Customize message and file retention

By default, Slack will retain all messages and files (including audio and video clips) for the lifetime of your workspace. If you’d like, you can adjust your retention settings to automatically delete messages and files after a set amount of time. You can also allow members to edit the message retention settings for individual channels and direct messages (DMs).

What you need to know

  • Message and file deletion is permanent. Adjust these settings with care.
  • On the free plan, your options for data retention are limited. You can choose to keep messages, files, and the content in channel canvases, or delete them after 90 days.
  • Deletions run once a day, so data may be deleted shortly after making a change to your retention settings.
  • Retention settings will apply to all messages, files, and canvases, including ones that are pinned or saved.

Note: Retention does not apply to messages in deleted channels. If you delete a channel, messages and revisions will be permanently deleted, regardless of your workspace retention settings.


Adjust message retention settings

Free plan

Pro and Business+ plans

Enterprise Grid plan

Workspace Owners can choose from the following options when setting message retention for conversations:

  • Keep all messages, but don't track revisions
    Slack will keep all messages, but will not track message edits or deletions.
  • Delete messages after 90 days
    Slack will delete messages after 90 days.

Note: Applying basic data retention settings allow you to automatically delete messages and files that are hidden on the free plan.

  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
  3. Next to Message history, click Expand.
  4. Select your preferred retention settings from the drop-down menu.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Check the box to confirm the change, then click Apply new setting.

Workspace Owners can choose from the following options when setting message retention for conversations:

  • Keep everything
    Slack will keep all messages and track message edits and deletions.
  • Keep all messages, but don't track revisions
    Slack will keep all messages, but will not track message edits or deletions.
  • Delete messages and their revisions after... 
    Slack will delete messages following the custom time frame you choose.

Note: On the Business+ plan, you can choose to delete messages from channels, but keep them accessible in exports if your workspace has been approved to export data from all conversations.

  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
  3. Next to Message history, click Expand.
  4. Select your preferred retention settings from the drop-down menu.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Check the box to confirm the change, then click Apply new setting.

As an Org Owner, you can set a policy for message retention that will apply to every workspace in your org. With a policy in place, Workspace Owners won’t have the option to adjust message retention settings for workspaces they manage. Org Owners can also set a policy to hide messages before they are permanently deleted by message retention. You can choose from the following options when setting message retention for conversations:

  • Keep everything
    Slack will keep all messages and track message edits and deletions.
  • Keep all messages, but don't track revisions
    Slack will keep all messages, but will not track message edits or deletions.
  • Delete messages and their revisions after... 
    Slack will delete messages following the custom time frame you choose.

Note: If your organization has been approved to export data from all conversations, you can choose to delete messages from channels and DMs, but keep them accessible in JSON based exports.

Set org-level message retention policies

To set an org policy for message retention or hiding, contact our Support team. When a policy is set, Slackbot will notify the Primary Org Owner and request approval to apply it. If approved, Slackbot will notify each Workspace Owner of changes to retention settings.


Review org-level message retention policies

  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
  3. Click Settings in the left sidebar, then select History.


Set workspace-level message retention settings

Note: If a retention policy has been set at the org level, Workspace Owners won’t be able to adjust message retention settings for their workspace(s).

  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings. If you manage more than one workspace, choose one from the drop-down menu.
  3. Next to Message history, click Expand.
  4. Select your preferred retention settings from the drop-down menu.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Check the box to confirm the change, then click Apply new setting.

Note: Keep in mind that your retention settings will impact what you see in an export file.


Allow conversation-specific retention settings

Workspace Owners and Org Owners on paid plans can allow people to override retention settings and edit message retention for individual conversations with the following options:

  • Member overrides allow members on paid plans to set their own message retention period for private channels and their DM conversations. Workspace Owners will be able to adjust this for public channels as well. 
  • Admin overrides allow admins on the Business+ and Enterprise Grid plans to edit message retention for channels with channel management tools.

Pro and Business+ plans

Enterprise Grid plan

  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
  3. Next to Message history, click Expand.
  4. Check the box next to Let workspace members override these settings.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Check the box to confirm the change, then click Apply new setting.

Set message retention override policies

As an Org Owner, you can set a policy to allow admins or members to override retention settings and adjust message retention for individual conversations in every workspace of your Enterprise Grid org. With this policy in place, Workspace Owners won’t have the option to adjust message retention settings for workspaces they manage.

Contact our Support team to set this policy for your org. When a policy is set, Slackbot will notify the Org Primary Owner with a request to apply it. If approved, Slackbot will notify each Workspace Owner of changes to retention settings.


Review message retention override policies

  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
  3. Click Settings in the left sidebar, then select Messages and file history.
  4. Review your policies next to Message history overrides.


Set workspace-level message retention override settings

Note: If a retention policy has been set at the org level, Workspace Owners won’t be able to adjust message retention settings for their workspace(s).

  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings. If you manage more than one workspace, choose one from the drop-down menu.
  3. Next to Message history, click Expand.
  4. Check the box next to Let members set their own message history in private channel.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Check the box to confirm the change, then click Apply new setting.

 

Adjust file retention settings

When configuring your file retention settings, the available options will depend on your plan.

