Guide to Slack notifications
Slack notifications keep you informed about things that need your attention. Whether you’re using Slack on your desktop or from your mobile device, learn how notifications work and how to customize them to suit your needs. 🔔
How Slack notifications work
When you first join a workspace, Slack will only notify you of messages directed at you. By default, here’s when you’ll receive notifications:
- You receive a direct message (DM)
- Someone replies to a thread you’re following
- Someone @mentions you or notifies a channel you’re in
- Someone uses one of your keywords
- You receive a reminder from Slackbot that only you can see
These settings apply to both desktop and mobile notifications until you make changes. You can customize your notification preferences for desktop, mobile, and specific channels from any device. Read on to learn how! If you’re having issues, skip ahead to Troubleshooting notifications.
Desktop notifications
Your default desktop notifications are automatically enabled as soon as you join a workspace. Use the steps below to customize your preferences.
⚙️ Notification triggers
By default, only @mentions, direct messages, and keywords will trigger a desktop notification. You can change this preference to include all messages sent to channels you're a member of, or nothing at all:
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Preferences from the menu.
- Under Notify me about, choose which activity Slack notifies you of.
Using Slack for Windows? By default, notifications are set to deliver via Slack for Windows 7, and via the Windows Action Center for Windows 10. Follow the instructions above to make changes.
⚙️ Notification sound and appearance
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Preferences from the menu.
- Under Sound & appearance, choose how notifications look, sound, and behave.
⚙️Badge notifications on the Slack icon
When you have an unread notification, you’ll see a badge in the top right corner of your desktop’s Slack app icon.
Mac
Windows
Linux
Default badge notifications
By default, unread activity will display a red badge on the Slack icon.
- • A dot means you have unread activity in one of your Slack workspaces.
- 3 A number means a teammate sent you a direct message, mentioned you or notified a channel you're in, or used one of your keywords.
If you'd like, you can remove the badge from the icon using the steps outlined below.
Set your badge notification preference
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Preferences from the menu.
- Under Sound & appearance, check or uncheck Show a badge • on Slack's icon to indicate new activity.
Tip: If you're a member of multiple workspaces, you can pick and choose the ones you'd like to see badge notifications for.
For Windows, you'll see badge notifications in two places: in your taskbar and in your notifications area.
Notifications area
When Slack is running, you’ll see a Slack icon in your notifications area.
- A blue badge means there's unread activity in one of your workspaces.
- A red badge means a teammate sent you a direct message, mentioned you, or used one of your keywords.
By default, your app is set to keep running in the notification area even when the window is closed. Choosing not to leave the app running will remove the Slack icon (and badges) from your notifications area. Here's how to do this:
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Preferences from the menu, then click Advanced.
- Under Other options, uncheck the box next to Leave app running in notification area when the window is closed.
Taskbar
In your taskbar, 3 a red badge means a teammate sent you a direct message, mentioned you, or used one of your keywords.
By default, the Slack icon will flash once when receiving a notification, but only if your computer has been idle for 10 seconds. You can choose to flash the Slack icon even when you're active:
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Preferences from the menu.
- Under Sound & appearance, check Flash window when receiving a notification.
Tip: To keep the Slack icon in the taskbar when the app window is closed, select Flash window when receiving a notification, but leave the second option unchecked.
Note: If your taskbar is set to small taskbar buttons, badges on the Slack icon will not be visible.
On Linux, you'll see badge notifications in your notifications area when the Slack app is running.
- A blue badge means there's unread activity in one of your workspaces.
- A red badge means a teammate sent you a direct message, mentioned you, or used one of your keywords.
By default, your app is set to keep running in the notification area even when the window is closed. Choosing not to leave the app running will remove the Slack icon (and badges) from your notifications area. Here's how to do this:
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Click the Linux App tab.
- Uncheck the box next to Leave app running in notification area when the window is closed.
Note: Badges, like this one 1, appear in your channel list whenever you're mentioned by a member.
Mobile notifications
To receive mobile notifications, download the Slack app for your smartphone or tablet and sign in to your workspace. You'll begin receiving mobile notifications as soon as the Slack desktop app is closed.
⚙️ Notification triggers
Desktop
iOS
Android
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Preferences from the menu.
- Your mobile notifications will match your desktop preferences by default. Check the box next to Use different settings for my mobile devices to make changes.
- Select your notification preference from the drop-down menu.
- Swipe left to open the right sidebar.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Choose your preference.
Tip: Message previews will display for each notification by default, but you can toggle Show Previews off if you’d like.
- Tap the three dots icon.
- Tap Settings.
- Under Notifications, tap Settings.
- Tap On mobile, notify me about... to change which messages send notifications.
⚙️Notification sound and appearance
iOS
Android
- Swipe left to open the right sidebar.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Tap Sound and make a selection.
- Tap the three dots icon.
- Under Notifications, tap Settings.
- Tap Settings, then System Options.
- Tap Sound and make a selection. (For Android 9 users, tap Advanced, then select Sound).
Keep in mind: This option is not available on Huawei devices.
⚙️From desktop to mobile: notification timing
If you’re actively using the desktop app, we won’t send you duplicate mobile notifications. Once you’re no longer active, you can choose when you’d like to start receiving notifications on mobile.
Desktop
iOS
Android
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Preferences from the menu, then click Notifications.
- Select your timing under When I'm not active on desktop...
- Swipe left to open the right sidebar.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Tap Notify Me on Mobile.
- Select your mobile notification timing.
- Tap the three dots icon.
- Tap Settings.
- Under Notifications, tap Settings.
- Tap Start mobile notifications.
- Choose your mobile notification timing.
Channel-specific & group DM notifications
You can set specific notification preferences for any channel or group direct message (DM) on both desktop and mobile. Choose when to get notifications or to mute activity altogether.
Desktop
iOS
Android
- Open the channel.
- Click the gear icon to the left of the search field to open the Channel Settings menu.
- Select Notification preferences.
- Choose your preferences for desktop and mobile.
- Click Done.
Note: Review all channel-specific settings by clicking your workspace name in the top left. Then choose Preferences from the menu and scroll to Channel-specific notifications.
- Tap the channel name in the header to view the menu.
- Tap Notifications.
- Choose your preference for the channel.
Note: To review all channel-specific settings, go to Settings. Tap Notifications, then Channel-specific notifications.
- Tap the channel name in the header to view the menu.
- Tap Notifications.
- Tap Send notifications.
- Choose your preference for the channel.
Note: To review all channel-specific settings, go to Settings. Tap Notifications, then Channel-specific notifications.
Mobile notifications: Channel notification preferences align with your mobile notification timing preferences.
Tip: Some channels are noisier than others. Try muting a channel for a little peace and quiet. 🕊
Email notifications
By default, you'll get email notifications if you're not actively using Slack and you're mentioned or sent a direct message. Here's how to change your preference:
- From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Preferences from the menu.
- Under When I'm not active on desktop, check or uncheck Send me email notifications. If checked, click change to choose how often notifications are delivered.
Tip: Looking to turn off notifications temporarily? Just click the bell icon next to your workspace name and choose how long you'd like to snooze notifications.
Troubleshooting notifications
If you think your notifications are stuck, delayed, or not showing up at all, click on one of the articles below to begin troubleshooting. We’ll figure this out together!