# How to Add Discord Chat to Your TV Channel

> Let your viewers chat live while watching your channel. Takes about 5 minutes.

<!--
Source: https://my-tv-channel.com/how-to-discord-tv-channel/
Site: My TV Channel - https://my-tv-channel.com
Published: 2026-07-03
Summary: Step-by-step guide to add a live Discord chat overlay to your TV channel in the My TV Channel app.
-->

## Create a Discord Server

1. Go to [discord.com](https://discord.com) and sign up (or log in)
2. Click the **+** button in the left sidebar
3. Choose **"Create My Own"** then **"For me and my friends"**
4. Name your server (e.g. "My Channel Community")
5. Click **"Create"**

You now have a server with a default `#general` text channel.

## Add WidgetBot to Your Server

WidgetBot is the free bot that powers the chat widget in your TV channel's player.

Add WidgetBot to Discord

1. Click the button above (or go to [add.widgetbot.io](https://add.widgetbot.io))
2. Select your server from the dropdown
3. Click **"Authorize"**

## Get Your Server ID and Channel ID

**Easiest method:** Open your Discord server in a browser. The IDs are right in the URL:

discord.com/channels/SERVER_ID/CHANNEL_ID

> Alternative method:
>
> Enable Developer Mode in Discord (Settings → Advanced → Developer Mode ON), then right-click your server name → "Copy Server ID" and right-click the channel → "Copy Channel ID".

## Enter the IDs in My TV Channel

1. Open the **My TV Channel** app on iOS or macOS
2. Go to the **Publisher** tab
3. Scroll down to the settings area (below Web Player and Public Channel)
4. In **Community Chat**:
  - Set **Platform** to "Discord"
  - Paste your **Server ID**
  - Paste your **Channel ID**
5. Press Return to save

## That's It!

Your viewers will now see a **chat bubble icon** on the video player. Tapping it opens a live Discord chat overlay on top of the video.

- **iOS & macOS** — Full chat: read and post messages
- **Apple TV** — Read-only chat display

Viewers can log in with their Discord account to post, or read messages without logging in.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Do my viewers need Discord?**  
 No. Anyone can read chat messages. To post, they'll need to log in with a Discord account (free).

**Is WidgetBot free?**  
 Yes, the core features are free. Premium features like custom themes are optional.

**Can I use a specific channel instead of #general?**  
 Yes! Create any text channel in your Discord server and use its Channel ID instead.

**How do I remove the chat?**  
 Set the Platform back to "None" in your channel settings. The chat button will disappear from the player.