How to Set Up Discord Server Verification

Verification is the first checkpoint in your server's defense system. It's where you decide who gets in and who doesn't. A properly configured verification system stops 90% of raids, bot spam, and ban evaders before they ever see a channel.

The challenge is that there's no one-size-fits-all solution. A community server of 100 people has very different needs than a 10,000-member gaming guild. This guide walks you through every option — from Discord's built-in settings to advanced OAuth2-based systems — so you can choose what's right for your server.

Why Every Discord Server Needs Verification

If you don't have verification, you're hoping that nothing bad happens. Verification isn't optional for servers with more than 50-100 members. Here's what you're protecting against:

• Raid accounts and bot nets: coordinated attacks from tens or hundreds of fake accounts created solely to spam, delete channels, or spam invite links
• Alt accounts and ban evaders: users who were banned trying to sneak back in under a new account
• Spam and crypto scams: accounts that auto-spam invite links, crypto wallet deals, or fake giveaways
• Malicious content distribution: accounts designed to spread malware links or phishing pages
• Unmoderated new members: even legitimate users might not be appropriate for your community, and verification lets you screen them

Verification is the mechanism that turns “anyone with a Discord account” into “people we've vetted.” The stronger your verification, the stronger your defense.

Types of Discord Verification: A Comparison

Not all verification is equal. Here's how the main approaches stack up:

1. Discord's Built-In Verification Levels

Discord's native verification settings are accessed in Server Settings → Safety Setup. There are five levels:

• None (Level 0): no requirements
• Low (Level 1): requires email on Discord account (70% of spam accounts fail this)
• Medium (Level 2): requires account older than 5 minutes
• High (Level 3): requires 10 minutes in the server before chatting
• Very High (Level 4): requires phone number verified on Discord account

Pros: free, built-in, requires no setup
Cons:basic, no customization, doesn't enable member recovery, no firewall or VPN detection, many users already have email or phone on fake accounts

2. CAPTCHA-Based Bots

Tools like Altdentifier require users to solve a CAPTCHA before gaining access. The bot checks that the user is human, not a bot.

Pros: stops most automated raids, very affordable ($1-3/mo or free tier available)
Cons:no background checks on the human solving it, doesn't prevent alt accounts or ban evaders, doesn't enable member recovery, relies on third-party bot that could be removed

3. OAuth2-Based Verification (RestoreCord)

Services like RestoreCord require users to verify through Discord's official OAuth2 system. The user grants the verification app read-only access to their Discord profile, proving account ownership and providing background data.

Pros: most secure option, integrated member recovery (backup member data for restores), advanced firewall (IP/country/ASN/user-agent rules), VPN/proxy detection, alt account detection, webhook logging, can be combined with other checks
Cons: requires paid plan for full features ($5-10/mo), slightly more user friction (OAuth flow vs. simple reaction)

4. Reaction-Based Verification

The simplest approach: user reacts to a message (e.g., 👍) and gains a verified role. Tools like many moderation bots offer this for free.

Pros: zero friction for users, free
Cons:essentially no protection (a bot can react to the message just as easily as a human), doesn't prevent raids or alt accounts, only suitable for communities where security isn't a priority

How to Set Up OAuth2 Verification with RestoreCord

OAuth2 verification is the strongest available option. Here's the complete setup process:

Step 1: Create a RestoreCord Account

1. Go to restorecord.com/register
2. Sign up using your email, or connect with your Discord/Google/Apple account
3. Verify your email if prompted
4. You now have a free RestoreCord account with basic verification and member recovery features

Step 2: Add Your Discord Server

1. Log into RestoreCord and go to the Dashboard
2. Click “Add Server” or select your server from the list if you've already connected
3. Authorize RestoreCord to access your Discord server (you'll be taken to Discord's OAuth consent screen)
4. Select the server you want to add (you must be the server owner or have Administrator permissions)
5. Grant the requested permissions (RestoreCord needs manage roles, manage messages, and read audit log)
6. You're now connected. RestoreCord has added its bot to your server

Step 3: Configure the Verification Bot

1. In RestoreCord's Dashboard, navigate to your server settings and find the “Verification” section
2. Enable verification by toggling it on
3. Choose a verified role (this is the role RestoreCord will assign to users after they verify). Either select an existing role or let RestoreCord create one
4. If you want custom branding, you can create a custom bot through RestoreCord's “Custom Bots” section. Otherwise, the default RestoreCord bot will handle verification
5. Save your settings

Step 4: Set Up a Verification Channel

1. In your Discord server, create a new channel called #verify or similar
2. Restrict channel permissions so that only @everyone can see it, but unverified members cannot post
3. In RestoreCord's Dashboard, copy the verification URL for your server
4. Post the verification link in your #verify channel: “Welcome! Click [here] or the button below to verify and gain access to the community”
5. Optionally, set your server so that new members automatically land in #verify (create a “unverified” role and restrict other channels to verified-only)

