Connect a Discord server
Observer's Discord sensor is one bot you invite once. It reads the channels you enable, sends every message through screening, and carries out the moderation actions you opt into. Setup is two steps and takes about a minute.
1. Create the server in your dashboard
In the dashboard, go to Servers → New server and pick Discord. You get two things: an invite link for the bot and a one-time registration code (valid for 30 minutes — mint a fresh one from the server page if it expires).
2. Invite the bot and claim the binding
Open the invite link, pick your Discord server (you need Manage Server permission), and approve the requested permissions. Then, in any channel of that server, run:
/observer register <code>The code binds that guild to the server you created in the dashboard. Within a few seconds the server's status turns connected and channels start appearing in its settings.
What the permissions are for
| Permission | Used for |
|---|---|
| View channels, read history | Reading the channels you enable, and the context around a flagged message |
| View audit log | Recording mod actions in your logs |
| Kick, ban, timeout, manage messages | Only used if you opt severities into automated actions — the default is flag-for-human-review |
Choose what it monitors
On the server's Ingestion tab:
- Channels — every channel is monitored by default; toggle any off, or use the all/none presets.
- Event types — messages, member joins/leaves, mod actions, voice presence (who joined a voice channel; never audio).
- Trusted roles — roles whose messages skip AI screening (announcement bots, staff). Their messages still appear in your logs.
If the bot is removed from your Discord server, monitoring stops and the dashboard shows a re-invite banner. Your settings are kept, but chat logs are deleted 60 days after removal — re-invite the bot to keep them.
Next
Invite your moderators, subscribe to ban lists, and set your community profile so screening matches your community's norms.