How to make and assign roles in Discord

Roles help you to manage your server and delegate tasks. Here we explain step by step how to make and assign roles in Discord.

What are Discord roles?

Discord has been so much more than an online service for gamers for quite a while now. Thanks to its numerous customisation options, the platform has achieved popularity beyond the gaming community and is now used by companies, brands and media professionals alike.

The server makes it easy to communicate with your target audience and offers many options that a lot of Discord alternatives simply don’t.

If you’ve already set up a Discord server that your community uses, it’s a good idea to distribute the responsibility across several shoulders and assign personal roles to your Discord users.

These roles primarily define what permissions individual users have. This not only creates a hierarchy within your community, but also increases security and improves interaction. You can define which participants are allowed to see certain content, create Discord bots and hand over some of the responsibility for the server to trusted members. This allows you to create a functional, multi-layered and respectful environment for all your members. We’ll explain how to make and assign Discord roles step by step below.

What are the different roles?

A special feature of Discord is its customisability. This also applies to roles. You decide which roles you want on your server and what permissions each role has. You can name the roles according to your needs, allowing you to establish a structure that is best suited to your server. It’s also possible for one member to have several roles.

How to make roles in Discord step by step

Before you can assign personal roles to Discord members, you have to create and define the roles first. To do this, follow the steps below:

  1. Log in to Discord with your account. If you haven’t signed up to Discord yet, you can find out how to do so in our Digital Guide.
  2. Now select the server that you want to make the Discord roles for.
  3. Now click on the server name to open the server menu.
  4. Access the server settings.
  5. On the left-hand side, you’ll find the Roles tab. Select this tab.
  6. You can now search for roles or make a new role. If you are making changes to a new server, you’ll initially only find a role called @everyone. This defines permissions for all members, meaning there is no hierarchy or subdivision. Now, click on the plus sign at the top to open a drop-down menu.
  7. At this point, you need to give your new role a name. Technically, you can name it whatever you want. However, it’s best to choose names that your community understands as this increases acceptance.
  8. You also have the option of assigning colours to roles. This can provide a better overview. Members or roles with certain authorisations can be immediately identified by the assigned colours.
  9. Finally, assign different permissions to the newly created role. If the corresponding role should receive a specific authorisation, move the slider to the right. This will turn the background green. If the role shouldn’t receive the authorisation, leave the slider on the left with a grey background. It’s best to plan which rights you want to grant and deny in advance. This way, you retain control over your server, but also are able to give responsibility to others.
  10. When you are finished with your settings, save the role. If you would like to make further roles for Discord, repeat the steps above.

How to assign roles in Discord

You now have defined roles and can assign them to individual users. To do this, simply follow these steps:

  1. Access the server settings.
  2. Click on Members.
  3. Now select the member that you would like to assign a role to.
  4. You will find a plus sign under the member’s name. Click on it to open a drop-down menu.
  5. All available roles will be displayed, and you can select the desired role by simply clicking on it.

How to automatically assign roles with a bot

Although the method described above is very practical, it has to be carried out manually. This is sometimes time-consuming, especially with large communities. At the same time, it’s important for new members to receive roles and permissions from the start so that they feel at home. But it’s also important to make sure they don’t receive administrative rights.

Another option you have is to assign Discord roles automatically. This is done with a Discord bot. A popular option is the Dyno Bot. To use this bot, follow the steps below:

  1. First go to the official Dyno Bot website.
  2. Here you can choose whether you want to add the bot to the server (Add To Server) or log in with Discord (Join us on Discord). Choose one of the options and then upload the bot to your server.
  3. A new menu will open where you can define the bot’s authorisations. Make your selection and click Authorize.
  4. The roles are assigned via the dashboard on the website. Select the Modules tab and enable Autoroles using the slider.
  5. Click on Autoroles in the menu and then on Settings.
  6. You can now select which role the bot should assign to new members. To do this, click on the relevant role and then on Add. From now on, when someone joins your server, they will automatically receive a role. You can change these roles manually if necessary.

Which roles make sense?

As already mentioned, you can make and name the roles on your server whatever you’d like. There are a few roles that are popular on Discord and that you can use as a guide (at least in the beginning). These include:

Server owner

The person who created and manages the server should have all permissions. They are able to make settings, delete members and assign roles, among other things. The owner is at the top of the hierarchy.

Administrator

An administrator supports the owner when it comes to management and is also given extensive rights that affect the server, the members and all settings. This role should only be given to one person or a small set of people who are in close contact with the owner and can be trusted. For smaller communities, this role is often not necessary.

Moderator

The moderator also has a supporting role and primarily monitors member behaviour. They can provide consequences for members who violate the rules of conduct or settle disputes between members. To carry this out, this role is given permissions to regulate member interaction (e.g., removing members, muting, etc.). Moderators cannot, however, change server settings or distribute roles, which makes this role below that of an administrator.

Regular member

Regular members have no administrative rights and are not allowed to create or change any settings. They can usually read and write in all open channels and have access to most or all general content. They can also use features like Discord music bots.

Guests

Guests receive limited permissions and often only have access to certain content. Depending on the server and settings, they can read along in channels but aren’t allowed to write anything.

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