Overview
- Discord has turned on end-to-end encryption by default for all voice and video calls across desktop, mobile, web and consoles and says users do not need to opt in.
- The change uses DAVE, an open-source audio/video E2EE protocol that was externally audited and extended to all client platforms during a months-long migration completed in early March 2026.
- Discord is actively removing client code that allows unencrypted fallbacks and warns that once that code is gone calls will no longer be able to revert to plaintext.
- The default E2EE excludes Stage channels and does not cover text messages, with the company saying many text features rely on server-side processing and there are no current plans to encrypt text.
- The rollout strengthens call privacy for users but leaves outstanding concerns over Discord’s planned late-2026 age-verification rules and past incidents that exposed government ID images, and it contrasts with other major platforms that have stepped back from E2EE for messaging.