Discord Server Templates: How to Create, Sync and Use Them

A server template lets you clone the existing categories, channels, roles and permissions of a server to create a new one. That is the whole list in Discord's help article. It does not mention messages, members, bots or emojis, so plan to set those up yourself on the new server.

One exception catches many people: Community channel types such as Forum, Announcement and Stage channels are not included in server templates. If the original server relies on a forum, you have to enable Community on the new server and create the forum again (see Discord forum channels).

A template is used to create a brand new server. Discord's help article describes no way to apply a template to a server that already exists.

A template is shared as a link. When you open it, Discord shows a preview of the server first. If the preview looks right, you can rename the server and upload a server image in the same window, then press Create to get a new server with all the preset channels, roles and permissions.

You can also start from a template when creating a server: the Add a Server window offers a blank slate or a template.

If the person who made the template deletes it, the link stops working. Save anything you rely on by creating the server rather than keeping only the link.

You need to own the server or have a role with the Manage Server permission. Template creation works on desktop and in the browser, not in the mobile app.

Open Server Settings, select the Server Templates tab, give the template a name and a short description, and press Generate Template. Then press Copy and share the link.

Use the description to say who the template is for and what it expects, for example which bots the channels were designed around, since bots are not part of the copy.

A template does not update when you change the original server. Anyone who uses an unsynced template gets the old setup. Discord shows a notification next to the server name when you make changes; to update the template, go to Server Settings, Server Templates and press Sync Template.

To withdraw a template, use Delete Template in the same place. Existing links stop working after that.

Large servers can hit the error "Maximum number of channel permission overwrites reached (1000)" when generating a template. Overwrites are permissions set per channel instead of in the role settings. You have to bring the number below the limit before a template can be created, and Discord recommends keeping track of overwrites as you add them.

This is also a good reason to set most permissions on roles and use channel overwrites only where a channel really differs, for example a staff-only channel. Roles and permissions explains that approach.

Before generating one: remove test channels and roles you do not want copied, give roles names that describe what they do, and check that each category has a clear purpose. A template copies mistakes just as faithfully as good structure.

After creating a server from one: set the icon and name, add the bots the structure expects, enable Community if you need forum or announcement channels and recreate them, then go through the roles and check who can see what. Channel organization helps with trimming channels a small community does not need yet.

Discord templates only create new servers. BuildMyDiscord offers ready-made templates, some free and some that require Pro, which its bot builds into a server you already own. Unless you choose to keep existing channels, that build removes the server's current channels first.