Does closing a DM on Discord delete the messages from both users' sides?

When you close a Direct Message (DM) on Discord, the messages from both sides are not deleted. Closing a DM simply hides the conversation from your view, but the messages are still kept on Discord's servers and remain accessible when you reopen the conversation.

To close a DM on Discord:

On Mobile:

1. Open the Discord mobile app and go to the home page.
2. Find the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines) on the upper left of the current channel and tap it.
3. Tap the three dots icon on the upper right of the screen.
4. Select "Close DM" to close the DM.

On PC/Laptop:

1. Log in to Discord on the desktop app or website.
2. Right-click the chat you want to close on the home tab.
3. Choose "Close DM" to close the DM.

Note that closing a DM removes it from your visible chat history, but the other party can still see the messages and message you. The messages are only deleted from both sides if both parties manually close the DM on their Discord accounts.

References:

1. Does closing a DM on Discord remove the messages ... - Quora
2. Does Closing DM on Discord Remove Messages from Both Sides?
3. Does Discord Delete Messages on Both Sides? [Find The Truth] - Alvaro Trigo's Blog