Discord to bring back swipe gesture to view members list on Android and iOS

The long and winding road of Discord’s mobile app layout may soon see a happy ending for its loyal users. A journey that began with frustration over a new layout is now edging toward a resolution, as Discord hints at the return of the much-missed swipe to view members list gesture.

Back in December 2023, Discord rolled out a new mobile layout that, to put it mildly, didn’t sit well with its user base. Social media was ablaze with complaints, and many users voiced their dissatisfaction by canceling their Discord Nitro subscriptions. One of the main gripes? The removal of the swipe gesture that allowed users to quickly view the member list in their servers. In its place was a swipe-to-reply feature that many found cumbersome.

Discord remained tight-lipped about the feedback, leaving users to wonder if their voices were being heard. Fast forward to March 2024, and the company finally addressed the issue in their patch notes, announcing the return of the beloved swipe gesture. The changelog read:

However, the celebration was short-lived. Users quickly noticed that the feature was missing from the app, and all mentions of it were scrubbed from Discord’s in-app “What’s New” section and official blog. Discord took to X to clarify the situation:

“Apologies for the confusion there. To clarify, we’re working on improving the swiping experience on our mobile app based on feedback we’ve received. You may see changes coming in the near future, but can’t provide an exact ETA at this time. We really appreciate your patience!”

Months later, hope was reignited. On December 18, a Discord tipster revealed that the company is indeed working on bringing back the swipe to view members list on both Android and iOS. This would effectively replace the swipe-to-reply gesture. The tipster also suggested that users might soon have the option to choose between the two gestures in the settings menu, though this has not been officially confirmed.

In addition to the swipe gesture news, the tipster also teased a new feature for desktop and iOS users: the ability to force 12-hour or 24-hour time in Appearance settings. This, along with the recently introduced IGNORE user option, shows Discord’s commitment to enhancing user experience.

Some Discord users were pleased to see the looming return of the swipe to view members list gesture, noting that the new layout had been problematic and expressing hope that other beloved features would also make a comeback. Some users even called for the return of the classic mid-grey background color.

So here’s to hoping that this beloved feature will be here to stay this time.