How to Add Bots to Your Discord Server: A Step-by-Step Guide

So, you’ve crafted an awesome Discord bot and are eager to unleash its potential, or perhaps you’ve found a bot that perfectly complements your server’s community. But how do you actually get these bots into your Discord server? It’s a common question for both new and seasoned server administrators. Adding bots to your Discord server is a straightforward process once you understand the mechanism of bot invite links. This guide will walk you through each step to seamlessly integrate bots and enhance your server’s functionality.

To begin, ensure you have already set up your bot application in the Discord Developer Portal. If you haven’t done this yet, you’ll need to complete that initial setup before proceeding with adding the bot to your server.

Bot Invite Links Explained

The key to adding a bot to a Discord server lies in creating and utilizing a unique invite link. This link acts as a bridge, connecting your bot application to your desired server. Think of it as granting permission for your bot to enter and operate within your server’s digital space. These invite links are generated based on your bot application’s Client ID and specify the permissions your bot will have.

A basic structure of a bot invite link looks like this:

https://discord.com/api/oauth2/authorize?client_id=YOUR_CLIENT_ID&permissions=0&scope=bot%20applications.commands

Let’s break down the components of this URL:

• https://discord.com/api/oauth2/authorize: This is Discord’s standard authorization endpoint for OAuth2 applications, which includes Discord bots. It’s the starting point for granting access.
• client_id=YOUR_CLIENT_ID: This crucial part identifies your specific bot application. You must replace YOUR_CLIENT_ID with the actual Client ID of your bot application to create a functional invite link. This ID is unique to your bot and can be found in your application’s settings on the Discord Developer Portal.
• permissions=0: This parameter defines the permissions your bot will request upon joining the server. The 0 value in the example indicates no specific permissions are requested initially. You can customize this value to grant your bot necessary permissions, which we’ll discuss further.
• scope=bot%20applications.commands: This specifies the scope of the authorization, indicating that you are adding a Discord bot and enabling it to register and use slash commands. Slash commands are the modern way to interact with bots on Discord, providing a user-friendly and organized command interface.

Important Note: If you encounter an error message stating “Bot requires a code grant,” navigate to your bot application’s settings in the Discord Developer Portal and disable the “Require OAuth2 Code Grant” option. This option is typically not needed for basic bot invitations and is intended for more advanced OAuth2 flows.

Step-by-Step: Creating and Using Your Bot Invite Link

Ready to create your personalized invite link and add your bot? Follow these steps:

1. Access the Discord Developer Portal: Go to the Discord Developer Portal Applications page and locate your bot application. Click on your application to access its settings.

2. Navigate to the OAuth2 URL Generator: In the sidebar menu on the left, find and click on the “OAuth2” section. This will open the OAuth2 settings page for your application.

3. Select OAuth2 Scopes: Within the OAuth2 page, you’ll find the “OAuth2 URL Generator.” Under “Scopes,” check the boxes next to bot and applications.commands. Selecting bot will reveal a list of “Bot Permissions” below, allowing you to customize the permissions your bot will request.

4. Configure Bot Permissions (Optional but Recommended): The “Bot Permissions” list allows you to pre-select the permissions your bot will need on the server. Carefully review the permissions and select those that are essential for your bot’s functionality. Common permissions include “Read Messages/View Channels,” “Send Messages,” and “Embed Links.” Selecting appropriate permissions ensures your bot functions correctly while adhering to the principle of least privilege.

5. Copy the Generated Invite Link: After selecting the desired scopes and permissions, a unique invite link will be generated at the bottom of the OAuth2 URL Generator. Click the “Copy” button to copy this link to your clipboard.

6. Use the Invite Link in Your Browser: Paste the copied invite link into your web browser’s address bar and press Enter. This will take you to Discord’s bot authorization page.

7. Authorize the Bot: You’ll be presented with an authorization page displaying your bot’s username and avatar.

   Bot Authorization page displayed in a web browser, showing the bot’s name and avatar, and prompting the user to select a server to add the bot to.

   Use the dropdown menu to “Add bot to Server” and select the server where you want to add your bot. Important: You must have the “Manage Server” permission on the server to be able to add bots.

8. Complete Authorization: Click the “Authorize” button. Discord will process the authorization request. Upon successful authorization, you should see a confirmation message.

   Confirmation message indicating the bot has been successfully authorized and added to the Discord server.

9. Verify Bot in Your Server: Return to your Discord server. Your bot should now be listed in the server’s member list. It will typically appear in the member list with a “Bot” tag.

   Screenshot of a Discord server member list, highlighting a bot user with the “Bot” tag, indicating successful addition to the server.

Congratulations! You have successfully added your bot to your Discord server. It’s now ready to interact with your server members and perform its designed functions. Remember to consult your bot’s documentation or developer for specific commands and usage instructions.