If Discord pings you all day, the fastest fix is to set your status to Do Not Disturb. This article then walks through each of the Discord notification settings so you can mute a server, hear only @mentions, tune single channels and threads, and handle sounds.
The quickest way to get quiet
Click your avatar in the lower-left corner of Discord and choose Do Not Disturb from the status menu. Discord says this puts a red circle on your avatar and mutes all desktop notifications.
If only one noisy server is the problem, or you want something more targeted, use the controls below.
| What you want | The control | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| Silence everything on desktop | Do Not Disturb | Your avatar, lower-left, status menu |
| Quiet one server for a set time | Mute | Server name > Notifications > Mute |
| Only hear when someone pings you | Only @mentions | Server name > Notifications |
| Set a level for one channel | Notification Overrides | Server’s Notification Settings |
| Quiet a thread | Thread notification setting or Leave Thread | The thread itself |
| Keep alerts but drop the sound (iPhone) | Sounds | Device Settings > Notifications > Discord |
Discord runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone and iPad, Android, and in a web browser. Some controls are documented only for certain platforms, and each section notes which.
Mute one server
Use this when a server you like gets busy and you need a break from it.
On your phone:
- Tap the server’s name.
- Select Notifications.
- Tap Mute.
- Pick how long the server stays quiet.
The lengths Discord lists for mobile are:
- For 15 minutes
- For 1 hour
- For 3 hours
- For 8 hours
- For 24 hours
- Until I turn it back on
On desktop, the server’s notification settings have a Mute Server toggle with a Mute duration dropdown. Discord’s desktop help page doesn’t list the values in that dropdown, so check it when you open it.
Choose a short mute for a meeting or a class. Choose “Until I turn it back on” for servers you only check now and then. If you pick the open-ended option, you have to remember to turn the server back on yourself.
Pause everything with Do Not Disturb
Discord Do Not Disturb is the “leave me alone for now” switch. To set it:
- Click your avatar in the lower-left corner.
- Choose Do Not Disturb from the status menu.
Discord says it shows a red circle on your avatar, so people can see you’re busy. It also mutes all desktop notifications.
Discord’s help page gives no timer for Do Not Disturb.
Hear only @mentions
This is the setting for people who don’t want to miss what matters but don’t need every message. You stay in the server and still get pinged when someone calls on you.
- Tap the server’s name.
- Tap Notifications.
- Choose Only @mentions.
Discord counts these as mentions:
- A direct @username
- @role
- @everyone
- @here
That last part matters. If a server uses @everyone or @here a lot, you’ll still get those pings. To cut them, open the server’s Notification Settings and turn on Suppress @everyone and @here. The same menu also has Suppress All Role @mentions if role pings are the noisy ones. Both toggles apply across the whole server.
A good setup for a busy work or school server is Only @mentions plus Suppress @everyone and @here. You still hear when a person pings you by name.
Set quiet hours on a schedule
Discord’s help pages don’t describe a recurring quiet-hours schedule.
Set different levels for each channel
Most servers have one or two channels you care about and several you don’t. Notification Overrides let you treat them differently.
- Open the server’s Notification Settings.
- Go to Notification Overrides.
- Pick a channel or a category.
- Choose its level.
The levels Discord lists are:
- All: every message notifies you.
- Mentions: only pings notify you.
- Nothing: no notifications from that channel.
- Mute: the channel is muted.
On desktop there’s a shortcut. Right-click a channel and choose Notification Settings.
Here’s one way to use it. Set the whole server to Only @mentions. Then add an override that sets your team’s announcements channel to All, and set the off-topic or memes channel to Nothing. You get every update from the channel that matters and silence from the one that doesn’t.
Picking a category instead of a single channel saves time when a server groups many channels together.
Quiet a thread
Threads have their own notification setting, separate from the channel they live in. You can set a thread to:
- all messages
- mentions only
- no messages
If you want to stop following a thread completely, press the ellipsis at the top of the thread and choose Leave Thread.
Use “mentions only” for a thread you might be asked about later. Use Leave Thread when the conversation is done for you.
Notification sounds
The default sound
Discord’s help pages don’t name or describe the default notification sound.
Switch the seasonal sound pack on or off
On desktop or in the browser, Discord has an Event Sound Pack setting:
- Go to User Settings > Notifications.
- Under Sounds, switch the seasonal sound pack on or off.
This is for seasonal packs only. Discord says the Halloween 2026 pack replaces its call tone from October 7 to November 2, 2026. Turning the pack off returns your sounds to Discord’s default. This setting is documented for Windows, macOS, Linux and the web browser.
A different sound for one chat or contact
Discord’s help pages don’t describe a way to set a different sound for one chat or contact.
Use your own sound file
Discord’s help pages don’t describe a way to use your own sound file.
Turn off sounds but keep notifications on iPhone
If you still want to see alerts but don’t want them to make noise:
- Open your iPhone’s Settings.
- Go to Notifications > Discord.
- Turn off Sounds.
Discord’s mobile help page says this switch controls whether Discord notifications play an audible sound when they arrive. This is documented for iPhone and iPad.
A simple setup that works for most people
If you just want fewer pings without losing important ones, try this:
- Set busy servers to Only @mentions.
- Turn on Suppress @everyone and @here in servers that overuse them.
- Use Notification Overrides to set your must-read channel to All.
- Mute a server you only visit now and then, or set it to “Until I turn it back on.”
- Leave threads you’re finished with.
- Switch to Do Not Disturb when you need to focus on desktop.
FAQ
Does Discord Do Not Disturb turn off by itself?
Discord’s help page gives no timer for Do Not Disturb. The page says it mutes all desktop notifications and shows a red circle on your avatar.
If I mute a Discord server, how long does it last?
On mobile you can pick For 15 minutes, For 1 hour, For 3 hours, For 8 hours, For 24 hours, or Until I turn it back on. On desktop there’s a Mute duration dropdown under the Mute Server toggle, but Discord’s desktop help page doesn’t list its values.
I set a server to Only @mentions. Why do I still get pinged for everyone?
Discord counts @everyone and @here as mentions, along with @username and @role. To stop those, turn on Suppress @everyone and @here in the server’s Notification Settings.
Can I give one friend or one chat its own notification sound?
Discord’s help pages don’t describe that control. They also don’t describe using your own sound file.