Direct messages
Direct messages (DMs) are conversations with other users that happen outside
of a channel. They are convenient for 1:1 and
small group conversations.
If you find yourself frequently conversing with the same person or group, it
often works best to create a private channel for your
conversations. This lets you organize your discussion into topics, and subscribe
or unsubscribe people as needed.
Send a DM
-
Click the plus ()
button next to the direct messages heading in the left sidebar, or
the New direct message button at the bottom of the app.
-
Start typing the name of the person or group you want to
message, and select their name from the list of suggestions. You can continue
adding as many message recipients as you like.
-
Click on the compose box, or press Tab to compose your message. You
can preview your message before
sending.
-
Click the Send () button, or
use a keyboard shortcut to send your
message.
You can also use the X keyboard shortcut to start a new direct
message conversation.
You can also click on any user in the right sidebar to start composing
a direct message to them. Or open their user card by clicking on
their profile picture or name, and select Send direct message.
-
Tap the Direct messages
( 
)
tab at the bottom of the app.
-
Tap the New DM button at the top of the app to message one person, or
New group DM to message any number of people.
-
Start typing the name of the person you want to message, and
select their name from the list of suggestions.
-
(if sending a group DM) Continue adding as many message recipients as you
like. Approve by tapping the checkmark (
) button in the bottom right corner of the app.
-
Compose your message, and tap the send
(
)
button in the bottom right corner of the app.
You can also tap on a user's profile picture or name, and tap the
Send direct message button at the bottom of the app.
View your DMs
There are a few different ways to view your DM conversations in the web and
desktop apps.
- Via left sidebar
- Via right sidebar
- Via search box
- Via compose box
-
If the direct messages section in the left sidebar is collapsed, click on
the direct messages heading to expand it.
-
Click on a recent DM conversation to view it, or click more
conversations. If you don't see this link, then you are already viewing all
of your direct message conversations.
-
If the user list in the right sidebar is hidden, click the
user list ( ) icon in
the upper right to show it.
-
Click on any user to view your 1:1 DM conversation.
You can find a user by typing their name in the Filter users box at the
top of the right sidebar.
-
Click the search () icon in the top bar to open the search
box.
-
Start typing a user's name. You'll be able to select DMs with that user
from the list of suggestions.
-
(optional) Continue to add users via the search box for a group DM
conversation.
You can also type dm-including in the search box to find all 1:1 and group
DM conversations that include a particular user.
-
Click the New direct message button at the bottom of the app, or use the
X keyboard shortcut to open the compose box.
-
Start typing a user's name in the recipient bar, and select their name from
the list of suggestions. Continue to add users for a group DM conversation.
-
Click the highlighted Go to conversation () button at the top of the compose box, or use
the Ctrl + . keyboard shortcut to view that DM
conversation.
Find a direct message conversation
- If the direct messages section in the left sidebar is collapsed, click on
the direct messages heading to expand it.
- At the bottom of the list of your recent direct messages, click more
conversations. If you don't see this link, you are already viewing all of
your direct message conversations.
- Type the name of a participant in the conversation you're looking for.
View direct message feed
- In the left sidebar, click the Direct message feed
() icon to the right of the
direct messages heading, or use the Shift + P
keyboard shortcut.
- Tap the Direct messages
( )
tab at the bottom of the app.
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