Free chat service for Mac
Discord is a free cross-platform communication application originally created for the gaming community. Since the developers created a user-friendly user experience, the app expanded to include all user groups: language, art community, etc. You can instant message, talk out loud, video chat, and screen share with the Discord community.
The Clubhouse app is a similar service. Both applications let you effortlessly enter and leave voice and video chat groups. Twitch is another service geared towards gamers. While Discord has the same features like Skype, TeamSpeak, and Zoom, the Discord UI resembles Slack’s intuitive user interface.
What is Discord exactly?
Discord is a convenient chat platform. The user interface is divided into three main sections. The server list is on the left. Additionally, you can find the ‘Home’, ‘Explore Public servers’, ‘Add a Server’, and ‘Download Apps’ buttons in the list. Each icon can open a menu of text and voice channels on the righthand side of the interface.
A chat room will appear in the main area when you select a specific channel. Discord is highly customizable. You can create servers by clicking on the addition sign in the left panel. A window will appear to let you either create your own server or start a template: ‘Gaming’, ‘School Club’, ‘Study Group’, ‘Local Community’, etc.
You can choose whether the group will be smaller or larger, or opt to skip the question, and invite members to servers. An image can be uploaded to appear as the server icon. Additionally, you can change the default server name. You can read the ‘Community Guidelines’ before creating your own server.
A context menu will appear that allows you to invite people when you tap on the server title. A person icon will be next to each channel to add users. You can review the active invites that a channel has by pressing the gear icon next to the channel and going to the ‘Invites’ tab. Additionally, a ‘Delete Channel’ button is available in the channel settings.
How to use Discord?
The text channels let you message members. You can find commands in the text box and the addition sign lets you add media. The present image is available for Nitro users. Discord lets you upgrade to a Nitro account that’s a paid subscription package.
You can toggle between the GIF and emoji tabs when you click the last two buttons on the bar. Discord has plenty of GIFs. You can hover above messages to react. A menu of emojis will appear when you click on ‘Add reaction’. Chat rooms can add customized reactions.
The voice channels let you use video chat and screen share. The people that are currently in a voice channel will be listed beneath the room. You can click on the channel to immediately enter the room. Discord gives you unlimited time in voice channels to let you watch friends stream, have a drawing session, etc.
Why is Discord so popular?
You can join groups of hundreds of thousands of members. The Genshin Impact Discord server is among one of the largest groups. The Among Us Discord server is another popular gaming group. Since technology is integrating into our reality more than ever before, groups like the Among Us Discord servers serve as places to connect.
Discord lets you play multiplayer games in a community environment. The communication tool is not only meant for gamers now. You can use Discord as a general means of communication between family and friends. Additionally, Discord lets you meet new friends. One of the easiest ways to meet members is by going to the ‘Explore Public servers’ icon.
Is Discord safe for my child?
Discord has a minimum age requirement that can change according to local legislation. The standard age that you need to be to use Discord is 13 years old. Discord keeps your personal data safe. Your user information is not sold to third-party companies, and the freeware does not contain in-app advertisements nor tracking.
You can comprehensively customize your privacy settings. Discord has the ‘Keep me safe’ feature on by default. All direct messages that you receive will get scanned. The ‘Keep me safe’ command makes sure that explicit media and messages are automatically deleted upon being detected. You or your child will not come in contact with inappropriate content.
Additional ‘SAFE DIRECT MESSAGING’ options are ‘My friends are nice’ and ‘Do not scan’. The ‘My friends are nice’ choice will only scan incoming DMs from unknown users. The ‘Do not scan’ selection will not check messages for explicit content. Friend requests can be customized in the ‘WHO CAN ADD YOU AS A FRIEND’ area in the Privacy & Safety section of User Settings.
Server members are automatically allowed to message you. You can change your direct message preferences by switching the ‘Allow direct messages from server members’ off. Additionally, you can easily block users on Discord. A ‘Block’ option is available when you click on any username.
You can choose either for ‘Everyone’, ‘Friends of Friends’, or ‘Server Members’ to send you friend requests. The ‘Everyone’ option will let anyone add you. ‘Friends of Friends’ makes sure that only people with at least one friend in common can send you a friend request. The ‘Server Members’ feature will only let you receive requests from people in mutual servers.
Introducing Community Onboarding for a Seamless Welcome
Community Onboarding simplifies welcoming new members to your Discord server. This built-in feature guides newcomers through roles and channels, providing a consistent and user-friendly experience.
Setting Up Community Onboarding in Three Steps
- Select Default Channels for all to see upon joining.
- Create questions to help members choose additional channels and roles.
- Link answers to channels and roles.
Voice Messages for Personal Conversations
Voice Messages in DMs, GDMs, and servers with fewer than 200 members on mobile offer a personal way to communicate. Using Krisp noise cancellation, voice messages provide clear audio for easy listening.
How to Send Voice Messages on Discord
- Press and hold the microphone icon in a DM or GDM.
- Slide your finger upwards to the “lock” icon for hands-free recording.
- Tap the send button when done.
Enjoy the convenience of text chat and the personal touch of voice communication with Voice Messages on Discord. Available on mobile and playable on any platform.
A practical place to communicate
Discord is a reliable tech tool that lets you easily spend time with people when you cannot physically be in the same room together. Screen share is an interactive feature that lets you share your screen or see another display. Since Discord is an invite-only platform, you will not have any security issues. Additionally, plenty of moderation tools are available in the channels for added safety.
What’s new?
The Discord developers are constantly keeping the system up to date. The platform receives frequent software updates to continuously improve the UX.
