How to Configure Discord View Audit Log Permission for Mod-Only Access

You want to restrict the View Audit Log permission on your Discord server so only moderators can see the audit log. By default, any member with the Administrator permission or the View Audit Log permission can access this log. This article explains how to create a dedicated moderator role, remove the permission from everyone else, and assign it only to the moderator role. You will learn the exact steps to lock down the audit log for mod-only access.

Understanding Discord Permissions for the Audit Log

Discord’s audit log records all administrative actions on a server: role changes, channel edits, member kicks, bans, and permission modifications. By default, the View Audit Log permission is granted to the @everyone role on most new servers. This means every member can see the full history of server changes. For many servers, this is too open. The permission is controlled at the role level, not per user. To make the audit log mod-only, you must disable the permission for the @everyone role and enable it only for a specific moderator role. This approach works because Discord permission logic gives the most permissive setting across all roles a user has. If @everyone has View Audit Log off, but a user also has a role with it on, that user can view the log. Therefore, you must ensure no other role grants this permission.

Steps to Restrict View Audit Log to Moderators Only

1. Open Server Settings
   In your Discord server, click the server name at the top left of the channel list. From the dropdown menu, select Server Settings.
2. Navigate to Roles
   In the left sidebar of Server Settings, click Roles. This page lists all roles on the server.
3. Select the @everyone Role
   Click the @everyone role to edit its permissions. This role applies to every member automatically.
4. Disable View Audit Log
   In the Permissions tab, scroll to the General Server Permissions section. Find View Audit Log and click the red X to set it to OFF. Do not leave it on the gray dash. A gray dash means the setting is inherited from a higher role, which could still allow access.
5. Save Changes for @everyone
   Click the Save Changes button at the bottom of the Permissions page. A confirmation message appears.
6. Create or Select a Moderator Role
   Go back to the Roles page. If you already have a moderator role, click it. If not, click Create Role and name it Moderator. Set a distinct color if desired.
7. Enable View Audit Log on the Moderator Role
   In the moderator role’s Permissions tab, scroll to View Audit Log and click the green checkmark to set it to ON.
8. Save Changes for the Moderator Role
   Click Save Changes.
9. Assign the Moderator Role to Users
   Go to the Members tab in Server Settings. Find each moderator, click the plus icon next to their roles, and select Moderator. Alternatively, right-click a member in the channel list, select Roles, and assign the role.
10. Test the Configuration
    Log out of Discord or use a different account without the moderator role. Click the server name and select Server Settings. If the user does not have the moderator role, the Audit Log option should not appear in the left sidebar. A moderator account should see it and be able to open the log.

If You Already Have Multiple Roles Granting View Audit Log

If other roles besides the moderator role have View Audit Log enabled, repeat steps 3 through 5 for each of those roles. Set View Audit Log to OFF for every role except the moderator role. This includes roles like Admin, Staff, or any custom role that should not see the log. Remember that the Administrator permission overrides all specific permissions. Any role with Administrator enabled can still see the audit log regardless of the View Audit Log setting. If you want to prevent that, do not give Administrator to non-moderator roles.

Common Issues After Configuring Mod-Only Audit Log Access

Moderators Still Cannot See the Audit Log

If a moderator still cannot see the audit log, check the role hierarchy. In Discord, the View Audit Log permission is also affected by the Manage Server permission. Ensure the moderator role has Manage Server set to ON if you want them to access Server Settings at all. Additionally, confirm that the moderator role is positioned above any role that has View Audit Log set to OFF. Role hierarchy does not directly block permission inheritance, but if a user has multiple roles, the most permissive setting applies. If the user has a second role with View Audit Log off, the ON setting from the moderator role should still win. However, if the second role has Administrator disabled and View Audit Log off, the moderator role’s ON should prevail. If it does not, remove the second role from the user.

View Audit Log Option Is Missing Entirely

If the Audit Log option does not appear in Server Settings for anyone, including the server owner, check that you did not accidentally disable it for the @everyone role. The server owner always has full access regardless of permissions. If the owner cannot see it, the server may have been created with a template that hides it. Try resetting the @everyone role permissions to default by clicking Reset Permissions at the top of the Permissions page for @everyone, then reapply the OFF setting only for View Audit Log.

Members Can Still View the Audit Log

If regular members can still see the audit log, they likely have the Administrator permission. Check the Administrator permission under General Server Permissions for each role. Any role with Administrator enabled bypasses all individual permission settings, including View Audit Log. Remove Administrator from all non-moderator roles. Also verify that no role has the View All Channels permission incorrectly set, though that permission does not directly affect audit log access.

Discord Permission Types: View Audit Log vs Administrator vs Manage Server

Item	View Audit Log	Administrator	Manage Server
Effect	Allows viewing the audit log	Grants all permissions, including bypassing View Audit Log	Allows editing server settings, including roles and audit log access
Overrides	None	Overrides all individual permissions	Does not grant View Audit Log by itself
Recommended for	Moderators only	Server owner and trusted admins only	Moderators who need to manage roles and channels
Risk	Low	High — grants full control	Medium — can accidentally change settings

Now you can restrict the View Audit Log permission to only your moderator role. After following these steps, your moderators will have exclusive access to the audit log, while regular members will not see it. Next, review the Manage Server permission to ensure moderators can access Server Settings without giving them full administrative control. A practical tip: periodically check the audit log yourself to confirm no unauthorized role changes have been made to the View Audit Log permission.