Discord has become one of the most popular communication platforms, with over 150 million active monthly users. Servers on Discord allow users to create categorized text and voice channels for focused discussions.
As a server owner or admin, you may need to delete or remove text channels to keep your server organized. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to delete public and private text channels on Discord using both desktop and mobile apps.
Table of Contents
Deleting Public Text Channels
To delete a public text channel that is visible to all members:
- On desktop, right-click the text channel name in the left sidebar and select “Delete Channel”
- On mobile, tap the channel name, then tap the three-dot menu icon and select “Delete Channel”
- Confirm that you want to delete the channel
Deleting a public channel removes it for all members of the server.
Deleting Private Text Channels
Private text channels allow server admins to restrict access to certain members. To delete a private channel:
On Desktop
- Right-click the private text channel and select “Edit Channel”
- Go to the “Permissions” tab
- Remove permission to view the channel from all roles/members
- Click “Save Changes”
- Then right-click the channel name again and select “Delete Channel”
On Mobile
- Tap the private text channel name
- Tap the three-dot menu icon
- Select “Edit Channel”
- Tap “Permissions”
- Remove permission to view the channel from all roles/members
- Tap “Save Changes”
- Tap the three-dot menu again and select “Delete Channel”
Things to Note
- You must have the “Manage Channels” permission to edit and delete channels
- Removing view access from all members makes the channel private before deletion
- Text and attachments within deleted channels cannot be recovered
Removing Members from Private Text Channels
Rather than deleting an entire private channel, server admins can selectively remove members.
On Desktop
- Right-click the private text channel and choose “Edit Channel”
- Go to the “Permissions” tab
- Locate the member you want to remove
- Uncheck the box next to “View Channel” and “Send Messages” for that member
- Click “Save Changes”
On Mobile
- Tap the private text channel
- Tap the three-dot menu icon
- Choose “Edit Channel”
- Go to the “Permissions” section
- Locate the member you want to remove
- Tap to uncheck “View Channel” and “Send Messages” permissions
- Tap “Save Changes”
The member will no longer be able to view or send messages in that private channel.
Tips for Managing Private Text Channels
Here are some tips for effectively managing private text channels:
- Inform members when they have been removed from private channels
- Create separate private channels for specific teams or topics
- Periodically review private channel member lists
- Designate channel moderators to monitor content
- Set clear rules for private channel conduct
- Delete unused private channels to reduce clutter
Careful management of private text channels allows focused discussions while building an inclusive community. Follow these best practices for deleting and removing private text channels on your Discord server.
