If you spend a lot of time on Discord, knowing how to change your status can be helpful for your interactions on the app. This will allow you to let others know if you are at your desk and available to chat, play, or if you are out at the moment. There are a few other options, such as viewing the game you’re currently playing. This tutorial walks you through the steps needed to change your Discord status and discusses all the possibilities.
How to Change Dispute Status on PC
To change your Discord status on your PC, you need to log into your account on the web or the Discord desktop client for Windows/Mac. Continue by following these steps.
- Click your profile picture in the lower left corner of the screen in Discord.

- By default, it will appear as “Connected”. If you want to change that, hover over it, and a list of alternative options will appear.

- There are three additional options to choose from: ‘Idle’, ‘No Disturbing Point’, and ‘Invisible’. Click either to change the status.
What do status options mean?
unemployed – If you switch to this state, others will know that you are away and unavailable to interact with them.
do not disturb This status informs people that you are currently focused on something else and don’t want to be bothered. Selecting this option also automatically mutes notifications.
invisible – If you don’t want others to know that you are online, you can switch to this status option. You will still have full access to all Discord features.
How to set custom dispute status on PC
If these preset options are not enough for you, know that you can also set a custom state by following the instructions below.
- Click on your profile picture as shown above.
- Tap the “Set Custom Status” option below your current status.

- A popup will appear. Type your custom message in the “What’s Cooking” field. You can use text as well as emojis.

- You will need to decide how long you want to keep this custom state and whether you also want to appear online/idle/DND or invisible. You will get a specific icon below your status and above your profile picture based on this selection.

- If you want to get rid of your custom status, click on your profile picture again and press the “X” button next to the “Edit custom status” option.

How to change dispute status on mobile
If you prefer to use Discord on your mobile phone, follow these steps to change your status on your Android or iOS phone.
- Click on your profile picture in the lower right corner.

- Click on the “Set Status” option at the top.

- Select from the featured options.

How to set custom dispute status on mobile
- Follow the first two steps described above.
- Select Set Custom Status at the bottom.

- Enter your status and select the time you wish to clear (if any).

- Unlike on a PC, you won’t be able to add a second status indicator like “DND” or “Idle”.
- To remove the custom status, click on your profile picture again and select “Set Status”.
- Tap the “X” next to your custom status at the bottom.

How to Create a Custom Play Case on Discord
Once you start playing, Discord will automatically display this information as a separate state from your normal state. You will notice this if you click on your profile picture again.
You should see a “Playing Game” status with the name of the game you’re playing and the length of time you’ve been playing it.

You can also set a custom playback state on your PC (but not on mobile) to let others know what’s going on with you while you’re playing. Follow these steps:
- Click the gear wheel icon in the lower left corner of Discord.

- Scroll to the Activity Settings section of the menu on the left and select Recorded Games.
- If you’ve already started playing a game, you should be able to see it listed here at the top of the screen.

- To set a custom game state, you need to click on the “Add” option under the registered games.
- Click on the Select field and choose between the tabs and apps you have open on your computer. If your browser is open, for example, you can select “Chrome”.

- Click the “Add Game” button below it.

- Your status should now be visible at the top.

- Hit “Google Chrome” and start typing something to customize it.

- Your Game Status won’t show exactly what game you’re playing, but it will tell others what you want them to know while also telling them that you’re currently playing a game.

HOW TO CONTROL THE PRIVACY OF YOUR GAME STATE
If you don’t want to share your activity status with others, you can control the privacy of your gaming sessions.
- Click the gear wheel icon at the bottom left of Discord.
- Scroll to the Activity Settings section on the left panel and select Activity Privacy.

- Turn off the “Show current activity as a status message” option so that no one knows you’ve started playing unless you tell them. At the same time, you can turn off the “Share your activity status by default when joining large servers” option.
- Alternatively, you can delete your custom game states by going back to “Recorded Games” and clicking the “X” button that appears when you hover over a particular custom game state.

Frequently Asked Questions
Can you change your status only for specific people?
Unfortunately, you can’t do that on Discord. If you change your status to “DND” or “Idle”, everyone who looks at your Discord profile will see it. You can’t set a specific state for specific servers or channels either. Discord lacks privacy settings like these; However, the service may add these options in the future.
Can Discord change status automatically?
If your status is set to Online, you go out for a while, and leave the app unattended and running on your PC or mobile, Discord will change your status to Idle. Once you decide to end your Discord session, the app will automatically show you as offline (gray icon).
Can you distinguish between a legitimately “unconnected” person and an “invisible” person?
it’s not possible. Discord doesn’t offer a Read Receipt option like Facebook or WhatsApp, so even if you send a message to someone whose status is grayed out, you won’t be able to tell if they’re hiding or offline. Even if Discord reads the receipts, they may choose to intentionally ignore your message if it is “invisible”. You will just have to wait until they decide on their own to reply to you or see your messages.
Image credit: Onur Binay via Unsplash All screenshots by Alexandra Arici
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