How to Join a Discord Server: With and Without an Invite Link

Nia
By Nia
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Jan 16, 2025
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Learn how to join a Discord server with or without an invite link. Simple steps to connect, explore communities, and level up your experience.

Discord servers are at the heart of every community on the platform, serving as structured spaces for people to connect, communicate, and collaborate. Joining a Discord server is usually quick and straightforward if you have an invite link. However, there are cases where you may want to find or join a server without one. This article will walk you through the different ways to join a Discord server with or without an invite link, and highlight important considerations to keep in mind

Join a Server With a Direct Invite Link

click-direct-the-link-to-join-a-discord-server

The easiest way to jump into a server is through a direct invite link that someone shares with you. Click the Join button, and you’ll be taken straight to the server’s page where you can become a member. This works the same way on both desktop and mobile. Just tap the link, and Discord will handle the rest.

Depending on the way the link is set up, it will automatically expire after reaching a time limit and number of uses. So, be sure to join promptly as soon as you receive it.

Join a Server With The Server's Link

Steps to join discorrd server on desktop

If you just received a server's link instead of the direct click link, such as https://discord.gg/playswap , this means you’ll need to copy and paste it into Discord. Here’s how: 

  1. Open Discord and log into your account. Check out our guide on creating a Discord account if you don’t have one. 

  2. On the left sidebar, click the plus icon named Add the server.

  3. Select Join a Server at the bottom of the menu

  4. Enter the link into the text box, then choose Join Server.

Now you become a part of this community. You can chat, voice, engage with others on the same server.

Also read: How To Connect And Use Discord Voice Chat On PS5

Join a Server Without an Invite Link

 

Not having an invite link doesn’t mean you’re out of options. Depending on your goal, here are two ways you can still access Discord servers.

Join a Specific Server Manually

If you want to join a specific server but don’t have a clickable invite, there’s a manual way to try by entering its invite URL directly, in case you can guess it. 

  1. Click on the plus icon labeled Add a Server.

  2. Select Join a Server.

  3. Type the URL following the syntax https://discord.gg/servername.  For example, you want to join PlaySwap’s server, then type https://discord.gg/PlaySwap

  4. Hit Join Server and accept the invite

This only works for public servers with custom invite URLs. If the link doesn’t exist or is private, Discord will show an error.

Explore Server on Discovery Tab

Select the Compass icon named “Discovery”

If you’re looking to discover new servers based on your interests, use Discord’s built-in Explore Public Servers feature. To access Server Discover:

  1. Look for the compass icon on the left sidebar.

    Select the Compass icon named “Discovery”

  2. Click it to open the server explorer.

    Browsing the categories

  3. Browse by categories like Gaming, Education, Music, etc.

  4. When you find a server that interests you, click Join.

Hit Join when you're ready

Keep in mind that only servers that choose to be publicly listed will show up here. Private or unlisted servers won’t appear.

FAQ

Q: Is there a fee to join the server?

Joining a Discord server is free. If someone asks for payment, it might be a scam. However, some servers are only open to supporters on platforms like Patreon or YouTube.

Q: How many servers can I join?

Free users can join up to 100 servers. With Discord Nitro, the limit increases to 200 servers. If your Nitro subscription ends, you’ll stay in all your existing servers, but you won’t be able to join any new ones until you're under the 100-server limit again, meaning you'll have to leave servers that are no longer useful.

Q: If I am only given an ID, how do I join a server?

You can’t. You’ll need a valid invite link to join.

Q: Is it possible to join private servers without an invite?

No. Private servers require a valid invite link. They won’t appear in public search or the Explore section.

Q: Can you view Discord Server without joining

You’re not allowed to view the server's content unless you join it and become an official member. Even with a valid invite link, you can only see the server name, icon, and description before joining.

Conclusion

Whether you have a direct invite link or need to explore public servers manually, joining a Discord server is a simple process once you know where to look. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can quickly become part of the communities that match your interests. Just remember to stay cautious of suspicious links and always respect each server’s rules and culture. 

Discord Nitro and Server Boosting are great options if you want to enhance your overal experience on the platform. PlaySwap offers both services at the cheapest price with full buyer protection, instant delivery and 24/7 live support, so you can upgrade with total peace of mind.

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