What is Slow Mode in Discord

Anna Middleton Read more February 8, 2022

Sometimes you have the urge to slow things down in a chat channel. When the amount of text sweeping across the screen begins to hurt your eyes and cause a headache, Slow Mode may be the answer to your prayers. It’s even more important to drop the “Slow Hammer” when the conversation begins to resemble a rant rather than something more cordial.

To give your Discord text channel a chill pill, you’ll want to use the Slow Mode feature that has been integrated into Discord. Slow Mode is probably the most convenient way to turn a rowdy channel into something more relaxing. The way it works is that it will limit the number of messages a user is able to send in a channel based on a timed cooldown. The cooldown is customizable so that you can set the time limit from as short as five seconds to as long as six hours.

This is a per-channel feature so any Slow Mode activation in one channel will not affect the conversations going on in another.

In order to get Slow Mode setup:

Navigate to your Edit Channel Settings by clicking on the Cog icon located to the right of the channel that you’re in or when you hover the mouse clicker over the channel.
From the “Overview” tab in the left side menu, Slow Mode can be found in the window to the right.
- The “Overview” tab is chosen by default when you click on Edit Channel so you shouldn’t have to swap.
- The Slow Mode option contains a slider allowing you to adjust the interval times to your specified settings.
- Slow Mode is set to OFF by default. To enable it, all you need to do is set the interval to a tie of your choosing.
Once the interval has been set, click Save Changes from the pop-up that appears.

Only those with Manage Channel, Manage Messages, Administrator, or Server Owner permissions can adjust this setting. You’ll also be exempt from any of the slowing down which means you can go nuts with any conversation you desire. If you’re just a member having an issue with another member spamming the channel that you’re in, you’ll need to get a hold of someone within the Discord with one (or all) of these permissions.

How To Know If Slow Mode Has Been Set

Discord has done us a service of allowing everyone to immediately know if Slow Mode has indeed been set into effect. If the channel you’re in has Slow Mode enabled, you’ll get a notification along with a screen shake when attempting to send out another message.

Both the desktop and mobile apps will have these indicators to ensure that you’re aware that it’s time to take it easy on the outbound messaging. You’re now afforded the time to think before you speak (or type) so that the conversation can get back to something more friendly and less rowdy.

Here is an indicator that you’ve been hit with the Slow Mode restriction:

If you see this, then you know your chatting privileges are on lockdown. Take this time to reflect on life, your future, gaming strategies, whatever. Just pump the brakes on the replies. Once the restriction has been lifted you can go back to chatting it up until your heart’s content.