7 tips to help you get more out of Discord

Improve Discord usage skills and play with the chat platform! Discord is not just a chat platform for gamers, it is also suitable for contact and teamwork among friends. This powerful software supports text, voice and video and is available for free on Windows, macOS, web pages, Android and iOS/iPadOS.

This article assumes that you have understood the basic operations of Discord. For a guide to get started, please refer to our platform introduction. Once we master the basics, let's explore the advanced features and tools of Discord, from highlighting messages to scheduling activities.

1. Create a voice channel

While you may primarily use Discord's Slack text channel and Zoom video call, don't ignore the option to create a voice channel. You can talk to users using their voice channel no matter where they are.

[Related: Why You Should Use Discord Even If You Are Not a Gamer]

By default, the new Discord server is associated with a voice channel, which you can find in the navigation pane on the left side of the interface. To create a new voice channel, click the (plus) button next to the voice channel title, select Voice Channel as the channel type, and then name it.

You can choose to make the channel private before clicking to create a channel, which means that only invited people in the server can see it. You can specify the user to grant access in the next dialog box.

2. Custom keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are essential for switching between the Discord interface and its various functions. For example, these shortcut key combinations can help you mark everything in your channel as read, or pin a message to the top of a chat window.

To view keyboard shortcuts that you can use in the web and desktop applications, click the gear icon next to your name (bottom left corner) and select

key binding . Scroll through the list to see available shortcuts. If you are using Windows and macOS applications, you can also add custom shortcuts, but Discord on the web does not support this feature.

In the "Key Binding" screen, click

to add key binding . You can then select an action—such as toggling screen sharing functionality—and record a custom keyboard shortcut that triggers the action in Discord.

3. Arrange future activities

Discord event is a great way to get everyone to discuss hot topics of the day at the same time, hold family meetings or brainstorm with colleagues. All invitees will be notified about the time and (virtual) meeting location.

To create planned activities on your own server, you need to use a desktop application or web interface. Click on the server name (top left corner) and select

Create activity . You can then enter details such as the event name, date and time and which Discord channel will host the event.

You can also upload a cover image if you prefer, so that your participants can better understand the intended content of the event. When you send an invitation to an event, the recipient can mark himself as interested. However, you still need to start the activity manually, which you can do by clicking on the activity entry under the "Activity" heading of the navigation pane.

4. Use thread organization channel

The option to create a new thread from a text channel is one of the new features added to Discord in recent months, and it is very useful when the conversation keeps deviating from the topic.

Threads are nested conversations forked from messages posted to channels. If you hover your mouse over the message, you will see a create thread icon (looks like a speech bubble) that you can click on to start a thread. On your mobile device, press and hold the message to find the Create thread option.

These threads don't show up in the main channel, reducing confusion, but anyone interested in this can click or click to view them and add new messages. You can organize threads by naming them and archiving them after a certain amount of time of freeing.

5. Connect to other accounts

One of the many advantages of Discord is that you can link other social media and gaming accounts. This way, anyone on the platform can see your activity elsewhere.

To view available connections, on the desktop application, click the gear icon next to the avatar (bottom left corner), and then click Connection . On your mobile device, click on your avatar (bottom right corner), and then click Connect . Click on the other account you want to connect to, and follow the instructions to log in and create a link.

When you add connections, you sometimes have the option to use them in your Discord state. This way, you can let everyone know what music you are listening to on Spotify, or what games you are currently playing on PlayStation or Xbox consoles.

6. Control your notifications

The more Discord servers and channels you join, the more notifications you receive and the busier the application will be. That's why it's important to make sure you only receive reminders of messages and events that you really need to know about.

Click the gear icon next to the lower left (desktop) or lower right (mobile device) avatar and select Notification . Here you can control which application events (such as the arrival of a new user or incoming message) will trigger notifications and which will not.

Each server also has its own notification settings. On the desktop, click on the server name (top left corner), and then click Notification Settings . On your mobile device, open the Server Navigation pane, then click three dots (top right corner), and then click Notifications. Here you can choose whether to receive reminders mentioned, or whether you only receive notifications for channels on desktop applications.

7. Format with Markdown

Markdown is a mature method of adding formatting through symbols. When using this method, placing something between asterisks ( like this) makes the text bold. You can use Markdown in Discord messages in desktop and mobile applications.

[Related: You may actually be eligible for Twitter's Clubhouse competitor now]

Add some formatting to make your message stand out, help convey the right tone, and make your point of view easier to understand. You can also use this code to create block reference effects and embed links into your messages.

If you post information that you don't want people to see without warning, you can use Markdown to apply the spoiler tag. This way, the user must click on the text specifically to see it. For a list of codes you can use, see Markdown on the Discord support page.

The above is the detailed content of 7 tips to help you get more out of Discord. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!