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To add a bot (called an app in Discord’s current interface), you must own the server or have the Manage Server permission. Find the app in Discord’s App Directory or open its profile, review the access it requests, choose the intended server if prompted, and authorize it. After installation, manage the app’s permissions and command access in Server Settings.
Before you add an app
Check that you own the server or have Manage Server. Discord says this permission allows members to add apps to a server for everyone to use. You can review the permission list in Discord’s guide to moderating apps.
Discord uses “app” for the broader feature; many server apps include a bot user. The installation screen determines whether an app is being added to a server or authorized for your personal account. Check that choice before approving.
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How to add a bot to your Discord server
- Open the App Directory. Browse available apps, or open the profile for the app you want. Discord’s discovery and installation guide describes the available flow.
- Review the app and its request. Read its overview and examine the permissions and access listed on the authorization screen. An app may request server actions such as creating channels, deleting messages, editing roles, or reading the audit log; these are examples, not permissions every app requires.
- Select the server. If Discord asks where to install the app, choose the intended server. Confirm that the installation is for the server rather than your personal account.
- Authorize the app. Approve only after checking the requested access. A server-installed app should appear in the server’s member list and in Server Settings > Integrations; Discord also describes the relevant area as Integrations > Bots and Apps. See Using Apps on Discord for the current user-facing overview.
Server installation and account authorization are different
A server-installed app is available to the server and may need permission to perform server actions. An account-installed app is authorized for your personal account and can be used across Discord spaces where that app supports it. The app and its capabilities determine the available options, so rely on the authorization screen rather than assuming all apps have the same access.
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| What to check | Server installation | Account installation |
|---|---|---|
| Who can authorize it | The server owner or a member with Manage Server | The individual account holder |
| Where it is available | For the server where it is installed | Across Discord spaces where the app supports account use |
| Server permissions | May request permission to perform actions in the server; review the authorization screen | Depends on the app and its account-use flow; review the authorization screen |
| Where to review it | Server Settings > Integrations, including Bots and Apps | User Settings > Authorized Apps |
| How to revoke it | Kick the app’s bot user from the server member list | Deauthorize it in User Settings > Authorized Apps |
Limit commands and server access after installation
Installation does not mean every member needs access to every command. Use Server Settings > Integrations to review an app’s commands and restrict them by role, member, channel, or individual command where those controls are available. Inspect the command list before making it broadly available.
Also check the app’s role and permissions under Server Settings > Roles. Discord provides distinct controls for Use External Apps, Use Application Commands, command-level access, bot permissions, and AutoMod. These controls serve different purposes: command availability determines who can invoke app commands, while bot permissions govern actions the bot can perform. Match access to the app’s actual use rather than granting broad permissions by default.
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Remove an app you no longer want
Remove a server-installed bot
In the server member list, find the bot user and kick it from the server. This removes the bot user from that server.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesRevoke an account-installed app
Open User Settings > Authorized Apps and deauthorize the app. Account authorizations and server installations use different settings, so choose the path that matches how you installed it.
What the 2026 data-access update means
Discord announced that updated app data-access requirements took effect on June 10, 2026. The change concerns developer access to information such as server members, presence, and message content, with additional guardrails for sensitive access; Discord said most apps would continue working. It is a developer-side policy change, not a reason by itself to assume an app you install is broken. Read Discord’s announcement on updated requirements for how apps access server data for its explanation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why some apps do not need a bot user
Some apps provide commands without requiring a bot user in the server. Discord’s developer documentation explains that an application whose commands do not require a guild bot user does not need the bot scope or a permission bitfield in its authorization URL; it can use the applications.commands scope. This is mainly a developer detail. As a server owner, use the app’s authorization screen and documentation to understand what you are approving. See Discord’s Application Commands documentation.
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