Discord has just rolled out end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for audio and video calls for its users. They are calling this DAVE, but what does that mean for you, how does it work, and how does it improve your experience? Let’s break it down in simple terms.
What is End-to-End Encryption?
End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is like having a secret conversation that only you and the person you’re talking to can hear. No one else, not even Discord, can listen in. This is because the data (your voice or video) is turned into a scrambled secret code before it’s sent, and only the person receiving it can unlock it with a special key. All of this happens in the background though so neither sender nor receiver needs to do anything.
Think of it like sending a locked box. You have the key to lock it, and only the person you’re chatting with has the key to unlock it. Anyone trying to intercept that box on its way like an internet provider, VPN service, or even Discord won’t be able to open it.
Then, What is DAVE?
Discord calls its new E2EE feature DAVE (Discord Advanced Voice Encryption). It’s a cute name for a serious feature. When you start a one-on-one voice or video call on Discord, DAVE takes care of the encryption automatically in the background. You don’t have to press any buttons or activate anything. It’s just there, silently making sure your conversation stays private. But incase if you are wondering what happens in the background, take a look at the explainer below.
Discord is using four main components that come together to form the DAVE protocol.
- WebRTC Encoded Transforms: DAVE encrypts audio and video using WebRTC encoded transforms, breaking them into “frames” (small parts of the conversation). These frames are scrambled (encrypted) and can only be unscrambled with a special key, which is shared only with people on the call.
- Key Exchange: Messaging Layer Security (MLS): Each time someone joins or leaves a call, a new encryption key is created. This ensures that only current participants can access the call’s data. Every time the group changes, the encryption key updates, keeping the call secure.
- Identity Key Pairs and User Verification: Each person in the call has a unique key, like a digital fingerprint, using ECDSA. You can verify the identity of others by comparing Verification Codes during the call. By default, these keys are temporary for that session, but you can choose to reuse them so you don’t have to verify again and again.
- Protocol Version and Group Transitions: End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is only available if all participants support it. If someone without E2EE joins, the call temporarily switches to regular encryption, reverting back to E2EE once they leave.
In short, Discord’s DAVE protocol ensures that your conversations are private and only available to those in the call, while making sure the security adapts smoothly if needed.
How to Use Discord’s E2EE Feature
When starting a voice or video call, you don’t need to enable E2EE manually—it’s automatically enabled if the feature is available for your conversation. Discord will notify you when the call is encrypted with a green lock icon, signifying that E2EE is active. However, the feature is rolling out slowly, so if anyone does not have access to E2EE or using an older version of Discord app, then your calls will not be E2E encrypted. Also, now DAVE is only available on video and audio calls in DMs and voice channels but will come to Go Live streaming in the future.
During a call, participants can verify the encryption by checking a privacy code. This is a numeric code that appears for everyone in the call. If the codes match, it means the conversation is secure, and nobody is eavesdropping. This verification step is optional but recommended if you’re particularly concerned about privacy.
Discord also offers a feature known as persistent verification keys. This allows you to verify a participant once and use the same keys with that person for future calls. So you don’t have to verify the privacy codes again.
What’s Next for Discord’s Encryption?
While DAVE is a game-changer for audio and video encryption, it’s just the beginning. Discord plans to roll out E2EE to more features over time, including Go Live streams, ensuring that even public-facing broadcasts can benefit from the same level of privacy. However, there’s no sign of end-to-end encryption for the Discord chats in DMs and text channels in servers. But for now, DAVE is one of the best industry-standard ways of implementing E2EE.
