Tips, Tricks, and Etiquette

Discord Etiquette

  • Be Respectful: Treat others with the same courtesy and respect you would on our old forum.
  • Avoid Spamming: Don’t flood channels with unnecessary messages or repeat the same message multiple times.
  • Use Appropriate Channels: Keep discussions relevant to the channel topic.
  • Use Mentions Sparingly: Only use @username, @here, or @everyone when necessary. Remember that @everyone notifies every single person in a channel.
  • Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help: If you’re unsure about something, ask a moderator or another member for assistance.

Quick Reference Guide

Glossary of Discord Terms

  • Channel: A space for text or voice conversations, organized by topic. (Similar to a sub-forum on the old forum)
  • Thread: A sub-conversation within a channel, started from a specific message. (Useful for focused discussions within a broader topic)
  • Mention: Using “@” followed by a username or role to notify someone. (Like quoting someone on the forum)
  • DM (Direct Message): A private message between two users.
  • Role: A set of permissions that can be assigned to users (e.g., moderator, member).
  • Server: A community on Discord, made up of channels and members. (Think of this as the equivalent of our entire forum)
  • Slow Mode: A channel setting that limits how often users can send messages. (Useful for preventing spam in busy channels)
  • Pinned Messages: Messages that are “pinned” to the top of a channel for easy access. (Great for important announcements or frequently referenced information)
  • Bot: A program that performs automated tasks on Discord. (We might use bots for various things like moderation, games, or providing helpful information)

Common Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Ctrl+K or Cmd+K: Quick Switcher (quickly jump between channels, DMs, or servers)
  • Ctrl+Shift+K or Cmd+Shift+K: Quick Switcher for DMs only
  • Ctrl+/ or Cmd+/: Show all keyboard shortcuts
  • Esc: Mark channel as read
  • Shift+Esc: Mark server as read
  • Alt+Click on a message: Mark as unread from that message on
  • Ctrl+P or Cmd+P: See pinned messages

Notification Settings Cheat Sheet

  • Mute a Server: Right-click server icon > Notification Settings > Mute [Server Name]
  • Mute a Channel: Right-click channel name > Mute Channel
  • Change Notification Sound: User Settings (gear icon) > Notifications > Message Sound
  • Suppress @everyone and @here: Right-click server icon > Notification Settings > Suppress @everyone and @here

Troubleshooting Common Issues

  • Can’t Hear Audio in Voice Channels:
    • Check your audio input/output settings in User Settings > Voice & Video.
    • Make sure you’ve selected the correct microphone and speakers.
    • Try toggling “Automatic Input Sensitivity” on or off.
  • Messages Not Sending:
    • Check your internet connection.
    • Make sure you’re not in a channel with slow mode enabled and have hit the time limit.
  • Discord App Crashing:
    • Try restarting the app.
    • If that doesn’t work, try reinstalling Discord.
    • Check for updates to the app. Sometimes a bug causing crashes is fixed in a newer version.
  • Notifications not working:
    • Check your OS for a “Focus” or “Do Not Disturb” mode. Some operating systems will disable notifications when these are turned on.
    • Check your Discord notification settings both globally and for the server you expect to see notifications from.
    • Make sure your internet connection is stable.