# DM Disable

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Premium only** — DM Disable requires a Premium subscription and a [Community server](https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/360047132851-Enabling-Your-Community-Server).
{% endhint %}

One of the most common attack vectors in Web3 communities is the direct message. Scammers message members with phishing links, fake giveaways, and impersonation attacks. DM Disable shuts this down entirely by blocking all member-to-member DMs across your server.

Once enabled, SecurityBot automatically maintains the restriction around the clock. There's nothing else to configure.

***

### What Happens When DMs Are Disabled

* **Regular members** cannot send DMs to other members of your server.
* **Friends** can still message each other normally.
* **Moderators** (anyone with Kick, Ban, Timeout, Manage Server, or Administrator permissions) can still DM members.
* **Bots and apps** continue to function normally.

***

### How It Works

Discord's Security Incidents API allows servers to temporarily disable DMs for up to 24 hours at a time. SecurityBot takes this further by automatically re-applying the restriction before it expires, making it effectively permanent.

If someone manually lifts the restriction through Discord's Safety Setup, SecurityBot detects the change and re-applies it within seconds. A notification is sent to your log channel when this happens.

***

### Enable DM Disable

1. Make sure your server is a [Discord Community server](https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/360047132851-Enabling-Your-Community-Server).
2. Ensure SecurityBot has the **Manage Server** permission.
3. Run the command:

```
/settings dms disable
```

You'll see a confirmation that DMs have been disabled. Admins and moderators will also see a banner at the top of their Discord client confirming the restriction is active.

***

### Disable DM Disable

To re-enable member DMs:

```
/settings dms enable
```

***

### Checking Status

Run `/settings view` to see the current state of DM Disable alongside your other settings.

***

### How Do I Stop Discord Activity Alerts?

When DM Disable is active, Discord may send **Activity Alerts** to your server. To manage these:

1. Go to **Server Settings** in Discord.
2. Navigate to **Safety Setup**.
3. Under **Raid Protection and CAPTCHA**, click **Edit**.
4. Choose a specific channel to receive alerts, or disable them entirely.

***

### Requirements

* **Premium** subscription
* **Community server** enabled in Discord
* SecurityBot must have the **Manage Server** permission

***

### What Happens on Downgrade

If your server is downgraded from Premium to Free while DM Disable is active, SecurityBot automatically re-enables DMs and clears the setting. No manual action is needed.

***

Next up: Learn about [Webhook Detection](/securitybot-knowledge-hub/bot-guide/scam-prevention-features/webhook-detection.md) for monitoring unauthorized integrations.


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