There, you’ll see the conversation in the selected channel playing out in real time. So for example, a Movies' category might contain channels like “marvel-movies” and 'scorsese-films.” Select a channel and the main chat window will open up right in the middle of the Discord interface. Channels are separated into multiple dropdown menus called categories. This structure keeps everything from becoming a conversational free-for-all. These are all the chat rooms within the server, and each room is about a specific topic. You'll see a list of channels show up in the panel that appears on the right. When you tap or the name of a server, the screen will change. The platform is free, though you can pay for some premiums. And since it’s a multimedia experience, you can use Discord to stream videos, play board games remotely with friends, listen to music together, and generally just hang out. But Discord has grown into a space where the conversations reach far outside of gaming territory into music, culture, politics, art, finance, and even dating. Discord was originally built for gamers, and you’ll still find a lot of communities dedicated to gaming on the platform.

The kind of conversations you have there will vary depending on the community you’re in, but in general, users tend to be more laid back than those on other social media sites. You can participate in Discord’s text, voice, or video chats on mobile devices or desktop computers. Twitter, without the whims of a mercurial overlord. Facebook, without an algorithm that prioritizes the types of posts that turned your aunt into a racist. It’s Slack, but without that feeling that your boss is always lurking. It’s like Zoom, but more flexible and fun. It’s for texting, voice calls, or video calls with friends or strangers with common interests. If you’ve found yourself fleeing your typical social spheres in search of something new, you may be eyeing Discord.ĭiscord has exploded over the seven-or-so years since its launch, growing from a humble bit of chat software into a juggernaut of the social internet. Nearly every social media site feels like it’s imploding, either in a desperate attempt to become more like TikTok, or because it’s been bought by an eccentric billionaire who plans to do God knows what with the platform.

Discord app browser