The answer is
It was clumsy. It lowered the volume of all applications, not just Discord. If you were playing a game, you went deaf there too. Furthermore, other users could still see your "deafen" icon if Discord's client state glitched. Because BetterDiscord injects code directly into Discord's memory, Discord’s auto-updater would break the plugin weekly. Eventually, Discord scanned for BetterDiscord injections and flagged accounts for Terms of Service violations. Vencord’s "FakeDeafen" Vencord, a more modern client mod, had a feature that attempted to route Discord's audio to a silent virtual audio cable. This is the most technically sound approach, but it is still a client mod . Using it violates Discord's ToS, and while Discord rarely bans for client mods, they have started issuing warnings. More importantly, it requires installing a separate virtual audio driver (like VB-Cable), which is a pain for casual users. The Uncomfortable Truth: You Cannot Hide The Deafen Icon After analyzing the landscape, the conclusion is clear: You cannot hide the deafen icon from other users if you use the native Deafen button. discord fake deafen plugin
Discord built the Deafen icon to solve a problem from the Skype/TeamSpeak era: "Is that person ignoring us, or is their headset broken?" The Deafen icon provides . If you see someone is deafened, you know they cannot hear you. You stop talking to them. You don't get frustrated. The answer is It was clumsy
If you have spent any time in intense gaming lobbies, large community voice chats, or remote work huddles on Discord, you have likely encountered the age-old dilemma: you need a break, but you don’t want to be rude. Furthermore, other users could still see your "deafen"
Stay safe, stay honest, and turn down that volume knob. Your ears—and your account security—will thank you.