How to Convert a Text Channel to an Announcement Channel

You may want to turn a regular text channel into an announcement channel so that messages you post there automatically appear in other servers that follow it. This is useful for community updates, patch notes, or event announcements. The conversion process is built into Discord’s channel settings and does not require any bots or third-party tools. This article explains the exact steps to convert a text channel to an announcement channel and covers the prerequisites and limitations you need to know.

What Is an Announcement Channel and What Do You Need

An announcement channel is a special type of text channel that allows other servers to follow it. When you post a message in an announcement channel, every server that follows that channel receives a copy of the message in a channel they designate. This is the core feature that distinguishes an announcement channel from a regular text channel. Regular text channels cannot be followed by other servers.

To convert a text channel to an announcement channel, your server must first have Community enabled. Community is a set of server settings designed for public-facing servers. It requires you to meet a few requirements such as enabling two-factor authentication for moderation actions and setting a server description. Without Community enabled, the option to change the channel type to Announcement will not appear.

You also need the Manage Channels permission in the server. Only members with this permission can change the channel type. Server owners and administrators have this permission by default.

Steps to Convert a Text Channel to an Announcement Channel

Follow these steps exactly. The process is the same on the Discord desktop app and the web browser version. Mobile steps are slightly different and are covered in a separate section below.

1. Open Server Settings
   Right-click your server name in the server list on the left sidebar. Select Server Settings from the context menu. If you are on a mobile device, tap the server name and then tap the three dots to open the menu, then select Settings.
2. Navigate to the Channels tab
   In the left panel of Server Settings, click Channels. This shows a list of all channels in your server, grouped by category.
3. Find the text channel you want to convert
   Scroll through the list until you see the channel you want to change. Do not click the channel name. Instead, click the gear icon (Edit Channel) to the right of the channel name.
4. Change the channel type
   In the Overview tab of the channel edit window, look for the Channel Type dropdown menu. Click it and select Announcement. The dropdown currently shows Text if the channel is a regular text channel.
5. Save the change
   Click the Save Changes button at the bottom of the window. A confirmation pop-up may appear warning you that changing the channel type can affect how the channel works. Click Yes, Change Channel Type to confirm. The channel is now an announcement channel.

Mobile Steps for iOS and Android

1. Open Server Settings on mobile
   Tap the server name at the top of the channel list. Tap Settings from the menu that appears.
2. Tap Channels
   In the Settings menu, tap Channels. You will see the list of all channels.
3. Tap the channel you want to convert
   Tap the name of the text channel you want to change. Do not tap the toggle switch next to it.
4. Change Channel Type
   In the channel settings screen, tap Channel Type. Select Announcement from the list. Tap Save in the top-right corner to confirm.

Things to Know After Converting

Once you convert a text channel to an announcement channel, the channel retains all its existing messages, threads, pinned messages, and permissions. No data is lost. The only visible difference is that the channel icon changes to a megaphone icon instead of the regular hash symbol. Also, any new messages you post in the channel will have a small Publish button next to them, which lets you push the message to all servers that follow the channel.

You can reverse the conversion at any time by following the same steps and selecting Text as the channel type. Again, no messages or data are lost when converting back.

Common Issues and Limitations

“Announcement” Option Does Not Appear in Channel Type Dropdown

This is the most frequent problem. The option to select Announcement only appears if your server has Community enabled. Go to Server Settings > Enable Community and complete the onboarding checklist. You need to set a server description, agree to the Community guidelines, and set up a system messages channel. After you enable Community, return to the channel edit screen and the Announcement option will be available.

Cannot Publish Messages After Conversion

The Publish button only appears for messages you post in the announcement channel. Messages posted before the conversion do not have a Publish button. To publish an older message, you must repost it. Also, only the message author and members with Manage Messages permission can publish messages.

Followers Cannot See Messages in Real Time

Messages published from an announcement channel appear in follower servers with a slight delay, usually a few seconds. This is by design. If followers complain about delays, explain that the messages are sent via webhook and may take a moment to arrive.

Announcement Channel vs Regular Text Channel

Item	Announcement Channel	Regular Text Channel
Can be followed by other servers	Yes	No
Channel icon	Megaphone	Hash symbol (#)
Publish button on messages	Yes	No
Requires Community server	Yes	No
Supports threads and pins	Yes	Yes
Can send images and files	Yes	Yes

You can now convert a text channel to an announcement channel in your Community server. After conversion, test the feature by posting a message and clicking the Publish button to confirm it works. If you manage multiple servers, consider creating a dedicated announcement channel for each server and cross-follow them so updates appear in all your communities at once.