How to Make a Discord Account and Start Chatting

Hey there! Looking to join the awesome Discord community but not sure how to sign up and get started? You‘ve come to the right place.

As a fellow gaming and tech geek, I‘m going to walk you step-by-step through creating your own Discord account. I‘ll also share tips to find amazing servers, connect with friends, and maximize your experience on this top-ranked chat app.

Let‘s dive in and get you chatting on Discord right away!

A Quick Intro to Discord

First things first, here‘s a fast overview of what Discord is and why it‘s so popular:

Discord is a free voice, video and text chat app that works on phones, desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, and in web browsers.
It launched in 2015 and now has over 150 million active users.
The company is based in San Francisco and valued at $15 billion as of 2021.
It‘s like a mix of WhatsApp, Slack, Twitch chat rooms, and online forums.

But what makes Discord unique? Here are some standout features gamers and technophiles love:

Top-notch voice and video calls. Discord‘s sound quality beats competitors thanks to ultra low-latency VoIP. Chats stay in perfect sync.
Customizable servers. You can create or join servers for specific games, fandoms, interests and chat in organized channels.
Leading choice for gamers. Discord dominates as the #1 communications app for gaming, from FPS to RPGs to MOBAs.
Integrated streaming. Native support for Twitch, YouTube and Facebook streaming in voice channels.
Cross-device functionality. Stay connected whether you‘re on desktop, mobile or the web-based app.
Bots and plugins. Give your server superpowers by installing mods like music bots, auto-moderation, and gaming stats overlays.
100% free. Discord will always have a free tier with unlimited users and servers. Paid Nitro plans unlock extras like custom emoji.

Make sense why Discord is so beloved by gamers, streamers and online communities? Now let‘s get you registered.

Step 1: Download the Discord App

Since you‘re setting up a new account, first you need to download and install the Discord application on your device of choice:

Desktop: Go to discord.com and click Download for either Windows or Mac. The install file is under 60 MB.
Mobile: Download Discord from the App Store or Google Play. The iOS and Android apps are also tiny installs.
Browser: You can use the web-based Discord app in any desktop or mobile browser without installing anything. Just go to discord.com/app. But features are limited compared to the native apps.

Once you‘ve installed Discord on your chosen platform, open the app and you‘ll see a Login screen. Click on the "Register" button to create your brand new account!

Next, you‘ll need to enter three key details to register your account:

A valid email address to confirm your identity.
A fun, memorable username to represent you.
A secure password to protect your privacy.

Let‘s go through the specifics for each:

Choose an Email Address

Any working email linked to an account you own is fine. Personal emails or work/school addresses both work.
You‘ll need to verify the email later, so ensure you have access to the inbox.
If desired, you can change your linked email in User Settings later.

Pick a Great Username

Your username is public and what people first see when you chat. Pick something fun or meaningful to you!
Usernames can have letters, numbers, dashes, and underscores. But no spaces or special characters.
Discord does not enforce unique usernames. Multiple members can share a name. Get creative by adding numbers, hyphens, or capital letters to make yours distinct.

Set a Secure Password

Use a strong password you don‘t reuse anywhere else for account security.
Requirements are at least 8 characters, one uppercase letter, one number, one symbol.
Consider using a password manager like LastPass to generate and remember complex passwords.

Once your email, username, and password are entered, click "Continue". Almost there!

Step 3: Verify Your Age

Since Discord allows open communication with strangers, they abide by United States COPPA regulations requiring users be at least 13 years old.

Next you‘ll need to enter your full birthday. Don‘t worry, Discord does not actually record your birth date itself. This simply verifies you meet the minimum age.

Accurately enter your real date of birth.
If you‘re under 13, you unfortunately cannot create an account due to Discord‘s child safety policies. Consider asking a parent or guardian to register a supervised family account for you instead.
No worries if you just turned 13 recently and want to join! Enter your DOB and you‘re good to go.

Once submitted, click "Continue" to proceed.

Step 4: Pass the CAPTCHA Test

So close! To confirm you‘re a human and not a spam bot, Discord requires new users complete a CAPTCHA challenge.

You‘ll see a checkbox reading "I‘m not a robot". Go ahead and check it, then finish any additional visual tests that appear:

Select all images matching a description like "Click each picture with an airplane".
Drag and rotate scrambled images until the puzzle reads "Verified".
Identify street signs, store fronts, or objects like fire hydrants in a grid of pictures.

Keep choosing the correct images until the CAPTCHA confirms you passed its robot inspection. Click "Continue" one last time to complete this pre-registration process.

Step 5: Verify Your Account via Email

You‘ve entered all the core details Discord needs. Final step:

Confirm your account via email to finish signing up.

This prevents spam by verifying each new user is a real human linking a legitimate email.

Check your inbox for an email from Discord titled "You‘re almost in!" and the subject "Finish signing up for Discord."

Find the 6 digit code in this email body. Do not share it with anyone!
Click the link directing you to discord.com/verify and enter the code.

Alternatively, open the Discord app and it will automatically prompt you to enter that 6 digit code.

Either way, submitting the verification code successfully activates your account! Welcome to Discord.

Step 6: Customize Your Profile

Account created! Now let‘s personalize your profile so you can jump right into chatting:

Change Your Avatar

By default Discord gives new users a multi-colored avatar. To upload your own:

Click your profile image in the bottom left.
Select "Edit Avatar" from the menu.
Choose a new picture from your computer or take a fresh selfie.
For best visual quality, use a square photo or image at least 512×512 pixels.
Supported file types are JPG, PNG, and GIF.

