How to Set Discord Server Default Notification Settings for New Members

When you create or manage a Discord server, every new member who joins starts with your server’s default notification settings. If those settings are set to “All Messages,” new members will be pinged for every message in every channel they can see. This can overwhelm them and lead to them muting the server or leaving. The default notification setting controls what level of alerts new members receive until they change it individually.

The problem is that many server owners leave the default at “All Messages” because they do not know where to change it. This causes new members to immediately feel bombarded with notifications from large or active communities. The fix is a single toggle in your Server Settings that sets the default to “Only @mentions” or “Nothing.”

This article explains exactly how to change the default notification setting for your Discord server, what each option does, and what to avoid so your new members have a smooth first experience.

What the Default Notification Setting Does in Discord

The default notification setting is a server-wide preference that applies only to members who have never manually changed their notification settings for your server. When a person joins your server, Discord checks their personal notification preference. If it is set to “Inherit from server,” the server’s default is used. If they have chosen a custom setting, that custom setting overrides the server default.

There are three options for the server default:

• All Messages — New members receive a notification for every message posted in any channel they have read access to. This is the most intrusive option and is rarely appropriate for servers with more than a few members.
• Only @mentions — New members only get notified when someone directly mentions their username, uses a role that includes them, or uses @everyone or @here. This is the standard choice for most communities.
• Nothing — New members receive no push notifications from the server at all. They will only see unread message indicators in the channel list. This option is useful for announcement-only servers or very large communities where notifications are unwanted.

The default is set to “All Messages” when a new server is created. Changing it to “Only @mentions” is one of the first steps any server admin should take after setting up channels and roles.

Steps to Change Default Notification Settings for New Members

You must have the Manage Server permission to change this setting. This permission is granted to server owners and members with the Administrator permission by default. Follow these steps exactly.

1. Open your server’s Server Settings
   Click the server name at the top left of the channel list. From the dropdown menu, select Server Settings. This opens a new page with categories on the left side.
2. Go to the Overview tab
   In the left sidebar, click Overview. This is the first item under the Server Settings heading. The Overview page shows the server name, server icon, and several other options.
3. Locate the Default Notification Settings dropdown
   Scroll down the Overview page until you see the section labeled Default Notification Settings. It is a single dropdown menu with the current setting displayed. The default is “All Messages” if you have never changed it.
4. Select your preferred option
   Click the dropdown and choose either Only @mentions or Nothing. For most servers, “Only @mentions” is the best balance between keeping members informed and not overwhelming them.
5. Save the change automatically
   Discord saves the selection immediately after you pick it. There is no separate Save button. You can close Server Settings once the dropdown shows your new choice.

After changing this setting, any new member who joins the server will inherit the new default. Existing members are not affected unless they have never changed their personal notification settings and had been using the previous default. In that case, their setting updates to the new default as well.

Common Mistakes and Limitations to Avoid

Changing the default notification setting is straightforward, but several misunderstandings can lead to unwanted results.

“I changed the default but existing members still get all messages”

This happens because existing members who have manually set their own notification preference keep that override. The server default only applies to members who have never touched their notification settings. To check if a member is using the server default, go to their profile in the member list, right-click their name, select Notification Overrides, and see if it says “Inherit from server.” If it shows a specific setting, that member has overridden the default manually.

“I set it to Nothing but new members still get pinged by @everyone”

The “Nothing” option suppresses push notifications but does not prevent the @everyone or @here mention from appearing in the channel. The member will see the message highlighted in the channel list but will not receive a phone buzz or desktop toast. This is by design. If you want to block @everyone entirely, you must disable that permission for the @everyone role in Server Settings > Roles > @everyone > Permissions.

“I want different defaults for different channels”

The default notification setting is server-wide. You cannot set per-channel defaults. However, you can create per-channel notification overrides for individual members or roles. Go to the channel, click the gear icon next to the channel name, select Permissions, and add a role or member. Then set the Read Messages permission to control visibility. Notification overrides are managed per user in their own client settings, not in the server.

Default Notification Settings: All Messages vs Only @mentions vs Nothing

Item	All Messages	Only @mentions	Nothing
New member receives push notification for every message	Yes	No (only for @mentions)	No
New member sees unread indicator in channel list	Yes	Yes	Yes
New member can be reached with @username or @role	Yes	Yes	Yes (but no push notification)
Recommended for servers with more than 50 members	No	Yes	Only for announcement servers
Overrides personal settings for new members	Only if personal setting is “Inherit from server”	Only if personal setting is “Inherit from server”	Only if personal setting is “Inherit from server”

Changing the default notification setting for your Discord server is a quick action that significantly improves the first impression for new members. Set it to “Only @mentions” to reduce noise while keeping your community reachable. After changing the default, consider adding a welcome channel with a pinned message that explains how members can customize their own notification settings. This gives new members full control over their experience from the moment they join.