"Enable Your DMs": Why You Cannot Apply on a Discord Server

You found the server, you read the rules, you press Apply and the bot answers with something like this:

That is Mico's exact wording, and nothing is wrong with your application. You have not been refused. The bot simply cannot reach you, and it needs to.

Why does the bot need to message me?

On many Discord servers, applications do not happen in a channel. They happen in a private conversation between you and the bot, so nobody else sees your answers and you can take your time.

When you press Apply, the bot first tries to send you a DM with the start of the application. If Discord refuses to deliver it, the bot stops there and tells you why. It does not start an application you cannot reach.

Discord refuses that DM for one of a few reasons:

• You switched off DMs from members of that server
• You switched off DMs from server members for all new servers
• You blocked the bot at some point
• Discord had a brief hiccup (rare; pressing Apply again fixes it)

The first one is by far the most common.

How do I turn on DMs for one server?

You do not have to open your DMs to everyone. You can allow them for just the server you are applying to.

On a computer:

On a phone: tap the server's name at the top of the channel list, find the Direct Messages switch in that server's settings, and turn it on. Then go back and press Apply.

If you also blocked Mico at some point, unblock it from its profile. A blocked bot cannot message you even with the switch on.

After that, pressing Apply shows a short reply instead: "Your application is waiting in your DMs." with an Open it button that takes you straight there.

What does the application look like in my DMs?

Once the DM arrives, you get a short intro: which server and panel, how many questions, and how long you have before an unfinished application closes by itself. Press Start and the questions come one at a time.

Each question shows whether it is required, how long your answer can be, and what you wrote so far. You can go back and change any answer until you press Send. Before sending you can press Check my answers to read the whole thing once more.

Why else would Apply say no?

DMs are only one reason. After you press Start in your DMs, the bot checks the server's rules for that panel. If one of them stops you, it tells you which. These are the messages, word for word, and what each one means:

The numbers in the messages (hours, days) are set by each server, so yours may differ. Mico counts how long you have been in that server, not how old your Discord account is.

Servers set these rules to stop spam and repeat applications. If you run a server and want to know how they fit together, stopping spam applications with cooldowns and required roles explains each one.

What if the Apply button is grey or does nothing?

A grey Apply button that cannot be pressed means the panel is paused. That is a choice by the server's staff, not a fault on your side.

If the button looks normal but Discord shows "This interaction failed", the bot may be restarting or briefly offline. Wait a minute and try again. You can check whether Mico is running on its status page.

Can I apply on the website instead?

Yes, and if you do not want to open your DMs, this is the simplest way.

Under every Mico panel there is a View Online button next to Apply. It opens the same application on micoapp.io:

1. Sign in with Discord (the server needs to know it is you)
2. The page tells you right away whether you can apply, and if not, why
3. Answer the questions in the browser, one at a time
4. Check your answers and press Send

You still need to be a member of the server, and the same rules apply as on the Apply button. The website just skips the DM. Server admins can read more in how to let members apply from a website.

How do I check or withdraw what I sent?

You can come back to your application at any time from your DMs with Mico. Type /application there, and pick it from the list.

What you can do depends on where it is:

Once you press Send, your answers cannot be changed. If you spot a mistake, the only option is to withdraw it while it is still waiting and, if the server allows it, apply again.

An application you started but did not finish closes by itself after some hours without an answer. The bot tells you when that happens, and the intro message says how long you have.

What the bot cannot do for you

Once your DMs are on and the application has started, the rest is up to your answers. If it is a staff application, how to write a Discord staff application that gets accepted is worth a read before you press Send.