Where to find Discord notification settings

Discord notifications appear in your Windows system tray (bottom right corner) by default, but they only show up if you have the right settings turned on. The notifications themselves come from Discord's own alert system, not from Windows — so you need to configure Discord first, then make sure Windows isn't blocking them.

Start by opening Discord on your PC. Look for the user settings icon (a gear) in the bottom left corner of the Discord window, next to your username. Click it to open User Settings.

Once you're in User Settings, find Notifications in the left sidebar. This is where you control what Discord tells you about and how it tells you.

Key Takeaways

  • Discord notifications in the bottom right corner require both Discord settings and Windows settings to be turned on — one alone is not enough.
  • In Discord's Notifications settings, you must turn on "Desktop Notifications" and choose which message types trigger alerts (direct messages, mentions, all messages).
  • Windows must also allow Discord to send notifications through Settings > System > Notifications > Notifications from apps and other senders.
  • If notifications still do not appear, check that Discord is not muted in your taskbar and that your Windows focus assist is not blocking them.
  • Notification badges on the Discord icon in your taskbar will appear even if pop-ups are off, so you can tell if messages arrived without seeing the corner alert.

Turn on desktop notifications in Discord

In the Notifications section of User Settings, look for the Desktop Notifications toggle at the top. Click it to turn it on. This is the master switch — if it is off, you will not see any pop-ups in your bottom right corner, no matter what else you configure.

Below that toggle, you will see options for what kinds of messages trigger a notification. The most common choices are:

  • All messages — you get a notification for every message in every channel you are in.
  • Only @mentions — you only get notified when someone types your name with the @ symbol.
  • Nothing — no notifications from this server or channel.

Choose the setting that matches how you want to be interrupted. If you pick "All messages" for a busy server, you will get a lot of notifications. Most people set servers to "@mentions only" and set their direct messages to "All messages" so they see when friends message them directly.

Allow Discord notifications in Windows Settings

Even if Discord is set to send notifications, Windows can block them. You need to give Discord permission at the Windows level. Open Windows Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then press Enter.

Go to System in the left sidebar, then click Notifications. Scroll down to the section called "Notifications from apps and other senders". Look for Discord in the list.

If Discord is not in the list, scroll to the bottom and click "Get notifications from these senders" to expand more options. Once you find Discord, make sure the toggle next to it is turned on. This tells Windows to let Discord send alerts to your bottom right corner.

While you are in this menu, you can also turn on "Show notifications on the lock screen" if you want to see Discord alerts even when your computer is locked. This is optional — most people leave it off.

Check your focus assist and do not disturb settings

Windows has a feature called Focus Assist that can block notifications when you are trying to concentrate. If you have turned this on, Discord notifications will not appear even if everything else is configured correctly.

To check Focus Assist, open Windows Settings again and go to System > Focus Assist. Make sure it is set to "Off" unless you specifically want to block notifications right now. If it is set to "Priority only" or "Alarms only", Discord notifications will be blocked.

Also check Discord's own "Do Not Disturb" mode. In Discord, click your username icon in the bottom left and look for your status (the colored circle). Click it and make sure it is not set to "Do Not Disturb" — that mode silences all notifications. Set it to "Online" or "Idle" instead.

Verify Discord is not muted in your taskbar

Right-click on the Discord icon in your Windows taskbar (the bottom of your screen where your open programs show). Look for an option that says "Mute" or shows a muted speaker icon. If Discord is muted, click to unmute it. A muted Discord will not send notifications to your corner, even if all settings are correct.

You can also check this by looking at the Discord window itself. In the top left, next to the server name, there is a speaker icon with a slash through it if the server is muted. Click it to unmute the server.

Test your notifications with a direct message

The easiest way to test whether notifications are working is to have someone send you a direct message, or send yourself one from another device. If you set direct messages to "All messages" in Discord Notifications, you should see a pop-up appear in your bottom right corner within a few seconds.

The notification will show the sender's name, a preview of the message, and buttons to reply or dismiss. If nothing appears after 10 seconds, go back through the steps above — one of the toggles is still off.

If you see a badge on the Discord icon in your taskbar (a small number or dot) but no pop-up in the corner, then Discord is receiving the message but Windows is blocking the notification display. Go back to Windows Settings > System > Notifications and make sure Discord's toggle is on.

Adjust notification sound and behavior

In Discord's Notifications settings, scroll down to find Notification Sounds. You can turn the sound on or off here. If you want to hear a sound when a notification arrives, make sure this toggle is on. If you want silent notifications, turn it off.

You can also control how long the notification stays on your screen. Look for Notification Display Time and choose how many seconds you want the pop-up to appear before it disappears on its own. The default is usually 10 seconds.

Some people also turn on Compact Mode in Discord's Appearance settings to make the notification pop-ups smaller and less intrusive. This does not affect whether they appear — just how much space they take up on your screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I see a badge on Discord in my taskbar but no pop-up in the corner?

The badge means Discord received the message, but Windows is blocking the notification display. Check Windows Settings > System > Notifications and make sure Discord's toggle is on. Also check that Focus Assist is set to "Off".

Can I get notifications from some servers but not others?

Yes. Right-click any server name in Discord's left sidebar and click "Notification Settings". You can set each server to "All messages", "@mentions only", or "Nothing" independently. This overrides the default setting you chose in User Settings.

Do I need to keep Discord open to see notifications?

No. Discord can send notifications even when the window is minimized or closed, as long as Discord is still running in the background. If you close Discord completely (not just minimize it), notifications will not appear.

What if I turned on notifications but they still do not show in the corner?

Check these in order: Discord's Desktop Notifications toggle is on, Windows allows Discord notifications, Focus Assist is off, Discord is not muted in the taskbar, and Discord is still running. If all are correct, restart Discord completely and try again.

Can I get notifications on my phone instead of my PC?

Yes. Open Discord on your phone, go to User Settings > Notifications, and turn on mobile notifications there. You can have notifications on both your PC and phone at the same time, or turn off PC notifications and use only your phone.