To delete a Discord server, the owner opens Server Settings, scrolls down to Delete Server and confirms by typing the server name or entering a 2FA code. Only the server owner can do it, and it is permanent: Discord cannot restore a deleted server, its messages or its member list.
Before you press the button, it is worth spending two minutes on the section below, because there is no undo.
Before you delete: four things to decide
1. Do you want to keep the layout? A server template copies your categories, channels, roles and permissions (not messages or members). Create one under Server Settings, Server Templates on desktop or in the browser. Then use it to create the new server you want before you delete the old one, rather than counting on the template link still working afterwards. Discord notes that Forum, Announcement and Stage channels are not included in templates.
2. Do you want a copy of your data? Your Discord data package includes a folder for each server you own, with your uploaded emoji, audit log actions, channels and their permissions, server settings and webhooks. It only covers servers you are in when you request it (plus recently departed ones), so request it from User Settings first if you want that record.
3. Would transferring ownership be better? If the server has active members, handing it to someone you trust keeps the community alive. You stay a member after a transfer, with whatever permissions your role still has. Note that Discord's support team cannot reverse a transfer once it is done.
4. Have you told your members? A short announcement a few days ahead lets people swap contacts, save anything they need, and join a new server if you are moving.
How to delete a server on desktop or in the browser
- Open the server and click its name at the top left to open the dropdown menu (or right-click the server name).
- Choose Server Settings.
- Scroll down the settings menu until you see Delete Server and select it.
- Confirm. If your account has 2FA on, enter your 2FA code. If not, type the server's name exactly.
- Select Delete Server. The server is gone immediately.
How to delete a server on mobile
- Open the server and tap the three dots (...) next to the server name, then tap Settings.
- Tap Overview and scroll down to Delete Server.
- Enter your 2FA code if your account has 2FA on. Without 2FA, tap Yes to confirm or No to cancel.
- The server is deleted.
Why you might not see the Delete Server option
- You are not the owner. Discord is explicit that only the server owner can delete a server, "no matter what permissions other users might have." Administrators cannot do it. The owner usually has a crown icon next to their name in the member list.
- The server requires 2FA and your account does not have it. If the server requires two-factor authentication for moderation actions and you have not turned it on, the option will not appear. Enable 2FA under User Settings, then try again.
What happens when you delete a server
- It cannot be restored. Discord's FAQ answers "can it be recovered?" with a plain no, and the same applies to the member list and messages.
- Everyone loses access at once, including all members, bots and webhooks connected to it.
- Server Boosts stop counting. Discord's boosting rules list a deleted server as one of the ways a boost streak can end. Boosters have 72 hours to apply their boosts to another server to keep their streak.
- Bot data is up to each bot. Settings, XP or logs a bot stored about your server live on that bot developer's systems and fall under its own privacy policy, not Discord's. If that matters to you, check each bot's policy or remove the bots first.
Delete, transfer or leave: which one you need
| You want to | Do this | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|
| Close the community for good | Delete the server | No |
| Step away but keep the server running | Transfer ownership to a trusted member | Not by Discord support |
| Start fresh with the same structure | Make a template, create the new server from it, then delete the old one | No, once the old one is deleted |
| Stop being a member of someone else's server | Leave the server | You can rejoin with an invite |
| Stop new people joining for a while | Pause invites under Server Settings, Invites (desktop) | Yes, press Enable Invites |
Our step-by-step guide to transferring Discord server ownership covers the handover in detail, and our Discord server backup guide explains what can and cannot be saved before a big change.
If you only need a break
If the server is quiet rather than finished, deleting it is more than you need. Anyone with the Manage Server permission can open Server Settings, Invites on desktop and press Pause Invites. While invites are paused, nobody can join through your invite links, embeds, vanity URL or Server Discovery, and people who try are told invites are paused. Your links do not change, so pressing Enable Invites later brings everything back exactly as it was.
How to transfer ownership instead
On desktop, open the server's Members list from Server Settings, right-click the person, choose Transfer Ownership, tick the confirmation toggle and confirm (with your 2FA code if you use 2FA). On mobile, go to Server Settings, Members, tap the member and choose Transfer Ownership.
If you are trying to get rid of a server you no longer want to own so you can delete your whole Discord account, either path works. Discord will not delete an account until every server it owns has been transferred or deleted.
If the server is not yours
You cannot delete a server you do not own. Your options are to leave it, to ask the owner, or, if the server breaks Discord's rules, to report the content in it to Discord.
If the owner has gone inactive, Discord does accept ownership transfer requests from members, but only when every condition is met: the server has at least 100 members, the owner has not accessed their account for at least a month, you have been active in the last 30 days, you are an administrator or moderator there, and the server is not monetized. Requests go through Discord's support form under Help & Support, then Server Related Requests.
Frequently asked questions
Can a deleted Discord server be recovered?
No. Discord states that once a server is deleted it cannot be restored, and nothing from it, including messages and the member list, can be recovered.
Can an admin delete a Discord server?
No. Only the server owner can delete a server, whatever permissions an administrator has.
Why is there no Delete Server button on my server?
Either you are not the owner, or the server requires 2FA for moderation actions and your account does not have 2FA turned on.
Do I have to delete my server to delete my Discord account?
You have to either delete it or transfer ownership. Discord will not let you delete your account while you still own servers.
How do I delete a Discord server without 2FA?
If your account has no 2FA, Discord asks you to type the server's name (desktop) or tap Yes (mobile) to confirm. The exception is a server that requires 2FA for moderation: there you need to enable 2FA before the option appears.