Add a Bio

In User Settings, you can create a short bio statement displayed on your profile:

Click the "My Account" tab then the bio text box.
Share fun facts, your gaming mains, or random tidbits about yourself.
Bios support markdown formatting like bold, italics, hyperlinks and emoji.
Your bio shows when users click your avatar anywhere on Discord.

Configure Notifications

Take a second to setup your notification preferences:

Open User Settings > Notifications
Tweak sounds, unread markers, push triggers and more.
Choose which channels always notify you vs only on @mentions.

Tour Key Features

Let‘s overview the main parts of Discord‘s interface:

The left toolbar with Home, DMs, and server icons.
The search magnifying glass to find people and servers.
Your user profile menu opened by clicking your avatar.
Voice & video connect controls in the bottom left corner.
The settings gear icon leading to advanced options.

Take a few minutes to navigate and get familiar with menu options before your first chat!

Step 7: Connect with Friends on Discord

Chatting with friends is one of Discord‘s best features. Here‘s how to find people you know:

Search for Friends by Username

Use the search bar to lookup any friends already on Discord.
Start typing their name and select their profile from the dropdown results.
You can then DM users who aren‘t on shared servers yet.

Under User Settings, connect other platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or your phone contacts to match any mutual friends:

Click "Connections"
Link accounts like Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Discord will compare your contacts and show any matches.
Your friends list stays private and is not shared.

Invite New Contacts

Easily invite friends new to Discord:

Click the + icon in the Friends tab of your profile.
Select "Invite Friends".
Choose to message the join link via SMS, email, or copy it.
Share the link for fast account creation and connection.

Now you can chat 1-on-1 or in group DMs with all your closest friends. Next up: exploring Discord‘s amazing public servers!

Step 8: Join Existing Discord Servers

With over 5 million active public servers, one of Discord‘s best features is meeting people and joining communities around shared hobbies and interests.

You can browse and join public servers centered around specific games, fandoms, sports teams, social causes, identities and more. It‘s a fantastic way to make new friends and connections.

Here are the top ways to find awesome public servers to join:

Browse Discord‘s Server Discovery

Discord‘s homepage spotlights trending, topical and high member servers in rotating categories.
Browse spotlighted categories like gaming, creative arts, lifestyle or search keywords related to your interests.
Select any server from this list and click "Join" to instantly become a member.

Search for Top Servers

Use Discord‘s search bar to find top servers dedicated to specific games, artists, TV shows, etc.
The top results are often the official community hubs or most active servers for a given topic.
Check member counts, descriptions and reviews to evaluate if a server looks appealing to you.

Get Invites From Friends

Existing members can create invite links to share server access.
Ask friends for invites to their favorite servers related to games/interests you have in common.
Invite links let you bypass approval queues and instantly join private servers.

Public servers are promoted via Twitter threads, Reddit posts, Faceboook groups, etc related to the topic.
Follow links from social media to directly join servers for podcasts, streamers, artists and other online creators you follow.
For example /r/DiscordServers is a subreddit dedicated to server discovery.

Explore servers until you find active communities that excite you! Now let‘s talk about creating your own server.

Step 9: Make Your Own Discord Server

On top of joining existing communities, all Discord users can make their own servers for free.

Servers are great for:

Small friend groups to regularly chat together.
Local clubs, teams, nonprofits to coordinate meets and events.
Fandoms to share memes and fan content for a show or book series.
Special interest groups around hobbies, identities, cultures.
Multiplayer gamers who want their own private space.

If you‘re ready to become a server admin, here‘s how to make one:

Start Your Server

Click the + icon next to the server search bar.
Select "Create a Server" from the menu.
Name your server and upload an icon image (optional).
Click "Create" and your fresh new server is ready!

Set Permissions

As owner, you have full admin powers. Decide rules like:

Make it invite-only or public access.
Let members create their own invite links.
Allow members to upload images/files.
Enable creating text channels or nickname changes.

Make Text and Voice Channels

Organize conversations into different channels for topics:

Click the + icon to make new text and voice channels.
Name channels things like "general", "gaming", "memes", etc.
Optionally make private channels to limit access for admins.

Invite Members

Populate your server by sending invite links to friends:

Go to Server Settings > Invite People
Copy the unique invite link for your server.
Share the invite via social media, messaging apps or Discord DMs.
Friends can use the link to instantly join your server without approval.

Install Helpful Bots & Plugins

Enhance your server‘s features with mods like:

Music bots to play songs in voice channels.
Gaming bots to pull stats from popular titles.
Auto-moderator bots to filter spam.
Meme bots providing fun images and interactions.

The options are limitless when you create and customize your own server with bots, plugins, roles, and channels. Try making one for your friend circle!

Start Chatting and Enjoy Discord!

Congrats, your Discord account is fully setup! Now you‘re ready to:

Join text channels to send messages, share memes, and chat with new friends.
Hop into voice channels to hang out verbally, stream music, or video chat.
Keep conversations organized via threaded messages and reactions.
Meet awesome people on public servers who share your interests.
Create your own server to chat in a private space with close friends.

The world of Discord is yours to explore. Here are my final tips for safely getting the most out of it:

Build genuine connections, but cautiously share personal details with strangers.
Disable DMs if you receive unwanted private messages.
Report abusive behaviors to server mods instead of engaging.
Don‘t click sketchy links that may contain viruses or IP grabbers.
Enable Two-Factor authentication for extra account security.

Now get out there and chat! Discord connects us with old friends and new right from desktop or mobile. Join creative communities, make gaming buddies worldwide, and talk about shared interests and passions.

Let me know if you have any other questions during the onboarding process. I‘m always happy to help fellow gamers and tech enthusiasts master Discord.

Enjoy your new social hangout hub!