Good news! You can join Discord servers without creating an account. I tried it myself, and it’s completely possible. You can even use Discord without the app!
Can You Use Discord Without an Account?
Haven’t created a Discord account yet? Not a problem. You can still join Discord servers without having your own account.
You simply need the Discord server link. This invitation link should be provided by the person who invited you to their server (like a friend or a co-worker).
Follow these simple steps to join a Discord server without an account:
-
step 1
Open the invite link for the Discord server on your browser.
-
step 2
Enter a username of your liking.
-
step 3
Click “Continue.”
And just like that, you’re in!
This way, you can temporarily join your group’s server. However, you’re currently using an unclaimed account.
What Can You See on Discord Without an Account?
Now that you have joined your group’s server you can interact with its members. Here are some perks you can avail when you join a server with a temporary account:
- Access to the different channels on the server.
- Receive messages from these channels.
- Access to personal messages as well.
- Send and receive friend requests.
- Join voice channels to talk to your friends freely. You are also allowed to take part in video calls on the server.
Joining any other active servers without signing up can be done multiple times. Public servers for different interests and fandoms are waiting for you. Furthermore, you can choose to create your very own server, temporarily.
Sounds great, right? But what’s the catch?
Here’s the thing: you’re operating through an unclaimed account. So, once you close your Discord server’s tab, you can’t retrieve that account anymore. That means all the messages, friends, channels, and servers are gone.
The good news is, you can claim that account if you want to. By doing so, you’ll have to finish creating your Discord account first, before closing any tab, to avoid losing all data.
You’ll actually see a prompt at the top of your Discord page to claim your account.
Click “Claim Account” and proceed to enter your chosen email address and password. You’ll receive an email to confirm your account and ultimately complete the signup process.
Congratulations! You officially have a Discord account.
Now, you can install the Discord app on your laptop, PC, or mobile device. Download the Discord app for Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, and iOS here. It’s totally free!
Reasons Why You May Not Want a Discord Account
Given that Discord has been around for a couple of years now, you might actually have a reason why you still don’t have an account for it.
With any social messaging platform, there are risks and concerns. I’ve listed a few reasons why Discord might not be for you.
-
Safety and security concerns
Discord published a 2021 transparency report and there’s a sizable percentage of harassment on the app. Apart from that, cybercrime and graphic & exploitive content are also present.
For all that, Discord has been taking steps to reduce those kinds of activity. Yet, the risk of being harassed or scammed is still there. With that, you may not want a Discord account.
-
NSFW content
Several Discord servers contain graphic content of different kinds: NSFW (Not Safe For Work) are one of those. They can range from gore and violent, or sexual graphics that are openly shown in different channels within the server. Having said that, you may not want your kids and teens participating on such servers. Plus, the presence of online predators doesn’t make the situation any easier.
There are safety measures like blocking & reporting users and filtering inappropriate content. But is that enough? You’ll have to think about this too.
-
Discord requires a phone number to set up an account
It’s understandable why you may not want to enter your phone number on Discord or any other social messaging (and media) platforms. If privacy is a major concern for you, then this may be a dealbreaker.
Discord, however, explains that phone verification is used as an anti-abuse tool. And that might change your perspective.