Discord requires message content access to forward a message
What changed
On April 14, 2026 Discord started requiring applications to be able to read a message's content in order to forward it. An application forwarding a message it cannot read receives error code 160014 with the message "You cannot forward a message whose content you cannot read." Discord says most applications are not affected and that recently affected ones were notified by system DM.
What it means
A bot that cannot read a message's content can no longer forward it and gets error 160014.
Who is affected
Bots that forward or cross-post messages between Discord channels without the message content intent.
What to do by 14 Apr 2026
Make sure the bot can read the content of messages it forwards, normally through the MESSAGE_CONTENT privileged intent, and handle error code 160014.
What this means for you
Discord now only lets a bot forward a message if the bot is allowed to read what the message says. If a bot shares posts from one channel to another and lacks that permission, sharing stops working. Most bots are not affected.
The details
- Since: April 14, 2026, effective the same day.
- Rule: "applications must be able to read a message's content in order to forward it."
- Error: code
160014, "You cannot forward a message whose content you cannot read." - Reading content: per the gateway docs, apps without the
MESSAGE_CONTENTprivileged intent get empty content fields, except for messages the app sent, DMs with the app, messages that mention the app and the target of a message context menu command. Access rules for privileged intents changed on June 10, 2026 (our entry). - Notice: Discord notified recently affected apps by system DM.
- Background: forwarding launched in July 2024 (our entry).
What to do next
- Business owners: Nothing, unless a Discord bot that shares posts between your channels stopped working in April 2026.
- Marketers and agencies: If cross-posting in Discord broke, ask the bot's maker whether it has message content access.
- Developers: Catch
160014, fall back to re-posting the content you already hold, and request the message content intent if forwarding is a core feature.
Primary sources
- Discord Developer change log: Message Forwarding Requires Message Content Access (April 14, 2026)
- Discord Developer docs: Message reference types
- Discord Developer docs: Message Content Intent
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