Should They Play?The parents' guide to apps and games

Should I let my child use Discord?

18+

No

Not for under-18s. Strangers can talk to children in group chats, parents can't stop it, and New Jersey is suing Discord over child safety.

Discord is built around group chats (servers) where children talk by text and voice with people they don't know. Its teen settings help: messages from strangers go to a separate inbox and teens can't change that. But nothing lets a parent stop strangers talking to their child in servers, and Discord's own parent tools only show activity. New Jersey's Attorney General is suing Discord, saying it misled parents about its safety features while children were exposed to predators. That case is still open. Discord is adding age checks, but they keep teens out of adult spaces rather than limiting who can talk to them. If your teenager already uses it, the steps below reduce the risks.

Discord fails 3 of our 7 safety checks. See how we decided, and the official age ratings

Last checked . Discord is made by Discord Inc. and runs on iPhone & iPad, Android, Windows, Mac, Web, PlayStation, Xbox.

What is Discord?

Discord is a chat app, popular with gamers, where people talk by text, voice and video in group spaces called servers. Anyone can create a server, and many are public, with thousands of strangers. Discord says users must be at least 13.

Our advice by age

Under 13
NoDiscord's own minimum age is 13. Younger children often join by giving a false date of birth.
13 to 17
NoTeen settings filter messages from strangers, but strangers can still talk to them in servers and voice chats. If your teenager already uses Discord, set up every step below.

What to watch out for

  • Contact from strangersRisk is high by default, high with controls on

    Public servers can have thousands of members, and anyone in them can talk to your child by text or voice. Teen settings filter private messages from strangers, but parents can't stop contact in servers. New Jersey says predators have used Discord to reach children.

  • Harmful contentRisk is high by default, medium with controls on

    Servers can share violent or sexual content. Discord blurs sensitive images and keeps teens out of age-restricted servers, but posts aren't checked before children see them.

  • Moving to private chatsRisk is high by default, medium with controls on

    Strangers met in game servers often try to move a child into private messages or another app. Discord shows warnings for friend requests from people they may not know.

  • SpendingRisk is low by default, low with controls on

    Discord sells a subscription (Nitro) and profile decorations. Purchase approval on your child's phone stops surprise bills.

What's good about it

  • Easy way to talk to real-life friends while gaming
  • Teens can't turn off the stranger message filter or unblur sensitive images
  • Teens are kept out of age-restricted servers

If your child already uses it

If your child already uses Discord, these steps make it much safer. Takes about ten minutes. Do it with your child so they know what's switched on and why.

  1. Use your child's real date of birth

    Teen settings depend on it. A false birthday removes them.

  2. Link your account with Family Centre

    Install Discord yourself and link to your child's account in Family Centre. You'll see who they add and message, and which servers they join, but not what they say.

  3. Stick to small servers with real-life friends

    Agree they'll only join servers run by people they know, and leave public servers with strangers.

  4. Talk about moving chats

    Agree they'll tell you if anyone they met online asks them to talk privately, on another app, or for photos.

  5. Turn on purchase approval

    Use Ask to Buy on Apple or purchase approval on Google Play, and don't save payment details on a shared computer.

Recent news

  1. Discord delays global rollout of age verification after backlashTechCrunch

    Discord pushed age checks back to late 2026 everywhere except where the law requires them, including the UK.

  2. Discord voluntarily pushes mandatory age verification despite recent data breachElectronic Frontier Foundation

    A privacy group warns about face scans and ID uploads after Discord's age-check provider was hacked in 2025.

  3. Discord to roll out age verification next month for full access to its platformTechCrunch

    Teens get filtered messages from strangers and blurred sensitive content, and are kept out of age-restricted servers.

Common questions

What age is Discord suitable for?

We don't recommend it for under-18s. Discord's own minimum age is 13, and the App Store rates it 12+, but strangers can talk to children in servers, parents can't stop it, and New Jersey is suing Discord over child safety.

Is Discord safe for a 12-year-old?

No. Discord requires users to be at least 13, and children who join with a false date of birth lose the teen protections.

Can strangers message my child on Discord?

Private messages from people your teen may not know go to a separate inbox. But in servers, anyone can talk to them by text or voice, and parents can't turn that off.

What is Discord Family Centre?

It lets parents see who their teen adds and messages, and which servers they join, but not the messages themselves. It can't block anyone or change settings.

All my child's friends use it. What should I do?

That's hard when friends use it to chat while gaming. We'd still say no, but explain why rather than just saying it: talk about strangers in servers and people who try to move chats somewhere private. If your teenager already uses Discord, link Family Centre and agree they'll stick to small servers with real-life friends.

What would change your verdict?

A way for parents to stop strangers talking to their child, or strict age checks that keep teens in spaces with people their own age, plus New Jersey's case ending well.