Checking Permissions
First, you have to double-check that you have the permissions needed to add a bot. Not everyone can add a bot to a Discord server! Only people who have Administrative or “Manage Server” permissions on the server can invite a bot. If you don’t have either of these roles, you won’t be able to add bots. If you created the server, you should be the administrator by default. If you’ve just created a new server, you won’t see any roles assigned to anyone, including yourself. In the case of a brand new server, the creator should still be the administrator and be able to add bots. I tried this myself by creating a new server and had no issues. To double-check that you have these roles, open your Discord client. On the left, click on the server you want to add a bot to. To the right of the server list, click on the server’s name at the top, then click “Server Settings.” If you can’t see the “Server Settings” option, there’s a very good chance that you don’t have the permissions needed to add a bot. You should message someone who is in a higher administrative role than you to add the bot instead. If you can see “Server Settings,” click on it, then click on “Roles.” Check the roles which you’ve been assigned for their permissions; if you see that you’ve been granted “Administrative” or “Manage Server” permissions, you’re good to go!
Adding a Discord Bot
If you already know what bot you want to add, you can now visit the bot’s site and add them. If you know you want to add a bot but are unsure what kind you want, there are means of searching for relevant bots to add to your server. You can even start with one of these bots to get an idea of what to add. Top.gg is a great site to do just that. If you know what bot you want to get, type in its name and click the search button. If you’d prefer to search bots by function instead of name, click the “Explore” link at the top to see all of the different categories you can choose from. Once you’ve found the perfect bot for your server, click on its name to go to its bot page, then click on the “Invite” button. You’ll be taken to a page to set up the bot’s permissions, where you can select the server you’d like to invite the bot to. You’ll only see servers you have permission to invite bots to, so don’t worry about that. Select the server you’d like to invite the bot to. If you’re not already logged in to Discord, you’ll be asked to log in now. Double-check the permissions to ensure it’s not doing anything sneaky, then click “Authorize.” The bot should now appear in your server, ready to go!
Managing a Discord Bot
Discord bots can add a lot of functionality to a server, whether it’s administrative or for fun. Now you know what permissions you need to add a bot, how to look for them, and how to get it onto your server. The next step is managing the bot(s) you just added. First, let’s start with customizing the bot of your choice. Every bot has its own dashboard, which will include things like assigning tasks and lists of commands you can use. Select the bot from your list of Discord users/members. You’ll see a link that leads to the bot’s dashboard. Every bot’s settings will be different. If you ever need help, click the Support link in the bot’s user profile. This usually takes you to a Discord server or the bot’s developer website. Another way to customize bots is to change the nickname of the bot, adjust the bot’s role color, and change any permissions. Select your server name at the top of the screen and choose “Server Settings.” Select “Roles” and click the Edit button beside your bot name. From here, you can change the name of the bot, add a role color, and add a profile image. Select the “Permissions” section to adjust any permissions. Remember that removing permissions can affect the functionality of the bot.
Removing a Discord Bot
It’s easy enough to add bots to your Discord server, but what happens if you no longer want them? As long as you’re the administrator or have a higher role than the bot, you can kick bots out of your server just like you would any other user. Open your Discord server and right-click the bot’s name. This can be in the list of users or in the conversation section. Select “Kick bot’s name.”
1. Can other users add/remove bots?
This depends on their user role. If they’re administrators or have the Manage Server permission, they’ll be able to add/remove bots. You can revoke the Manage Server permission within “Server Settings -> Roles.” Choose the user’s name or use “@everyone” to ensure only you have permission to manage bots.
2. How many bots can I add?
Add as many Discord bots as you want. However, limit your server to just the bots that are most useful or entertaining to your community. Of course, you’re always free to try out new bots and remove they ones you don’t like.
3. Are Discord bots safe?
In general, yes. However, research bots before you add them, especially if they don’t have many users or votes yet. You should also avoid any bots that are linked to suspicious emails or suspicious sites. Sadly, Discord and Slack both have been the targets of malware, so use caution when adding bots or joining servers. Image credit: Alexander Shatov via Unsplash
