When you're viewing a channel, its name will be highlighted in the channel list on the left. Click the message field at the bottom of the screen to send a message to this channel.

1. Type your message in the message field.
2. Press Enter to send.

You can quickly edit your last message by pressing the ↑up arrow key in the empty message field.

Tip: You also have the option to add a send button to Slack, allowing you to use the Enter key to add a new line to your text.

1. Tap the message field at the bottom of the screen.
2. Type your message.
3. Tap the  paper plane icon to send. 

Note: To give yourself more space to compose, tap the  diagonal arrows icon or swipe up on the message field.

You can add to your message using the options below:

Tip: To edit a message, tap and hold the message, then tap Edit Message.

1. Tap the message field at the bottom of the screen
2. Type your message
3. Tap the  paper plane icon to send.

You can add to your messages using the options below:

Tip: To edit a message, tap and hold the message, then tap Edit.

Open and view channels

If you see a bolded channel name in the list, that means there's unread activity — click it to open the channel and view unread messages.

You'll see a blue bar when you open a channel with unread activity: you'll easily see the number of new messages since you last viewed the channel.

Unread messages

By default, Slack marks a channel as read as soon as you view it, but you can change the way your unread activity is managed from your preferences. Here's how:

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the top left.
   
2. Select Preferences from the menu.
3. Click the Mark as Read tab.
4. Under When I view a channel, select your preference.

You can choose from one of these options:

• Start where you left off (at the oldest unread message) and mark the channel as read
• Start at the newest message and mark the channel as read
• Start at the newest message but leave the older messages unread

Mark messages as unread

If you need to come back to a channel later, you can mark messages as unread. Here's how:

1. Hover over the oldest message you’d like to mark as unread.
2. Click the  More actions icon.
3. Click Mark unread.

The message you've selected and any others that are sent after it will be marked unread

Tip: You can also hold Alt and click a message to mark that message and any others sent after it as unread.

Open and view channels

In the iOS app, your main view will be of the channel you're currently in. Here's how to navigate to other channels:

1. Swipe left to right to open the channel list.
2. Tap the channel you'd like to view.

If a channel name is bolded, this means there's unread activity. Channels with unread activity will appear at the top of the channel list.

Unread messages

Slack will display a blue bar when a channel has more unread activity than can fit on your screen.

Tap the arrow on the left to jump to the oldest unread message, or mark the channel as read by tapping the  close icon at the right end of the bar
.

Note: To disable the blue unread bar, swipe from right to left, tap Settings, Advanced, and toggle Mark as Read Immediately.

Mark messages as unread

If you need to come back to a channel later, you can mark messages as unread. Here's how:

1. Long-press a message.
2. Tap Mark Unread.

The message you've selected and any others sent after it will be marked as unread.

Open and view channels

In the Android app, your main view will be of the channel you're currently in. Here's how to navigate to other channels:

1. Tap your workspace icon in the top left, or swipe from left to right to open the channel list.
2. Tap the channel you'd like to view.

If a channel name is bolded, this means there's unread activity. Channels with unread activity will appear at the top of the channel list.

Note: On Android 9 or above, any reply you start writing from your device’s Notification Shade will be saved in Slack. If you switch over to the mobile app, you’ll see your drafted reply in the message field for that conversation.

Unread messages

Slack will display a blue bar when a channel has more unread activity than can fit on your screen. Tap the blue bar to jump to the oldest unread message, or tap the  close icon at the right end of the bar to mark the channel as read.

Mark messages as unread

If you need to come back to a channel later, you can mark messages as unread. Here's how:

1. Long-press a message.
2. Tap Mark Unread.

The message you've selected and any others sent after it will be marked as unread.

There are two ways to start writing new messages in Slack:

• Click the   compose button
• Type a message in the message field of any channel or direct message

From the compose button 

1. From anywhere in Slack, click the   compose button next to your workspace name in the top left.
2. Type the name of a person (up to eight) or channel in the To: field.
3. Type and format your message in the message field.
4. Click the  paper plane icon to send your message.

From the message field 

1. Click the message field in a channel or direct message.
2. Type and format your message.
3. Press Enter to send it.

Note: If at any point you’re not ready to send your message, it will save as a draft so you can come back to it later. Read more about drafts below.

1. Tap the message field at the bottom of the screen.
2. Type your message.
3. Tap the  paper plane icon to send.

Note: To give yourself more space to compose, tap the  diagonal arrows icon or swipe up on the message field.

You can add to your message using the options below:

Tip: To edit a message, tap and hold the message, then tap Edit Message.

1. Tap the message field at the bottom of the screen
2. Type your message
3. Tap the  paper plane icon to send.

You can add to your messages using the options below:

Tip: To edit a message, tap and hold the message, then tap Edit.

Click  Drafts in the left sidebar to view all your drafted messages. Hover over any message for more options.

Tip: If there are any unsent messages, you’ll see a   pencil icon next to the channel name or direct message conversation in the left sidebar.

Unsent messages are listed at the top of your left sidebar under Drafts. You’ll see a   pencil icon next to the channel name or direct message conversation.

Unsent messages are listed at the top of your left sidebar under Drafts. You’ll see a   pencil icon next to the channel name or direct message conversation.

If a channel or direct message name is bolded, that means there’s unread activity. Click the channel or direct message from the left sidebar to open the conversation and view unread messages.

Available preferences

By default, Slack marks messages as read as soon as you view a channel or direct message, but you can change this in your preferences if you’d like.

You can also choose to show the All unreads view, a collection of all the messages you've missed, in your sidebar. 

Mark messages as unread

Messages will be marked as read soon after you open a channel or direct message. If you need to come back to them later, you can mark messages as unread.

1. Hover over the oldest message you’d like to mark as unread.
2. Click the  three dots icon icon. 
3. Click Mark unread. The selected message, and any others sent after it, will be marked unread.

Tip: You can also hold Alt and click a message to mark that message and any others sent after it as unread.

Open and view channels

In the iOS app, your main view will be of the channel you're currently in. Here's how to navigate to other channels:

1. Swipe left to right to open the channel list.
2. Tap the channel you'd like to view.

If a channel name is bolded, this means there's unread activity. Channels with unread activity will appear at the top of the channel list.

Unread messages

Slack will display a blue bar when a channel has more unread activity than can fit on your screen.

Tap the arrow on the left to jump to the oldest unread message, or mark the channel as read by tapping the  close icon at the right end of the bar
.

Note: To disable the blue unread bar, swipe from right to left, tap Settings, Advanced, and toggle Mark as Read Immediately.

Mark messages as unread

If you need to come back to a channel later, you can mark messages as unread. Here's how:

1. Long-press a message.
2. Tap Mark Unread.

The message you've selected and any others sent after it will be marked as unread.

Open and view channels

In the Android app, your main view will be of the channel you're currently in. Here's how to navigate to other channels:

1. Tap your workspace icon in the top left, or swipe from left to right to open the channel list.
2. Tap the channel you'd like to view.

If a channel name is bolded, this means there's unread activity. Channels with unread activity will appear at the top of the channel list.

Note: On Android 9 or above, any reply you start writing from your device’s Notification Shade will be saved in Slack. If you switch over to the mobile app, you’ll see your drafted reply in the message field for that conversation.

Unread messages

Slack will display a blue bar when a channel has more unread activity than can fit on your screen. Tap the blue bar to jump to the oldest unread message, or tap the  close icon at the right end of the bar to mark the channel as read.

Mark messages as unread

If you need to come back to a channel later, you can mark messages as unread. Here's how:

1. Long-press a message.
2. Tap Mark Unread.

The message you've selected and any others sent after it will be marked as unread.