Discord privileged intents explained: message content, members and presence
What gateway intents are, which three are privileged, how to turn them on in the Developer Portal and in your code, and how to fix the "privileged intents" error.
Intents tell Discord which events your bot wants to receive. Most are on by default, but three are "privileged": you must switch them on in the Developer Portal and ask for them in your code.
The three privileged intents #
| Intent | Needed for |
|---|---|
| Message Content | Reading what a message says, for prefix commands like !help, filters and auto-moderation |
| Server Members | Member join/leave events, full member lists, welcome messages |
| Presence | Seeing members' online status and activities |
Slash commands don't need Message Content. If your bot only uses slash commands, leave it off.
Turn them on #
- Open discord.com/developers/applications and choose your application.
- Open the Bot page and scroll to Privileged Gateway Intents.
- Switch on only the intents your bot uses and save.
- Ask for the same intents in your code (below), then restart the bot.
In your code #
discord.py: intents = discord.Intents.default(), then intents.message_content = True and/or intents.members = True, and pass intents=intents to your bot or client.
discord.js: add GatewayIntentBits.MessageContent, GuildMembers or GuildPresences to the intents list of your Client.
The "privileged intents" error #
If the Console shows an error about privileged intents not being enabled, or disallowed intents, your code asks for an intent the portal doesn't allow. Turn it on in the portal or remove it from your code. More in common bot errors.
Bots in 100+ servers #
Once a bot is in 100 or more servers, Discord requires verification, and privileged intents must be approved during it. Plan for slash commands if you can.
Intents also affect memory: the members and presence intents bring in a lot of data. See how much RAM a Discord bot needs.
FAQ #
Do I need the message content intent? #
Only if your bot reads message text, for example prefix commands or filters. Slash commands don't need it.
Why does my bot say privileged intents are not enabled? #
Your code requests an intent that isn't switched on for the bot in the Developer Portal.
Where do I turn on intents? #
In the Developer Portal, on your application's Bot page, under Privileged Gateway Intents.
Do intents affect memory use? #
Yes. The members and presence intents make the bot store and receive much more data.
Still stuck? Use the live chat on the panel or ask in the ESN Systems Discord. Last updated October 31, 2026.