What is Account Linking?
Account linking connects a player’s Discord account to their account in your game. Once linked, players gain access to their Discord friends list, game invites, Rich Presence, and voice directly inside your game. This link persists across sessions — players authenticate once and won’t need to re-link unless your OAuth2 scopes change. Players who aren’t ready to link (or don’t have a Discord account yet) can still use social features through provisional accounts. When they do link later, their friends, DM history, and lobby memberships transfer automatically. Account linking is also important for Social Commerce in Discord communities — players with linked accounts can claim in-game items purchased or received as gifts from Discord Game Shops.Why Account Linking Matters
For Players
Account linking transforms Discord from a second-screen utility into a personalized gaming companion:
- Seamless social experiences: Access Discord friends and game invites from inside your game.
- Rich Presence: Show detailed game status and activity to friends.
- Social Commerce: Claim in-game items purchased or gifted from Discord Game Shops.
For Developers
Linked players are demonstrably more engaged:
- Play more often — median game launch days increase by 25%
- Play longer — median session length increase of 16%
- Retain better — median D28 retention increase of 34%
How Account Linking Works
Account linking is built on OAuth2, an industry-standard authorization protocol. Here’s what happens when a player links their account:Player authorizes
Discord shows the player an OAuth modal asking them to authorize your game and the requested scopes.
Discord provides an access token
After the player approves, Discord gives your game a temporary access token as proof of authorization.
You don’t need to implement OAuth2 from scratch. The Discord Social SDK handles the authorization flow, token management, and API communication. Web Flow uses standard OAuth2, which most web frameworks support out of the box.
GetDefaultPresenceScopes— for presence and friendsGetDefaultCommunicationScopes— for messaging, lobbies, and voice
Two Ways to Link
| Game Flow | Web Flow | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Player authorizes from inside your game via the Discord client, overlay, or browser | Player authorizes through a web page on any device |
| Requires | Discord Social SDK | Standard OAuth2 implementation |
| Platforms | Desktop, Mobile, Console | All platforms that support web |
| Player experience | Seamless, stays in-game context | Opens a browser or web page |
Once a player links through either method, they’re linked for both. You can start with one flow and add the other later — players won’t need to re-link.
Implementing Account Linking
Linking from Your Game
Use the Discord Social SDK to let players link their accounts directly from your game:Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Guide on implementing account linking from your desktop game using the Social SDK.
Mobile (iOS, Android)
Guide on implementing account linking from your mobile game using the Social SDK.
Console (PlayStation, Xbox)
Guide on implementing account linking from your console game using the Social SDK.
Linking from the Web
Use a standard OAuth2 flow to let players link their accounts through a web page. This doesn’t require the Social SDK and works well if you already have web infrastructure. Web Flow is the primary method for enabling Social Commerce features like Game Shops.OAuth2 Documentation
Guide on implementing the standard OAuth2 web flow for account linking.
Linking from Discord Entry Points
Discord entry points are buttons and prompts that Discord displays throughout the client, encouraging players to link their account with your game — even when the game isn’t running. When a player uses a Discord entry point, Discord determines which flow to use:- Game Flow — used if the game is running and the developer has called
RegisterAuthorizeRequestCallbackin the Social SDK - Web Flow — used if a Connection Entrypoint URL is configured in the Developer Portal
- Game Detection — Discord detects the player is playing your game and offers an entry point to link
- Game Invites — players can optionally link when receiving an invite for your game
- Claiming Game Shop Items — players need to link when redeeming items from your Game Shop
Configuring Web Flow to work from official Discord entry points is currently available to select partners. Contact Discord if you’re interested in enabling this for your game.
Account Linking from Discord Entry Points
Guide on enabling Discord entry points so players can link from within the Discord client.
Provisional Accounts
Players who don’t have Discord, or who choose not to link yet, can still use social features through provisional accounts. They can add friends, join lobbies, send messages, and use voice chat without a Discord account. When they later link a Discord account, their friends, DM history, and lobby memberships transfer automatically. Learn more in the Provisional Accounts guideNext Steps
Social Layer for Games
Discover the Discord-powered social features that account linking unlocks for your game.
Design Guidelines
Best practices for designing the account linking experience in your game.
Getting Started
Step-by-step integration guides for C++, Unity, and Unreal Engine.