New Discord Members Stuck in Onboarding Without Roles

Is this your situation?

The short answer

What you see, and why

Check these first

• Default Channels count At least 7 Default Channels must be selected to enable and preview the Onboarding setup.Verify: At least 5 of the Default Channels must allow @everyone to View and Send Messages.
• Unassigned channels The system will let admins know which channels haven't been assigned through Onboarding.Verify: Community Onboarding can be accessed in Server Settings > Onboarding.
• Customization Questions coverage Members answer Customization Questions to pick additional channels and roles.Verify: Most of a server's member channels should be included in either Default Channels or Questions.

How Discord handles this

• Default Channels are the channels all new members see in their channel list when joining the Community.
• When a member picks an answer to a Customization Question, they are granted the roles and channels tied to that answer.
• Channels not assigned to any Customization Questions still exist in the server but won't be assignable for new members going through onboarding.
• Members can adjust their answers to swap roles or channels at any time in a Channels & Roles tab above their channel list.

Which path applies to you?

1. Did the member join the server for the first time? Most of a server's member channels should be included in either Default Channels or Questions so that members can select them.
2. Did the member leave and rejoin the server? Members who leave a server and rejoin have to go through the onboarding process again.
3. Are fewer than 7 Default Channels selected? An admin must select at least 7 Default Channels to enable and preview Onboarding.
4. Is a channel visible to the member but not assignable? The channel exists but was not assigned to any Customization Question, so it won't be assignable through onboarding.

Step by step: finding the cause

1. Open Onboarding settings Community Onboarding can be accessed in Server Settings > Onboarding.Confirm: Check the Onboarding page for Default Channels and Customization Questions.
2. Count Default Channels An admin must have selected at least 7 Default Channels to enable and preview the Onboarding setup.Confirm: Check the Default Channels list for at least 7 entries.
3. Check @everyone access on Default Channels At least 5 of the Default Channels must allow @everyone to View and Send Messages.Confirm: Check permissions on each Default Channel for @everyone access.
4. Review Customization Questions Members answer Customization Questions to pick additional channels and roles.Confirm: Check whether the expected channel or role is tied to a Question.
5. Check for unassigned channels The system will let admins know which channels haven't been assigned through Onboarding.Confirm: The system will let admins know which channels haven't been assigned through Onboarding.
6. Confirm the member's join history Members who leave a server and rejoin have to go through the onboarding process again.Confirm: Check the Members page for when this member last joined.
7. Preview the onboarding flow Admins can use the Preview button at the top to test the look and feel of questions and answer options.Confirm: Check the preview against what the member reported seeing.

Common mistakes

• Leaving useful channels unassigned If channels are left out of onboarding, newer members may never find those channels.Why it happens: Most of a server's member channels should be included in Default Channels or Questions so members can select them.
• Treating existing channels as assignable Channels not assigned to any Customization Question still exist but won't be assignable through onboarding.Why it happens: You expect the channel to appear in onboarding because you remember creating it.
• Too many answer options Admins should avoid including too many answer options or members will feel overwhelmed.Why it happens: You keep adding choices because each one seems useful on its own.
• Expecting a rejoining member to skip onboarding Members who leave a server and rejoin have to go through the onboarding process again.Why it happens: You assume the member's prior answers were kept.

Quick reference

Keeping track of who has access