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Linked channels

Linked channels bridge two or more channels in the same server so a conversation can happen across languages. Post in one channel and your message is translated and reposted into every other channel in the group, as you (a webhook repost with your name and avatar), in that channel's language. It's the multi-channel cousin of channel auto-translate: auto-translate translates one channel in place; linked channels mirror messages between channels.

A classic setup is a pair of language rooms, for example #english and #português: people write in whichever room they prefer, and everyone sees every message in their room's language.

Groups and languages

Linked channels are organised into groups. Every channel you add belongs to a named group (default main) and has one target language. When someone posts in a channel, the bot translates the message into the language of every other channel in the same group and reposts it there, skipping any channel whose language already matches the message.

  • Channels in different groups don't bridge to each other, so you can run several independent bridges in one server (e.g. a general group and a support group).
  • A message is translated once per destination language; a channel already in the message's language is left alone.

Setting it up

From the dashboard, open the Servers page → Linked channels, or use the /link command:

  • /link add channel:#english language:English group:main: add a channel to a group with its language. Repeat for each channel in the bridge (at least two).
  • /link remove channel:#english: remove a channel from its group.
  • /link list: show the current groups and their channels.

The bot needs Manage Webhooks in every linked channel (it reposts through a "Low's Translator" webhook, the same mechanism auto-translate uses). Threads inside a linked channel are bridged too, using the parent channel's configuration, when "translate inside threads" is on for the server.

Billing

Linked-channel translations are billed to the server plan owner: the one account whose plan governs the server's caps (by default the Discord server owner; an admin can be chosen on the Servers page). The plan owner's character cap, plan limits, and the "AI engines are uncapped" rule all apply, exactly like channel auto-translate. If the plan owner runs out of metered characters the bridge pauses and DMs them, unless the engine is an AI engine (OpenAI or Gemini), which keeps going. The per-server auto-translate engine setting is also used for linked channels.

Emoji, reactions, and media

A bridge is meant to carry a real conversation, so content with nothing to translate is still relayed:

  • Emoji, custom emoji, and short reactions (e.g. xD, 응) are always mirrored across the bridge as-is.
  • Images and GIFs are relayed when media bridging is enabled for the server (Servers → Linked channels → "Allow images to bridge"). Uploaded images are screened for explicit content first, Tenor/Giphy GIF links are re-embedded, and media from age-gated (NSFW) channels is never bridged. This is a best-effort filter, not a guarantee.

Appearance and access

  • Style: linked-channel reposts use the server's linked-channels message style (default Compact). Change it on the Servers page or in /serverconfig. See Message styling.
  • Access control: the server blocklist and optional required role apply to linked channels too (whose messages get bridged). Configure with /access or the Servers page. See Settings & server config.
  • No pings: like every translated message, bridged reposts never ping anyone; mentions are stripped.

What it skips

To avoid double-translating, linked channels leave alone:

  • Messages already in a destination channel's language.
  • /duo threads (they translate themselves).
  • The bot's own webhook reposts (so a bridge can't loop).

One conversation, both sides

Bridges behave like a single conversation, not a copy machine:

  • Replies to a bridged message carry a small quote line on the other side, with an "open" link that jumps to that channel's own copy.
  • Reactions are mirrored across a message's copies (on by default; toggle "Bridge reactions" on the Servers page). The mirrored reaction is placed by the bot.
  • Edits to the original re-translate and update every copy, in every channel.
  • Deleting a message deletes its copies everywhere. Deleting only a translated copy never touches the original.
  • Same-language messages are mirrored as-is rather than skipped, so short messages ("ok", "lol") always reach the other side, just without a translation tag.
  • Stickers and forwarded messages are relayed too: stickers as their image, forwards with a small "Forwarded" note.

Mirrored threads

Opening a thread in a linked channel creates a matching thread in every receiving channel, attached to the bridged copy of the message where possible, with a translated name. Messages inside bridged threads flow thread to thread. Controlled by the server's "translate inside threads" toggle.

Inactivity pausing

If a linked channel goes 72 hours without a single human message or reaction, bridging into it pauses: the bot posts one notice there ("Bridging paused due to inactivity") with a Catch up button. Any message or reaction in the channel turns the bridge back on automatically, and a short translated digest of the latest missed messages is posted so the conversation makes sense again; the Catch up button does the same immediately. After a resume, the channel won't re-pause for at least 24 hours.

For channels that are quiet by design (read-only announcement feeds), admins can set "Always bridge (never pause)" per channel in /serverconfig under Linked channels.

One-way bridges

Each linked channel has a direction (the blue pill on the Servers page, also shown by /link list):

  • Both (default): sends and receives.
  • Send only (⇡): posts here bridge out, but nothing is posted in. Perfect as the source of an announcements mirror.
  • Receive only (⇣): gets translations, but its own messages don't bridge.

Status at a glance

/link list shows every group with each channel's language and direction, plus a footer with the server's bridge features (media, reactions, AI context, threads). The dashboard's Linked channels tab shows the same as status chips.

Context-aware AI translations (Max)

Max servers can enable context-aware AI translations for linked channels (dashboard → your server → AI context). The AI engines then see the recent bridged conversation — across every channel in the group — so replies keep their meaning and tone in both languages. Same privacy rules as auto-translate context: memory-only for minutes, never stored, opted-out members excluded.