# Discord Priority Speaker: what it does and how to use it

Source: https://www.nocapbots.com/blog/discord-priority-speaker
Published: 2026-11-07
Updated: 2026-11-07
Topic: Guides

> Priority Speaker lowers everyone else's volume in the channel while you hold a separate priority push-to-talk key. It needs push to talk, the permission on a role or channel, and the desktop app. Guilds give it to callers and party leaders so the voice that matters cuts through.

## What it does

When someone with Priority Speaker holds their priority key, Discord turns down everyone else in the channel so they're heard over the noise. Let go and the volume comes back. Nothing happens on the normal push-to-talk key or on voice activity.

## Give it to a role (admins)

1. **Pick the role.** Server Settings → Roles → the role, for example Party Leader or Shot Caller.
2. **Allow Priority Speaker.** Under the voice permissions, switch on **Priority Speaker**.
3. **Or only in some channels.** To limit it, leave it off on the role and allow it in each channel's permissions instead — for example only in party channels.

## Use it (members)

1. **Switch to push to talk.** User Settings → Voice & Video → Input mode: **Push to Talk**. Priority Speaker doesn't work with voice activity.
2. **Bind the priority key.** User Settings → Keybinds → Add a keybind → **Push to Talk (Priority)**, and record a button.
3. **Keep a normal key too.** Bind **Push to Talk (Normal)** to another button for everyday talking.

> **Note: Desktop app only.** Keybinds live in the Discord desktop app. On mobile and in the browser there's no priority key to hold.

## How guilds use it

- **Callers in a busy channel.** The caller's voice cuts through thirty people talking.
- **Party leaders reaching the caller.** With Voice Relay, a party leader's priority key is the signal to carry their voice back to the callers' channel, while their normal key stays in their party. That's [talk back](https://www.nocapbots.com/docs/voice-relay/talk-back.md); the leader's checklist is [set up your priority key in five minutes](https://www.nocapbots.com/blog/party-leader-priority-key.md).

## If it isn't working

| Symptom | Check |
| --- | --- |
| Nothing gets quieter | You're on voice activity, or you pressed the normal key. Switch to push to talk and use the priority bind. |
| Only you hear everyone quieter | You don't have the permission in this channel. Ask an admin to allow it on your role or the channel. |
| The priority key does nothing at all | You're on mobile or the browser, or the keybind isn't recorded. Use the desktop app. |

Talk back still not reaching the caller? The relay's checklist is in [troubleshooting](https://www.nocapbots.com/docs/voice-relay/troubleshooting.md#priority-key).

## Put it into practice

- [Talk back: let party leaders reach the caller](https://www.nocapbots.com/docs/voice-relay/talk-back.md): Set up Discord Priority Speaker so party leaders can talk to the caller with a priority push-to-talk key while their normal key stays in their squad.
- [Troubleshooting Voice Relay](https://www.nocapbots.com/docs/voice-relay/troubleshooting.md): Fix common Voice Relay problems: /start won't run, nobody hears the caller, a bot can't access a channel, a full channel, an offline bot or a dead priority key.