How to Find Someone on Discord
Discord is a fantastic platform for sharing information, chatting, and reconnecting with friends. However, finding someone on Discord isn’t as easy as finding them in other places. There are ways to do it, though, and we’ll explore all of them in our guide to finding someone on Discord.
What is Discord?
Discord is typically considered a gaming chat app, where people who play the same games can connect, strategize, and work together in their favorite game. But it has quickly grown into a platform for any type of communication, with some businesses using it to help their employees collaborate.
It’s easy to use, you can access it from a mobile device or desktop, and it’s free unless you pay for premium “Nitro” features. And as more people create and join Discord servers, more people will want to chat with people they know. That’s where finding your friends and loved ones on Discord becomes important, but it’s not always easy to find them directly.
Unlike Facebook or other platforms, you can't simply type in their real name and look through user profiles. So, how do you do it? It takes some specific user knowledge and a few research skills.
How Discord usernames and tags work
When you use Discord for the first name, you need to create a username. It doesn’t need to be your actual name, and it doesn’t have to be unique, either. For example, there can be an unlimited number of “Bob Smith” names. They’re all set apart only by the four-digit “tag” (or user ID number) required to create an account.
For that reason, you can’t just search “Bob Smith” and see who comes up. You have to learn the exact four-digit number for the account to connect with them directly. So, you would need to know BobSmith#1245 or BobSmith#1246, because they’re different people. Plus, even the upper and lowercase letters are different and important.
Add in the fact that you can change your username or use made-up names, and the search becomes complicated. It’s not likely you will know this exact username and tag combo without asking someone directly. If they haven’t shared their Discord tag with you, you still may be able to find them using these methods below.
Best ways to find someone on Discord
There are millions of users on Discord, with many using fictitious names or a gamer tag, so how can you find your friends?
1. Use their tag in Discord user search
You can reliably find someone by typing their tag directly into the Add a Friend tab in Discord, but you must know their name and four-digit number. If it's changed since you last knew it, it won't come up. If it does, you can send a connection request from within the app, unless disabled this feature.
Tip: Some people won’t know their full username and tag combo. To easily share it, find your avatar in the app and click on the profile username near it. It should automatically copy your username and tag for sharing.
2. Use the nearby scan button
Want to know how to find Discord users without tags and you’re on mobile? Use the “nearby scan” feature. It’s a great way to add a bunch of people you met at an event or a party.
To use this feature, the people you want to add must be within a 30-foot radius. Both parties’ phones must also enable WiFi or Bluetooth.
Here’s how to use nearby scan:
- Go to your friends list and click the Add Friend button.
- Then, click Nearby Scan. You may need to grant permission if this is your first time using the feature.
- Your friend will need to do the same things (steps one and two) at the same time you do.
- When their username appears, click the Send button to send a request.
If you’re with someone and they’re making the add request, be sure to accept it. You don’t both have to send a request, but you do both need to enable the scan feature. This is a clever Discord user lookup hack if you both cooperate, even if your new friend doesn’t know their own Discord tag number.
3. Use the phone contact list
Another mobile-only option is to use your phone’s contact list. If the person you want to add is listed in your phone contacts and their Discord account is associated with that phone number, you should be able to add them this way:
- Navigate to the Friends tab in your Discord app.
- There should be a message asking you to sync your contacts. If not, reinstall your app and sign in like a new user.
- Check the option to allow contacts to add you, but only if you want other people to use this process to add you.
- Click Get Started.
- You will need to verify your device’s phone number, along with a confirmation code via text or SMS.
- Give the app permission to access your contact list.
You should now see all Discord users with associated phone numbers that match your contact list. Again, this only works if they enable these permissions. Go through the list and click the Add Friends button next to each name that you want to add to your Discord Friends list.
4. Find them through social media
This method isn’t fool-proof because it requires your friends to publicly broadcast their Discord username on their profiles. It’s more likely for someone who only lets select people see their feeds, such as those with protected Twitter or Instagram accounts. Still, if you look at the bios for your friends and see their Discord username featured, you could add them to your friends list.
5. Find them through common groups and servers
If you know the person you want to add uses the same server as you or you’re in the same group, you can use Discord look-up features to find them. Just go into the group or server, type their name into the search bar, and they should pop up – even if you aren’t friends.
There are a few exceptions. If they restrict this activity in their privacy settings, you won’t see their name in the search. This Discord user finder method is also tricky in large servers or groups, because you may need to crawl through thousands of similar names to find your friend.
Only use these tips to find people you think will enjoy being added to your friends list. Don’t use it to add people who may not really know you or want to have a conversation with you. Never use it to harass or stalk people, either.
Discord has plenty of social features that let you talk to all kinds of people about all kinds of things. This makes it a very welcoming place to chat and discover new ideas and trends.
Discord also has rules about what will get you banned, and you can read the terms of use here. The server or group you participate in may have its own rules, too. However, you will get booted for anything perceived as threatening or harassing, no matter the server or group’s purpose.
How to stop others from adding you
If you want to stop receiving new friend requests, you can always adjust your privacy settings to make this more difficult for people.
- Go to your Discord Settings and Privacy and Safety settings to specify who can add you as a friend.
- For the most restriction, turn off Friends, Friends of Friends, and Server Members to stop receiving friend add requests.
The bottom line on how to find and add friends on Discord
There are a handful of ways to find and add someone as a friend on Discord. The most efficient method is to learn their name and add them directly. This eliminates a lot of guesswork and prevents you from adding the wrong person. This is actually a very common issue because there are so many users on Discord, and there's no rule against using similar names. Even if you don’t know their name, there’s still a chance you can find them if you follow the tips we outlined above.
About the Author: Linsey Knerl is a contributing writer for HP Tech Takes. Linsey is a Midwest-based author, public speaker, and member of the ASJA. She has a passion for helping consumers and small business owners do more with their resources via the latest tech solutions.