Step 5: Customize Verification Settings

RestoreCord's Premium and Business plans offer fine-grained customization:

• Firewall Rules (Premium+): block specific countries, IP ranges, ASNs, or user agents
• VPN/Proxy Detection (Premium+): automatically reject or flag users connecting through VPNs
• Alt Account Detection (Business): identify users trying to create multiple accounts in your server
• Verification Requirements: decide what data RestoreCord collects during verification (account age, region, OAuth scope, etc.)
• Redirect URL: where users go after successful verification (usually set to your Discord server invite link)
• Webhook Logging: log all verification events to a private channel or external monitoring system

Step 6: Test the Verification Flow

1. Use an alt account to test the verification process
2. Click the verification link and complete the OAuth flow
3. Verify that the alt account is automatically assigned the “verified” role
4. Verify that after verification, the alt account can access the main channels
5. Test edge cases: try with a VPN enabled (if you've enabled VPN detection), try with a new account (if you have age requirements), etc.
6. Check RestoreCord's Dashboard → Analytics to see the verification event logged

Customization Options

Once you have OAuth2 verification working, you can layer on advanced features:

Firewall Rules

Block users based on their network characteristics:

• IP-based: block specific IPs, /16 or /24 CIDR ranges (useful if you see spam coming from a botnet)
• Country-based: block entire countries (if you run a regional server, this catches most spam raids immediately)
• ASN-based: block specific internet service providers or hosting providers known for spam

VPN/Proxy Detection

When enabled, RestoreCord checks if a verification attempt is coming through a VPN or proxy. You can choose to:

• Block automatically: VPN users fail verification immediately
• Flag for review: VPN users can verify but are flagged in your logs for review
• Allow with password: VPN users can provide a password you set to bypass the block

Country Filtering

Create allowlists (only users from certain countries can verify) or blocklists (users from certain countries are rejected). Useful if:

• Your server is regional (e.g., a UK gaming community)
• You're experiencing raids from specific countries
• You have language restrictions (e.g., English-only server)

Custom Bots

Instead of using the generic “RestoreCord Bot” for verification, you can create a branded custom bot that represents your community. Custom bots look more trustworthy to members and can increase verification completion rates by 10-20%. You can:

• Set a custom name and avatar
• Add it as a standalone bot application in your Developer Portal
• Use it for verification, member recovery, and future automation

Branded Verification Pages

RestoreCord Business tier allows custom verification page branding:

• Add your server's logo and branding colors
• Custom domain (e.g., verify.yourserver.com instead of restorecord.com/...)
• Custom welcome message

Common Verification Mistakes

Even with verification enabled, these mistakes can undermine your system:

Mistake #1: No Holding Channel

If new members see your entire server before verifying, you've lost the benefit of verification. Set up a “holding” channel (#verify, #welcome, #intro-requirements) that unverified members land in. Only verified members should see the main channels. This means assigning an “unverified” role to all new members and restricting channel access to verified-only roles.

Mistake #2: Too Strict, Too Much Friction

If verification requires 10 separate steps or takes more than 2-3 minutes, 30-40% of legitimate users will bounce. With OAuth2 verification, the process should be: click link → authorize Discord → done. If you're requiring extra forms, extra identity checks, or overly restrictive firewall rules, you're losing good members. Find the balance between security and user experience.

Mistake #3: Not Testing Before Going Live

Always test verification with an alt account before enabling it for your whole community. Test from mobile, from different networks, and with different scenarios (VPN on, new account, etc.). A broken verification system that locks everyone out or fails to assign roles is worse than no verification at all.

Mistake #4: Ignoring Analytics

If you're using RestoreCord or similar, check the analytics regularly. If your verification completion rate is below 80%, something's wrong. If you see unusual patterns in firewall triggers (e.g., suddenly 1,000 VPN attempts in an hour), that's a raid in progress. Use the data to continuously improve your setup.

Mistake #5: Overly Aggressive Firewall Rules

Blocking entire countries or all VPN users might seem safe, but you'll also block legitimate users traveling, remote workers, or people using company VPNs. Start with a basic setup and only add strict rules if you're actively being raided. Use “flag for review” or “password bypass” modes when possible, rather than hard blocks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verification is a critical part of your server's defense, but it's not a one-time setup. Start with a basic OAuth2 verification system, monitor your analytics, and adjust your firewall rules and restrictions as you learn what threats your community faces. A well-tuned verification system will eliminate 90% of raids before they start.

Set up RestoreCord verification for free to add OAuth2 verification and member recovery to your Discord server today, or explore our pricing page for advanced firewall, VPN detection, and custom bot features.