To see a hidden chat in Discord, the usual fix is to search for the person or server channel name and reopen it from the search results. If you hid a DM, it often comes back when you start a new message to that user or open the DM from your friends list.

Try this first

  1. Use Discordā€™s search bar and type the username or a keyword from the chat.
  1. Open the profile or conversation result if it appears.
  1. On desktop, check the Direct Messages area and look for a ā€œsee allā€ or similar list of chats if your app version shows it.
  1. On mobile, make sure muted chats or channels are not being hidden by your display settings.

If it is a server channel

  • Hidden server channels are usually hidden because you do not have permission, so you cannot truly ā€œunlockā€ them through normal settings.
  • If the channel is only muted or collapsed, turning off ā€œHide Muted Channelsā€ can make it visible again.
  • If you are trying to view channels you do not have access to, that is a permission issue rather than a chat being hidden.

Important limit

If a chat was actually deleted, it generally cannot be restored through normal Discord navigation.