Discord: How to Join Voice Chats, Video Calls, and Community Servers

Discord is a free communication app that combines voice calls, video chats, and text messaging in one place. It started as a tool for gamers to talk while playing together. But it has grown into a general-purpose platform for communities of all kinds — from hobby groups and book clubs to family servers and business teams.

The core idea behind Discord is "servers" — think of them as virtual gathering places. A server can have multiple rooms, called channels. Some channels are for text messages. Others are voice channels where you can speak and hear others in real time, like a group phone call that you can drop in and out of. There are also video channels for face-to-face conversations.

Servers can be private (only people you invite can join) or public (anyone can join using a link). Many communities create public servers around shared interests — knitting, gardening, specific TV shows, local neighborhoods, and thousands of other topics.

Discord is free and works on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, and in a web browser at discord.com. The app on your phone or computer generally works better than the browser version, but both are functional.

Setting up Discord takes about five minutes. You create a username and password, and the app guides you through finding servers or creating your own. You do not need to use your real name — usernames on Discord can be anything you choose.

Voice channels are especially popular for ongoing group connections. If you want to set up a private server for your family — where anyone can hop into a voice channel and talk — Discord makes this easy and completely free.