Last updated: October 16, 2026 · Category: Guide · Editorial review · About the authors
Key Takeaways
- A timeout mutes a member temporarily. A kick removes them, but they can rejoin. A ban removes them and stops them from coming back.
- Each action needs its own permission, and members cannot act on anyone whose highest role is equal to or above theirs.
- Match the action to the problem: timeouts for heat-of-the-moment behavior, kicks for a reset, bans for scams, raids, and serious harm.
Discord gives moderators three main actions against a member. A timeout stops them from chatting for a set time. A kick removes them from the server, but they can rejoin with an invite. A ban removes them and blocks them from rejoining. This guide covers what each one does according to Discord's documentation, the permission each requires, and when to use which.
Comparison at a Glance
| Timeout | Kick | Ban | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Member stays in the server | Yes | No | No |
| Can rejoin | Not needed | Yes, with a valid invite | No |
| Can read channels | Yes | No | No |
| Duration | 60 seconds to 1 week | One-time, no duration | Until revoked |
| Permission needed | Time Out Members | Kick Members | Ban Members |
| Removes recent messages | No | No | Optional, up to 7 days |
Timeout: A Temporary Mute
Discord's Time Out FAQ (retrieved 2026-09-28) says a timed-out member "won't be able to send messages, react to messages, join voice channels or video calls." They stay in the server and can still read channels.
How to Time Someone Out
- On desktop, right-click the member's name to open their profile menu. On mobile, press and hold their avatar.
- Choose the timeout option.
- Pick a duration: 60 seconds, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, or 1 week.
- Add a reason. Discord records it in the audit log.
To end a timeout early, open the same menu and choose to remove it. The FAQ also notes that timeouts apply to every channel, not one, and that the server's Members page lists who is currently timed out. AutoMod can also time out members automatically when one of its rules matches.
Discord's permissions documentation (retrieved 2026-09-28) adds that timed-out members lose every permission except View Channel and Read Message History. It also says "Owners and admin users with ADMINISTRATOR permissions are exempt," so timing them out does not remove their permissions.
Kick: Remove Without Blocking
A kick removes the member from the server. Discord's guild resource documentation (retrieved 2026-09-28) describes the action as "Remove a member from a guild," requiring the Kick Members permission. A kick does not add a ban. Discord's Members Page article (retrieved 2026-09-28) says banned users "won't be able to rejoin," and Discord's Invalid Invite Links article (retrieved 2026-09-28) lists a ban, not a kick, as a reason an invite fails. So a kicked member can come back through a valid invite.
The Discord help articles cited here give mobile steps for timeouts and pruning, but not for kicking or banning a single member, so the steps below cover desktop and browser.
How to Kick Someone on Discord (Desktop or Browser)
- Open the server's Members page.
- Right-click the member's row, or select More Options. Discord's Members Page article says this opens "other server management tools."
- Choose Kick and confirm.
That makes kicks useful as a reset: the member leaves, sees the consequence, and can come back once they have read the rules.
Pruning: A Bulk Kick
Pruning is a bulk kick for inactive members. Discord's How to Prune article (retrieved 2026-09-28) describes it as "kicking users who haven't even logged into Discord in a set amount of time." It warns that anyone with Kick permissions can use Pruning, and advises distributing that permission sparingly. The article gives pruning steps for both desktop and mobile, starting from the Members page in Server Settings.
Ban: Remove and Block
A ban removes the member and stops them from rejoining. The Invalid Invite Links article says "server bans are based on IP addresses."
A ban can also remove the member's recent messages. The guild resource documentation lists a message-deletion window between 0 and 604800 seconds, or up to 7 days, and lets a ban carry a reason for the audit log.
How to Ban Someone on Discord (Desktop or Browser)
- Open the server's Members page. You can sort by Member Since (Newest first) to find recent joiners.
- Right-click the member's row, or select More Options, to open the server management tools.
- Choose Ban. Where the confirmation offers them, add a reason and choose whether to delete recent messages.
- Confirm.
How to Ban Several Members at Once
The Members Page article describes selecting the checkbox next to each member, then Ban Members. That requires both Manage Server and Ban Members, and Discord asks for your 2FA code or password each time. Discord notes the Members page is "only available for browser/desktop." Bulk bans suit cleanup after a raid.
How to Revoke a Ban
A member with Ban Members revokes it in Server Settings. The guild resource documentation says of removing a ban: "Requires the BAN_MEMBERS permissions."
The Permission and Hierarchy Rules
Each action needs its own permission, set per role under Server Settings > Roles:
- Time Out Members for timeouts
- Kick Members for kicks
- Ban Members for bans
All three follow the role hierarchy. Discord's Roles and Permissions article (retrieved 2026-09-28) says members "cannot ban, kick, or change nicknames of users with equal or higher roles, even if they have those permissions." If a moderator cannot act on someone, compare their highest roles first, and check whether the target owns the server. Discord's permissions documentation grants the owner all permissions. How to make roles on Discord covers ordering roles.
Which Action to Use
These are recommendations, not Discord rules. Tie each action to a rule number, so members know why it happened.
| Situation | Suggested action |
|---|---|
| An argument getting heated | Timeout, 10 minutes to 1 hour |
| Repeated spam or ignoring warnings | Timeout, 1 day |
| Someone who needs to reread the rules | Kick |
| Scam links, phishing, or harassment | Ban, with recent messages deleted |
| A raid or a wave of alt accounts | Bulk ban from the Members page (desktop or browser) |
| Inactive members crowding the list | Prune |
For example, when a raid hits overnight, a moderator can sort the Members page by Member Since (Newest first), select the accounts from the raid wave, and ban them in one action.
A written ladder makes enforcement consistent. Discord server rules includes a template and an enforcement table you can adapt. For spam that moderators should not have to catch by hand, Discord AutoMod can block messages and time out senders automatically.
Keep a Record
Discord's audit log documentation (retrieved 2026-09-28) lists entries for kicks, bans, and member updates, and the Time Out FAQ says a timeout's reason is recorded there. Discord's Account Caps article lists 45 days as how long an entry stays in a server's audit log, so keep your own staff log for disputes that come up later. Add a short reason to every action.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a kick and a ban on Discord?
A kick removes the member from the server, and they can come back with a valid invite. A ban removes them and stops them from rejoining. Discord says server bans are based on IP addresses, and a ban can optionally delete up to 7 days of the user's recent messages.
How long can a Discord timeout last?
Discord's Time Out FAQ lists 60 seconds, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, or 1 week. You can remove a timeout early at any time.
Can a timed-out member still read channels?
Yes. Discord says timed-out members stay in the server and can still view channels, but cannot send messages, add new reactions, or join voice channels until the timeout ends.
Why can I not ban or kick someone?
Either your role lacks the Ban Members or Kick Members permission, the member's highest role is equal to or above yours, or the member owns the server. Discord says members cannot ban or kick users with equal or higher roles, even with those permissions.
How do I unban someone on Discord?
A member with the Ban Members permission revokes the ban in Server Settings. Discord's Invalid Invite Links article tells banned users to ask the server admins to revoke their bans there.