As a subset of Discord's Friends List, you can call and start group messages completely sans-server. Never got the hang of joining a server, handing out invites, and joining voice channels? Group calls are here to save the day! We'll break it down step-by-step here:
1. Add Friends, Mix Thoroughly
All of group calling and group chats beginnings rest in your friends list. You'll need to add your friends to your friends list first. Once you've got that part covered, open your friends list, and check out the new group DM button:
Clicking the button will bring up a window of everyone on your friends list that you can add to your newly-created group DM. You can scroll through the list to find your favorite buddies, or search their name in the search box.
Keep in mind, group DMs have a limit of 10 users. If you want to party with all of your numerous friends more than 10, just make a server!
Pro Tip: You can also open up a DM with a friend, then click the "Add Friends to DM" button. This'll keep your old DM intact, but also start a new group DM with you, your previously mentioned friend, and anyone else you want to bring in.
That's all it takes! Now that you've got your friends all where you want them, we can dig in a bit and check out some more features group DMs have to offer.
2. Ch-ch-ch-check It Out:
Many of the features you know and love in server text channels apply to group DM chats as well. You'll be able to chat with your friends without worrying about roles or managing invites, just add your friends and rock. There are a couple of neat tips and tricks to put your group DM into MAXIMUM EFFORT OVERDRIVE, so we'll start with the menu bar:
Modern-day Discord hieroglyphics
A. Call button:
Clicking this icon will go ahead and initiate a call between you and all other members of the group DM. Anyone in the group can initiate a call at any moment, and you can join a pre-existing call by pressing this button as well.
When you're in a call, you'll see avatars pop up for anyone who's joining, starting a call will summon all other members in the group chat, though they'll have to click "Join Call" to participate:
We'll get more into the group call function in a bit.
B. Mute Notifications:
Clicking this icon will mute notifications for the group DM specifically. While Group DMs (like normal DMs) do usually give desktop notifications, muting the DM will prevent that, and you'll have to check up on any updates yourself. Good for especially chatty and multiple-time zone chats, or if you need to buckle down and focus on something else.
Pro Tip: You can also mute the incoming / outgoing call sounds in your User Settings > Notifications tab.
C. Pin Messages:
As with normal pinned messages on servers, you can use the pin feature by right-clicking on the message you want to pin, or selecting the "pin" option by clicking the three dots at the far right of the chat window.
Pinned messages will show when you click the icon and view the window. You can un-pin them, or jump directly to where they were in chat by clicking the "jump" icon, and show them to your friends. Highly recommended.
D. Member List:
All this icon does is show/hide the user list of who's in the DM. Hide to maximize chat space, show to remembers who's here and view profiles / DM members in the group chat.
E. Add Users:
If you want to add users to the current group DM you're in, you can use this button. You'll see the same "Select Friends" prompt as when you create a group DM as well. Anyone currently in the DM can add users up to the cap.
Finally, you have the recent mentions and support articles icons. Those aren't specific to DMs, but they're helpful all the same.
3. Not-so-Odds and Ends of Group DMS
Oh, but the party's just getting started! In addition to the action icons in the top menu, there are a few more important attributes to DMs in general.
F. Kicking DM members:
While anyone can add users to a group DM, only the starter of the DM can remove members. If you're the original trailblazer, you'll see the remove from group option by right-clicking that user's name:
G. Customizing the DM:
Right-clicking the DM title in your DM list will give you the option to change or remove the DM icon.
Additionally, you can rename the group DM by clicking the DM title at the top of the client window.
Similar to normal server text channels, you can copy + paste text using the right-click menu, peep a user's profile, mention, mute, add a note, or adjust their volume by right-click their user avatar. Loads of fun.
4. The Good Stuff: Group Calls (And Private Calls Too!)
Yes, yes, I know why you're all here. Since Group and Private Calls (1:1 calls, direct calls, whatever you'd like to call them) function a little differently, we'll break them into two separate sections.
H. Group Calls:
As mentioned previously, getting a group call going is pretty simple. Open the desired group DM (or follow previous steps) and click the call icon to call everyone in the group.
Once your buddies join the call, you'll see their avatars stop flashing and start lighting up with a green circle, indicating voice activity. You'll also see a handy-dandy mute or deafen icon pop up if anyone decides to Discord-mute (or deafen) themselves as well.
Additionally, calls can be joined / left at any time. As long as there's one person left in a call, anyone else in the group can join back in!
Pro Tip: Sure, there's a big red button labeled "leave call", but if you wanna see the fruits of our hard-earned labor, click the same call button in the top menu bar. Check out that super-slick animation that switches shapes!
Amidst all of the chaos of a group call, you can still type and send emojis in the group chat!
But who's the real nerd here?
I. Private Calls:
Oh, but you don't need to have a group DM to call your friends! That same call button we looked at in the group DM screen? You can also find it in an individual DM as well.
This'll start a private call between just the two of you. Mano e mano. This town's not big enough for the two of us, and there's only one way out. To di- err.. Just click the hang up button.
Alternatively, if you don't have a DM open (or don't want one) with someone you want to call, you can find a call button by hovering over that user's name in your user list:
And that wraps up group DMs, calls, and everything associated. While we went over the basic ways to maneuver your way through group calls, the list of steps here isn't all-inclusive. We've included a lot of the same steps in various right-click menus, so you can find whichever way works best for you in any combination of steps!