How to Configure Discord Use Soundboard Permission per User

Discord Soundboard lets users play short audio clips in voice channels. By default, server members with the Use Soundboard permission can play sounds. Server administrators often need to restrict this feature to specific users only. This article explains how to configure the Use Soundboard permission for individual users using Discord’s role hierarchy and custom role assignment.

How Discord Soundboard Permissions Work

Discord permissions follow a hierarchy. The @everyone role is the base role for all server members. Any permission set on @everyone applies to everyone unless a higher role overrides it. The Use Soundboard permission is a voice channel permission. You can set it at the server level or per channel. When you set Use Soundboard to OFF for @everyone and ON for a custom role, only members with that role can use the soundboard. The role must be higher in the role list than @everyone to take effect.

Prerequisites: You need the Manage Server permission to create roles and edit channel permissions. You also need Manage Roles permission to assign roles to users. If you are the server owner, you have these permissions by default.

Understanding Role Hierarchy

Discord applies permissions from the highest role in the list to the lowest. If a user has multiple roles, Discord uses the most permissive setting from any of their roles. For example, if @everyone has Use Soundboard OFF but a custom role has it ON, users with that custom role can use the soundboard. The custom role must be above @everyone in the Server Settings > Roles list. If the custom role is below @everyone, the @everyone deny will override it.

Steps to Configure Use Soundboard Permission per User

Follow these steps to restrict soundboard use to specific users. You will create a role, adjust permissions, and assign the role to users.

1. Open Server Settings
   Click the server name at the top left of your Discord window. Select Server Settings from the dropdown menu.
2. Create a New Role
   In the left sidebar, click Roles. Click the Create Role button. Name the role something descriptive like Soundboard User. Do not assign any permissions yet. Click Save Changes.
3. Set the Role Hierarchy
   In the Roles page, locate your new role in the list. Drag it above the @everyone role. The role must be higher than @everyone to override the deny permission you will set next.
4. Edit Voice Channel Permissions for @everyone
   Go to the voice channel where you want to restrict soundboard use. Click the gear icon next to the channel name. Select Permissions from the left sidebar. Click the + next to @everyone. Scroll to the Advanced Permissions section. Find Use Soundboard and set it to OFF (the red X). Click Save Changes.
5. Add the Soundboard Role to the Channel
   Still in the channel permissions page, click the + button again. Type the name of your new role and select it. Scroll to Use Soundboard and set it to ON (the green checkmark). Click Save Changes.
6. Assign the Role to Users
   Go back to Server Settings > Roles. Click the role you created. On the right side, you will see a list of members. Click the + Manage Members button. Select the users who should have soundboard access. Click Add. Those users now have the Use Soundboard permission in the selected channel.

Repeat steps 4 through 6 for any other voice channels where you want to control soundboard access. You can also set this at the server level by going to Server Settings > Roles > @everyone > Permissions and turning off Use Soundboard there. Then add your custom role to the server permissions with Use Soundboard ON. Users with the role will have soundboard access in all channels unless a specific channel overrides it.

Common Mistakes and Limitations

Role Is Below @everyone in the List

If your custom role is below @everyone, the @everyone deny will take priority. Always drag the custom role above @everyone in the Server Settings > Roles list. You can reorder roles at any time.

Channel Override Conflicts

If you set Use Soundboard to OFF for @everyone at the server level but ON for a custom role, that works globally. However, if a specific voice channel has its own permission override that denies Use Soundboard for the custom role, that channel override will block soundboard use. Check each channel’s permissions individually to ensure consistency.

User Has Multiple Roles with Conflicting Permissions

Discord applies the most permissive setting from any role a user has. If a user has the Soundboard User role but also has another role with Use Soundboard OFF, the ON permission wins. This is by design. To block a specific user, you must remove their Soundboard User role or create a separate role that denies the permission and assign it to that user. Place the deny role higher than the allow role.

Discord Soundboard Permission Settings: Server Level vs Channel Level

Item	Server Level	Channel Level
Scope	Applies to all voice channels in the server	Applies only to the specific voice channel
Override behavior	Can be overridden by channel-level permissions	Overrides server-level permissions for that channel
Best use case	When you want a blanket rule for all channels	When you need different rules for different channels
Management effort	Set once for the entire server	Set per channel, requires repeating steps

Using the server level is simpler if you want the same restriction everywhere. Use channel-level permissions when you have specific channels where soundboard use is allowed and others where it is not.

You can now control exactly which users can use the Discord Soundboard in your server. Start by creating a dedicated role and setting the @everyone permission to OFF. Assign the role only to approved users. For advanced control, use channel-level overrides to allow soundboard in some channels and block it in others. Remember to keep your custom role above @everyone in the role hierarchy to ensure the permission works correctly.