Reference
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the things people ask most. If yours is not here, the support server is the fastest way to get it answered.
Does KeyBot cost anything?
No. Adding KeyBot to your server and running giveaways is free.
Can other members see the key someone claimed?
No. Every reply to /claim is ephemeral, which means Discord shows it only to the person who ran the command and never posts it in the channel. /keys and the keys page on the web show a member only their own keys. Server managers can look up keys through the dashboard, which is the only way to see someone else's.
A member says they cannot claim. What do I check?
KeyBot always tells them why, so start by asking what the message said. In order of how often it turns out to be the cause:
- The pool is private. Visibility is the switch that opens a drop.
- They are missing a required role. The message lists exactly which ones.
- They have already claimed their limit from that pool.
- The pool is out of keys.
- They are banned, either from that pool or from the whole server.
If they see nothing at all when they type /claim, the commands have probably not synced yet. Reloading Discord usually fixes it.
What if a member has direct messages turned off?
Self-claiming still works, because /claim replies in the channel rather than by DM. Moderator grants do not: /grant and /grantrole both deliver by direct message, and if that fails you are told. Be aware the key is spent even when the message could not be delivered.
Can I take a key back after it has been claimed?
No. Once issued, a key is marked as claimed and stays attached to that member. You can look up who has it, but there is no way to return it to the pool. Import a replacement instead.
Can I run several giveaways at once?
Yes. Create one pool per giveaway. Each has its own keys, its own role gate, its own limit, and its own visibility, so you can open and close them independently.
Does KeyBot check that my keys are valid?
No. KeyBot stores whatever strings you upload and hands them out in the order it picks them. It cannot tell a real Steam key from a typo. Check your file before importing, and keep an eye out for stray spaces or characters pasted from a spreadsheet, because they become part of the key.
What is the difference between a Steam pool and a custom pool?
Steam pools deliver each key with a Steam activation link so it can be redeemed in one click. Custom pools deliver the key on its own, which is what you want for itch.io, Epic, GOG, beta invites, or anything that is not a Steam product key. The type is set on the pool, so use two pools if you have both.
What happens if I import the same file twice?
Nothing bad. Keys already in that pool are skipped and the count of skipped duplicates is reported. Be careful about the other direction though: if the same key appears twice inside one file, it is imported twice and can be handed to two people.
What happens to my data if I remove KeyBot?
Your server's pools, keys, and bans are held for seven days. Re-add the bot within that window and everything is exactly as you left it. After seven days the data is permanently deleted.
Why can I not see my server in the dashboard?
You need the Manage Server permission on it, and KeyBot has to be in it. If you have only just gained the permission or only just added the bot, give it a minute: your server list is cached briefly to stay within Discord's rate limits.
Are the commands I use going away?
The commands your members use are staying. /claim, /keys, /pools, /docs, /info, and /invite are not being removed, and neither are /grant and /grantrole. The eleven server-management commands are being retired in favour of the dashboard. The command reference lists exactly which.