the sound

Sometimes you want to know messages arrived without being interrupted by a sound or vibration. Right-click a server or channel, then select "Suppress @mentions" instead of "Mute." The unread badge still appears, but Discord will not send a sound or phone notification.

This is different from muting, which hides both the sound and the badge. Use suppress when you want to check the channel later but do not need an immediate alert.

Mute direct messages from specific people

Right-click a person's name in your direct message list and select "Mute." Their messages will not send notifications, but you can still read them if you open the conversation. The muted person does not know you have muted them.

If you want to block someone entirely — so their messages do not appear in your inbox at all — right-click their name and select "Block." Blocked users cannot send you direct messages, and you will not see their messages or notifications.

Muting is useful for people you want to stay in contact with but do not need to hear from immediately. Blocking is for people you do not want to hear from at all.

Manage notification sounds and vibration settings

Discord's default notification sound plays for most alerts. If you want to change the sound, go to User Settings, then Notifications, then scroll to "Notification Sounds." Pick a different sound from the dropdown, or select "None" to turn off all sounds while keeping badges.

On mobile, go to User Settings, then Notifications, then "Notification Sound" to pick a different alert tone. You can also toggle "Vibrate on Notification" to turn vibration on or off.

These settings apply to all notifications across Discord unless you have created specific rules for individual servers or channels. If you have muted a server or channel, these sounds will not play for that place even if the global setting is on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mute a server but still get notifications from one channel in it?

Yes. Mute the server first, then right-click the specific channel you want to hear from and select "Unmute" or set it to "Only @mentions." Channel settings override server settings, so that one channel will notify you even though the rest of the server is muted.

Will someone know if I mute them?

No. Muting a person, channel, or server is invisible to everyone else. They will not see any sign that you have muted them, and their messages will still be delivered normally — you just will not get a notification.

What is the difference between mute and suppress?

Mute hides both the notification sound and the unread badge. Suppress keeps the unread badge visible but removes the sound. Use suppress when you want to know messages arrived but do not need an immediate alert.

Can I mute all servers except one?

Not with a single setting, but you can get close. Go to User Settings, then Notifications, and set the default to "Nothing." Then add exceptions for the servers you do want to hear from. This way, only those servers send notifications.

Do muted messages still count toward my unread count?

No. When you mute a server or channel, the unread badge disappears and those messages do not count toward your unread total. If you suppress @mentions instead, the badge stays and the count continues.