Send and read messages

In Slack, conversations happen in channels and direct messages (DMs). To participate in a conversation, learn how to send and read messages. 

What makes a message

Messages can be more than just words. As you’re typing your message, use the icons below the message field to add attachments, formatting, and more:

  Add a file
  Show or hide formatting tools
  Add an emoji
  Mention someone

  Record a video clip
  Record an audio clip
  Use a shortcut

Send or schedule messages

You can send messages in real time, or schedule them to send later. If you start writing a message and don’t send it, it’ll automatically save as a draft.

Desktop

Mobile

1. Open the channel, DM, or thread you’d like to send a message to. Or, you can click the   plus button in the sidebar and select   Message.
2. From the   Messages tab, click the message field.
3. Type your message and add any attachments, emoji, mentions, or formatting you’d like.
4. Press Enter to send your message. Or click the  arrow icon next to the  paper plane icon to schedule it for later. 

1. Open the channel, DM, or thread you'd like to send a message to. Or, you can tap the   New message icon.
2. Tap the message field.
3. Type your message and add any attachments, emoji, mentions, or formatting you’d like.
4. Tap the  paper plane icon to send your message, or tap and hold the icon to schedule it for later.

Manage draft, scheduled, and sent messages

Desktop

Mobile

1. Click  Drafts & sent at the top of your sidebar to view any messages you've drafted, scheduled, or sent.
2. Select the Drafts, Scheduled, or Sent tab to view your messages.
   
   

You can hover over a draft or scheduled message to view options (like editing, deleting and more), or click a sent message to jump to the conversation.

Manage drafts

1. From the   Home tab, tap Drafts & Sent at the top.
2. Tap a message to open it, or tap and hold to delete, edit, schedule, or send it.

Manage scheduled messages

1. From the   Home tab, tap Drafts & Sent at the top.
2. Tap the Scheduled tab.
3. Tap and hold a message to to edit, reschedule, send, cancel, or delete it.

Tip: To delete your drafts in bulk, select Edit in the top-right corner, check the box next to the messages you’d like to delete, then select Delete.

Read new messages

Desktop

Mobile

A bold channel or DM in the sidebar in the   Home tab means there are unread messages in the conversation. Click the conversation name to view the unread messages.

You can also click Unreads at the top of your sidebar to see all your unread messages in one place.

A bold channel or DM in the   Home tab means there are unread messages in the conversation. Tap the conversation name to view the unread messages.

You can also tap   Catch Up to see all your unread messages in one place. To mark a message as read, swipe right. To mark it as unread so you can come back to it later, swipe left.

Note: You can mark messages as unread to come back to them later. Hover over a message, click the  three dots , then Mark unread (on mobile, tap and hold a message, then tap Mark unread).