Free plan

Pro and Business+ plans

Enterprise Grid plan

Workspace Owners can choose from the following options when setting file retention:

  • Keep all files
    Slack will keep all shared files for the lifetime of your workspace.
  • Keep all files for 90 days only
    Slack will permanently delete files (snippetsuploaded files, and those shared via third-party apps like Dropbox or Google Drive) after 90 days.

Note: Files shared via third-party apps remain stored in the service they originate from. Deleting them from Slack won't impact the original files.

  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
  3. Next to File history, click Expand.
  4. Select your preferred retention settings.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Check the box next to Yes, apply these new settings, then click Confirm.

Workspace Owners can choose from the following options when setting file retention:

  • Keep all files
    Slack will keep all shared files for the lifetime of your workspace.
  • Keep all files, only for a set number of days
    Slack will permanently delete files (snippetsuploaded files, and those shared via third-party apps like Dropbox or Google Drive) after the number of days you choose.
  • Keep all files, including deleted files
    Slack will keep all files for the lifetime of your workspace. Deleted files will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API.
  • Keep all files, including deleted files, for a set number of days
    Slack will permanently delete files (snippetsuploaded files, and those shared via third-party apps) after the number of days you choose. Deleted files will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API.

Note: Files shared via third-party apps remain stored in the service they originate from. Deleting them from Slack won't impact the original files.

  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
  3. Next to File history, click Expand.
  4. Select your preferred retention settings.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Check the box next to Yes, apply these new settings, then click Confirm.

As an Org Owner, you can set a policy for file retention that applies to every workspace in your org. To do so, contact our Support team. Org Owners can choose from the following options when setting file retention:

  • Keep all files
    Slack will keep all shared files for the lifetime of your Enterprise Grid org.
  • Keep all files, only for a set number of days
    Slack will permanently delete files (snippetsuploaded files, and those shared via third-party apps like Dropbox or Google Drive) after the number of days you choose.
  • Keep all files, including deleted files
    Slack will keep all files for the lifetime of your Enterprise Grid org. Deleted files will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API.
  • Keep all files, including deleted files, for a set number of days
    Slack will permanently delete files (snippetsuploaded files, and those shared via third-party apps) after the number of days you choose. Deleted files will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API.

When a new retention policy is applied, Slackbot will notify the Org Primary Owner and request their approval to apply the update.

Note: Files shared via third-party apps remain stored in the service they originate from. Deleting them from Slack won't impact the original files.


Review file retention policies

  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
  3. Click Settings in the left sidebar, then select History.
  4. Review your policies next to File uploads.

Note: It’s not currently possible to set file retention settings for specific conversations.

 

Adjust canvas retention settings

When configuring retention settings for your Slack canvases, the available options will depend on your plan.

Note: When retrieving a canvas via exports, only the most recent version will be included.

Free plan

Pro and Business+ plans

Enterprise Grid plan

Workspace Owners can choose from the following options when setting retention for channel canvases:

  • Keep all canvases
    Slack will keep all content in channel canvases for the lifetime of your workspace.
  • Keep canvases for 90 days only
    Slack will permanently delete the content in a channel canvas after 90 days.
  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
  3. Next to Canvas history, click Expand.
  4. Select your preferred retention settings.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Check the box next to Yes, apply these new settings, then click Confirm.

Workspace Owners can choose from the following options when setting a retention policy for their canvases, and the selected retention policy will apply to all canvas types:

  • Keep all canvases
    Slack will keep all canvases for the lifetime of your workspace. Canvases that have been manually deleted will not be preserved and will not show in an export.
  • Keep canvases, but only for a set number of days
    Slack will permanently delete all canvases after the number of days you choose.
  • Keep all canvases including deleted canvases
    Slack will keep all canvases for the lifetime of your workspace. Deleted canvases (including those that have been manually deleted) will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API.
  • Keep canvases including deleted canvases, but only for a set number of days
    Slack will permanently delete canvases after the number of days you choose. Deleted canvases will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API until the specified time has elapsed.
  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
  3. Next to Canvas history, click Expand.
  4. Select your preferred retention settings.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Check the box next to Yes, apply these new settings, then click Confirm.

As an Org Owner, you can set a policy for canvas retention that applies to every workspace in your org. To do so, contact our Support team. Org Owners can choose from the following options when setting a retention policy for their canvases, and the selected policy will apply to all canvas types:

  • Keep all canvases
    Slack will keep all canvases for the lifetime of your Enterprise Grid org. Canvases that have been manually deleted will not be preserved and will not show in an export.
  • Keep canvases, but only for a set number of days
    Slack will permanently delete all canvases after the number of days you choose.
  • Keep all canvases including deleted canvases
    Slack will keep all canvases for the lifetime of your Enterprise Grid org. Deleted canvases (including those that have been manually deleted) will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API.
  • Keep canvases including deleted canvases, but only for a set number of days
    Slack will permanently delete canvases after the number of days you choose. Deleted canvases will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API.

When a new retention policy is applied, Slackbot will notify the Org Primary Owner and request their approval to apply the update.


Review canvas retention policies

  1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
  2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
  3. Click Settings in the left sidebar, then select History.
  4. Review your policies next to Canvases.
Who can use this feature?
  • Workspace Owners and Org Owners
  • Available on all plans