How to Use Discord Permission V2 With Sub-Permissions for Granular Control

Discord server owners often need to give certain members access to specific channels or actions without granting full administrative rights. The old permission system made this difficult by combining many settings into broad toggles. Permission V2 introduces sub-permissions that let you break down each main permission into finer-grained options. This article explains how to enable and use Permission V2 with sub-permissions to achieve precise control over server roles.

What Permission V2 and Sub-Permissions Do

Permission V2 is a redesigned permission system that Discord introduced to give server administrators more precise control over member actions. The main improvement is the addition of sub-permissions. Each major permission, such as “Send Messages” or “Manage Messages,” now contains multiple sub-options. For example, under “Send Messages,” you can separately allow or deny sending text messages, sending TTS messages, sending inline links, and uploading files. This eliminates the need for workarounds like creating multiple roles or using bots to restrict specific actions.

Before you can use sub-permissions, you must enable Permission V2 for your server. This setting is available only to server owners or members with the “Administrator” permission. Once enabled, all existing roles keep their current permissions, but you can now expand each permission to see its sub-options. The system works the same as before for channel-specific overrides, but with the added ability to toggle sub-permissions per channel.

Sub-permissions are especially useful for servers that need to restrict certain member groups from using specific message types or actions. For instance, you might allow new members to send only text messages without files or links. You can also prevent certain roles from using @everyone or @here mentions while still allowing them to post messages. This granularity helps maintain order without completely blocking a member’s ability to participate.

Steps to Enable Permission V2 and Configure Sub-Permissions

Follow these steps to turn on Permission V2 and start using sub-permissions for a role. You must have the “Administrator” permission or be the server owner.

Enable Permission V2 in Server Settings

1. Open Server Settings
   Click the server name near the top-left of your Discord window. In the dropdown menu, select Server Settings.
2. Navigate to Roles
   In the left sidebar, click Roles. You will see a list of all roles on your server.
3. Toggle Permission V2
   At the top of the Roles page, look for a toggle labeled Permission V2. Click the toggle to enable it. A confirmation pop-up may appear — click Enable to confirm.

Configure Sub-Permissions for a Role

1. Select a role
   In the Roles list, click the role you want to edit. The role’s permission page opens.
2. Expand a permission category
   Scroll to the Permissions section. You will see the main permission toggles (e.g., General, Text, Voice). Click the expand arrow (chevron) next to a category to see its sub-permissions.
3. Toggle individual sub-permissions
   Each sub-permission has its own checkbox. Check the green checkmark to allow, the red X to deny, or leave it gray for default (inherit from the @everyone role). For example, under the “Text” category, you can allow Send Messages but deny Send TTS Messages.
4. Save changes
   Click the Save Changes button at the bottom of the role page. The new sub-permissions apply immediately to all members with that role.

Set Sub-Permissions for a Specific Channel

1. Open channel settings
   Right-click the channel name in the channel list. Select Edit Channel from the menu.
2. Go to Permissions
   In the left sidebar, click Permissions. You will see a list of roles and members with overrides for this channel.
3. Add or edit a role override
   Click the + button next to a role to add an override, or click an existing role name to edit its override.
4. Configure sub-permissions for this channel
   Expand the permission categories and toggle the sub-permissions you want to allow or deny in this specific channel. For example, you can allow Send Messages but deny Attach Files in a #general channel while allowing both in a #media channel.
5. Save changes
   Click Save Changes to apply the override.

Common Mistakes and Limitations When Using Permission V2

Sub-permissions Do Not Appear After Enabling Permission V2

If you enabled Permission V2 but do not see sub-permission checkboxes, refresh the page by pressing F5 or closing and reopening Server Settings. If the issue persists, try logging out of Discord and logging back in. Permission V2 rolls out gradually, so some servers may not have it available immediately. Check the Discord status page or wait a few hours.

Overriding Sub-Permissions on a Channel Causes Conflicting Permissions

When you set a sub-permission to Allow in a channel override but the role’s global setting is Deny, the Deny takes precedence. This is because Discord applies the most restrictive permission. To make a channel override work, set the role’s global sub-permission to Neutral (gray) or Allow, then use the override to Deny for that channel. Always check the permission hierarchy: Deny > Allow > Neutral.

Permission V2 Does Not Affect Existing Bot Permissions

Bots use their own permission system based on OAuth2 scopes and bot token permissions. Permission V2 sub-permissions do not change what a bot can do. If a bot needs to read messages in a channel, you must still grant the bot the “Read Message History” permission through the bot’s role or channel override. Sub-permissions only affect human members.

Permission V2 Main Permissions vs Sub-Permissions Examples

Main Permission	Sub-Permissions Available	Use Case Example
Send Messages	Send Messages, Send TTS Messages, Send Inline Links, Attach Files	Allow new members to send text but block file uploads and links
Manage Messages	Delete Messages, Edit Messages, Pin Messages	Let moderators delete and pin messages but not edit other members’ messages
Mention @everyone, @here, and All Roles	Mention @everyone, Mention @here, Mention All Roles	Allow a role to mention @here but not @everyone
Voice: Speak	Speak, Use Voice Activity, Use Push to Talk	Force members to use push-to-talk while still allowing them to speak

After enabling Permission V2 and configuring sub-permissions, you can now control exactly what each role can do in every channel. Start by editing your most important roles and setting sub-permissions for the actions that cause the most issues, such as file uploads or mentions. For advanced control, combine sub-permissions with channel-specific overrides to create a permission system tailored to your server’s needs. Remember that Deny always overrides Allow, so set global permissions to Neutral and use overrides for exceptions.