Bot permissions
What the bot can do, and why
When you add GuildVault, Discord shows a list of permissions. Here's what each one is for — nothing more is requested.
Who can use GuildVault on a server
Only people with Manage Server or Administrator on that Discord server. We check this with Discord again right before every backup and restore — if someone loses those rights, they lose access in GuildVault too.
Why each permission is needed
View Channels
See the channels and categories it's copying.
Manage Channels
Recreate categories and channels, and their permission overwrites, during a restore.
Manage Roles
Recreate roles and their colors, permissions and order. It can only edit roles below its own.
Manage Server
Restore the server name, icon, banner, verification level, AFK settings, auto-mod rules, onboarding and welcome screen.
Manage Expressions
Re-upload emoji, stickers and soundboard sounds.
Manage Webhooks
Recreate webhooks, and repost pinned or archived messages under the original author's name.
Ban Members
Restore the ban list — only when your backup includes it.
Read Message History, Send Messages, Embed Links, Manage Messages
Save and restore pins and the optional message archive.
No Administrator needed
GuildVault deliberately doesn't ask for Administrator. A bot with just the permissions above, placed high enough in your role list, is safer and easier to understand.What Discord doesn't let any bot restore
- Server boost level and boosts
- The member list itself — people have to rejoin through an invite
- The original authors and timestamps of messages (reposted messages show a BOT tag)
- Threads, and other bots' own settings
- Member roles are only given back on a same-server restore, to people who are still in the server
Everything else in your backup can be put back.