How Long Does Discord Keep Messages — and Can Deleted Discord Messages Be Recovered for Court?
Reviewed by Jacob Reed, founder of Verity ·
Short answer
Discord keeps messages for as long as the account exists, and may delete an account inactive for two years. A message its sender deletes disappears for everyone and is removed from Discord's systems once its 30-45 day backups expire, unless Discord must preserve it. Your data package holds only your own messages, so screenshot the other side now.
Discord is used for far more than gaming, and its DMs turn up in custody and harassment cases. Unlike Signal or Viber, Discord does keep messages on its servers, but either person can still make their side disappear. Here is what lasts and how to keep a copy.
How long does Discord keep messages?
Messages in DMs and servers
Kept on Discord’s servers, which is why they show up on every device. Discord says it generally keeps your information for as long as your account is active, unless you delete it sooner.
Inactive accounts
Discord says it may delete an account that has been inactive for two years.
Discord’s backups
Discord’s database backups are kept for 30 to 45 days and then deleted.
What happens when a Discord message is deleted?
Deleting a message
You can delete any message you sent, as long as you can still get into the DM or server. Discord says deleted content is no longer available to other users and is deleted from its systems, unless it has a legal obligation to preserve it.
Deleting an account
Discord puts the account on hold for 15 to 30 days, then deletes identifying information (up to 45 days for backups). Messages the person sent to others stay visible, but are no longer tied to their account.
Leaving or losing a server
Once you can no longer get into a server or DM, you can’t delete or edit what you posted there, and you can’t scroll back through it either.
Can deleted Discord messages be recovered?
Not from the app. Once the sender deletes a message, no one else in the chat can see it. Where it can still exist:
- Discord's backups, for 30 to 45 days, and longer only if Discord has a legal obligation to preserve it. That reaches a court only through your lawyer.
- The sender's own data package, if they requested one before deleting.
- Screenshots and phone notification previews made before it was removed.
Deleting your own messages once a case is likely can be treated as destroying evidence; see deleting texts during a custody case.
How do you save Discord messages for court?
1.Screenshot the DM now
Open the conversation and screenshot it in order, with the other person’s name and the dates showing. Discord has no button that exports a chat, and the other person can delete their messages at any time.
2.Request your data package
User Settings, then Data & Privacy, then Request Data. It can take up to 30 days and arrives by email as JSON files. It holds the messages you sent, not the other person’s, so it backs up your side and the dates.
3.Stay in the server
Don’t leave a server or block the person before you have saved what matters. Losing access means losing the history.
4.Don’t delete your own messages or account
Deleting once a case is likely can be treated as destroying evidence, and deleting your account cancels a data request that hasn’t arrived yet.
5.Tell your lawyer quickly
Deleted messages may survive in Discord’s backups for only 30 to 45 days. Your lawyer can ask the other side, and Discord, to preserve what exists.
What the data package looks like, and other ways to get a whole DM out, are in exporting Discord messages for court.
Can a lawyer get Discord messages from Discord?
Discord's privacy policy says it discloses information when it believes disclosure is required by law, for example when compelled by a court order, and that where allowed it may tell the user first. It also keeps information it is legally required to keep. Because deleted messages leave its backups after 30 to 45 days, a preservation request is time-sensitive. In most family cases the practical route is still the devices and screenshots of the people in the chat; see how discovery of the other parent's messages works.
Can Verity read Discord messages?
Yes, from screenshots of the DM, which Verity reads in your browser without uploading them. You check and correct every message, then Verity numbers them in date order and flags patterns such as threats, gaslighting and message flooding. If you drop in Discord's own data package, Verity tells you it holds only your side.
Common questions
Can deleted Discord messages be recovered?
Not by you. Discord says deleted content is removed from its systems, and its backups are kept 30 to 45 days. It keeps content longer only when it has a legal obligation to preserve it, which is why a fast preservation request from a lawyer matters.
Does the Discord data package include the other person’s messages?
No. Discord’s help page says the messages folder holds all the messages you have sent. For the other side of a DM, use screenshots.
What happens to messages when someone deletes their Discord account?
Discord keeps showing the messages they sent to others, but they are no longer tied to the account. Delete specific messages first if you want them gone; deleting the account doesn’t remove them.
Can a lawyer get Discord messages from Discord?
Discord’s privacy policy says it discloses information when it believes the law requires it, for example when compelled by a court order, and may notify the user first where allowed. Ask your lawyer about a preservation request and what your court can order.
Other apps work differently: see how long Snapchat keeps messages, how long Instagram keeps messages and how long Telegram keeps messages.
Discord pages cited
Read on October 31, 2026. Discord changes these policies; check before you rely on them.
- How long Discord keeps your information (Discord Support)
- Requesting a copy of your data (Discord Support)
- Your Discord data package (Discord Support)
- Discord Privacy Policy
This is general information, not legal advice. Verity is not a law firm and is not affiliated with Discord. Ask your attorney what your case needs. If you are in danger, call 911; the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.
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