Temporarily ban a Discord member and automatically unban them

Before you start

• Use an online bot with the Free Moderation module enabled in a server you manage. Test only with a consenting account in a disposable server.
• Give the moderator Ban Members and place the bot role above the test member’s role. Discord hierarchy can prevent a ban even when the moderator has the command permission.
• Choose a duration of at least one minute, such as 10m or 1h. Add a clear optional reason; the module uses its no-reason text when you omit one.

1. Enable Moderation and check Discord permissions

   Open your bot’s Modules tab, enable Moderation for the intended server and save. Use the normal regenerate and start flow if an existing bot needs the module, then wait until it is online.

   Before testing, confirm that the moderator has Ban Members and that the bot role is above the test member. The handler also checks whether the target is bannable and whether Discord role hierarchy permits both the moderator and bot to act.

2. Run one temporary ban with a duration

   Run /tempban user:@TestMember duration:10m reason:Cooling off. The member and duration are required; the reason is optional. With a typed prefix, the equivalent shape is !tempban @TestMember 10m Cooling off.

   The command requires a duration of at least one minute. It records the expiry with the moderation case, bans the member and replies with the member, duration, moderator, reason and expiration time. The ban request asks Discord to delete up to one day of recent messages.

3. Verify the scheduled unban

   For a disposable-server test, wait for the scheduled expiry, then confirm the member can join again. The module schedules the unban after it records the active temporary-ban case, and it marks that case inactive after its unban attempt.

   If the bot restarts, Moderation reloads active temporary-ban cases with expiration times. Expired cases are processed when the bot initializes; future cases are scheduled again. An outage can therefore delay an unban past its displayed expiry, so do not promise an exact second.

4. Handle an earlier unban or a failed action

   If staff need to end the ban early, use /unban user_id:DiscordUserID. That command requires Ban Members and cancels a pending temporary-unban timeout for that member. It expects the user ID, not a mention.

   If the tempban fails, recheck Ban Members, target bannability and role order before trying again. Do not substitute softban for a temporary ban: softban bans and immediately unbans to remove recent messages, while tempban keeps the member banned until the scheduled or manual unban.