Are you looking to take a break from Discord but do plan to become active again?
Luckily, there is a way to disable your Discord account temporarily.
This makes it possible to re-enable an account if you change your mind about it, unlike deleting an account.
This article shows you how to disable your discord account with simple steps and answers all of your questions about it.
But keep in mind, Discord won’t let you disable your account until you are the owner of any server.
Therefore, first delete the Discord server you own or transfer the Discord server ownership to another user.
Once you have deleted or transferred the server, you are ready to disable your account.
⚡ What to Know ‣ You cannot disable your discord account as long as you are a server owner. Either delete the server or transfer ownership before you disable the account. ‣ You can reactivate your account anytime, and there is no time limit. ‣ Upon account reactivation, you'll get all the messages and friend requests sent while your account was disabled. ‣ If you plan to use Discord again, then disable the account. If you plan to stop using Discord forever, delete the account.
What is the Difference Between Deleting and Disabling a Discord Account?
A Discord account can be disabled or deleted, and while that sounds similar, these actions have some differences.
- Deleted accounts cannot be recovered, whereas you can reactivate a disabled account anytime.
- No notifications are sent in either option, but other users can still send friend requests, messages, and invites to a disabled account.
- Deleted accounts disappear entirely, but other users can still see disabled accounts.
- There are ways to figure out that an account has been deleted, but there is no way to determine if an account has just been disabled.
If you are looking to leave Discord forever and never look back, then you should permanently delete your Discord account, instead of disabling it.
What Happens When you Disable a Discord Account?
Disabling a Discord account is a way of taking some time off from Discord, without losing your data.
While your account is disabled:
- You cannot participate or interact in any Discord server.
- Your chats and messages are not removed from the servers.
- You’ll no longer receive any notifications, but other users can still send you friend requests and invites. You get these when you recover your account.
- You have to give up ownership of any Discord server you had created.
How to Disable Your Discord Account on Desktop or Browser
The steps to disable an account are very similar to deleting an account because both these options exist side-by-side in Discord.
Step #1: Click on the gear icon next to your avatar in the bottom left corner.
Step #2: Select the ‘My Account’ option from the left sidebar. It is under ‘User Settings’.
Step #3: Click on the ‘Disable Account’ button.
If you have not yet deleted the servers or transferred the ownership, you’ll get a pop-up indicating that you need to do that first.
Step #4: Provide your password in the pop-up dialog box and click on the ‘Disable Account’ button.
That’s it. Your account has been disabled, and you’ll be immediately signed out of Discord.
How to Disable Your Discord Account on Mobile
Disabling your account on the mobile Discord app is simple as well.
Step #1: Navigate to the home page (right-swipe or tap on the hamburger menu) and tap on your avatar in the bottom right corner to get to the ‘User Settings’
Step #2: Tap on the ‘My Account’ option to get to ‘User Settings’.
Step #3: Find the ‘Delete Account’ option and tap on it.
If you own some Discord servers, then you’ll get a message indicating that you’ll have to transfer ownership first or delete the server.
Step #4: You have to provide your password before deleting the account. Type your password and tap on the ‘Delete’ button.
How to Reactivate a Disabled Discord Account
Simply log into your account to reactivate it. If you have two-factor authentication set up earlier, then you’ll have to provide the authentication code as well.
Once you log in, you’ll get all your pending messages and invites, and will be able to see your messages, friends list, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does Deactivating Discord Delete Messages?
No, deactivating Discord does not delete the messages. Discord never removes messages from an active server automatically.
All chats and messages are still visible to other users on the servers.
How Long can you Disable Your Discord Account?
You can keep your account disabled indefinitely. There is no time limit before an account has to be reactivated again.
Discord does not automatically remove disabled accounts.
How Long Does it Take to Deactivate a Discord Account?
An account is disabled immediately when the user chooses to do so. There is no waiting period, unlike deleting your account.
Would Others Know if I Disabled my Discord Account?
No, there is no way to know if someone has disabled their account.
Disabled accounts appear offline, but there is no indication whether the user has disabled their account or just happens to be offline at that moment.
Can you Delete a Disabled Discord Account?
To delete a disabled Discord account, you’ll first have to reactive the account. There is no option to directly delete a disabled account.
Once reactivated, you can proceed to delete the account.
👋 We have more such articles in our in-depth Discord guide.
Final Words on Disabling a Discord Account
Disabling an account is a good feature of Discord as it gives you an option to take a break and get back when you are ready.
While you should give some thought before deleting your account, disabling is only temporary, and you can do it as many times as you wish.
Once you reactivate your account, you’ll notice all your settings and lists restored, as if you had never left.
Explore Other Interesting Discord Articles
◉ How to Make a Welcome Channel in Discord (Step-by-Step Guide)
