Send and read messages

In Slack, conversations happen in channels and direct messages (DMs). To join 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
  Record a video clip
  Record an audio clip

  Add an emoji
  Mention someone
  Show or hide formatting tools

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 or DM you’d like to send a message to, or click the
     compose button.
2. 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 or DM you'd like to send a message to.
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.

Note: It's not possible to schedule a reply to a thread.

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.
   
   

Tip: 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 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 Scheduled at the top.
2. Tap and hold a message to to edit, reschedule, send, cancel, or delete it.

Read new messages

Desktop

Mobile

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

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).