Discord Age Restriction Update: Features, Age Verification, and How It Will Work

Discord has revealed plans for a major revamp of its platform's safety features. In this new update, the org is mainly focusing on a teen-by-default experience by introducing improved Discord age verification measures.

It will begin in early March 2026. Overall, the platform is making the experience safer for minors. It is also imposing new limitations on adults who will use the system. Here is everything we know about the Discord age restriction update and how it will work.

What is the Discord Age Restriction Update Exactly?

Once the new system is enforced, accounts on Discord will have their safety settings locked automatically by default. Basically, you will be considered a teen user unless you prove yourself to be an adult.

Therefore, you will face age restrictions on joining age-restricted and, most importantly, NSFW servers. In addition, there will be restrictions on speaking in stage channels and default content filtering. If you receive a message request from someone who is not a friend, it will be redirected to another inbox.

According to Discord, these default features have been introduced to create a universal safety baseline while allowing adults to create their experience after verification of age. So, is age verification compulsoryto access Discord?

The answer is no; most importantly, users will not be compelled to verify their age to use the site. The check is prompted when a user tries to access age-restricted content, switch safety settings, use features like stage talking and unblurring of sensitive content.

How Discord Age Verification Works

As we have seen on most platforms, Discord's age verification processes must confirm that a user is 18+ to allow access. This can be done via Discord Face scan, a short video selfie, or by uploading a government ID, after which it will be deleted (as per Discord).

These were all explicit age verifications, but Discord is going more than that. There is also a new feature from Discord, called age inference technology. It is different from Discord face scan.

This technology, after analysing account behaviour, can automatically decide whether a user is an adult based on their account activity. This is the first time we are seeing such complex-age technology being used for a social interaction app. So far, most behaviour-analysing algorithms are just used to find the right content feed.

Discord aside, Sony is going to make several big announcements in the upcoming PlayStation State of Play this month. Visit our website to learn more about the event.

Concerns Around Discord Age Restriction Update

No doubt, these updates have been designed to protect teens from unexpected exposure to unwanted content. There are, however, some legitimate concerns users are raising. They revolve around privacy, false positives, and implications of default restrictions on adult accounts.

While Discord continues to roll out platform-wide safety changes, the app is widely used for gaming communities and task hubs. This was our complete coverage of the Discord age restriction update; if you liked this, also check out our guide on the Marvel Rivals 5.5 Discord Quest.