A consolidated set of tabs for Slack on desktop

In September 2025, we began rolling out changes to the tabs available in Slack on desktop to make it easier to access features, find information, and get work done. Read on to learn more about what’s changed and where to find what you need. 

Slack desktop app showing new Files and Tools tabs, and new Directories page at the top of the sidebar

Note: These updates are rolling out gradually. We appreciate your patience as we make them available to all customers. 


What's changed

  • All your files, together
    Find canvases, lists, and third-party files (like documents, images, etc.) in the
       Files tab, the new home for all types of files in Slack.
  • Centralized automation tools
    The Automations tab is now called   Tools, where we’ve grouped apps, workflows, and channel templates.
  • Directories for people and channels
    We moved People (including user groups), Channels, and External Connections from tabs to a new   Directories page at the top of the sidebar alongside your other conversations and messages. 
     

FAQs

Can I switch back to how Slack used to look?

No, but you can always customize your navigation bar to decide which tabs are visible and which are hidden. 


Which tabs will I see by default?

By default, the Home, DMs, Activity, and Files tabs will be visible. Later and Tools will be behind the More tab, along with Agentforce and Sales if you use Agentforce or Salesforce in Slack. To change which tabs are always shown, you can customize your navigation bar


How do I find what I'm looking for in the Files tab?

When you open   Files, you’ll be taken to an All view including canvases, lists, and third-party files. Select   Canvases or   Lists in the left sidebar, or search for a particular file. You can also use the filters in the main view to find the file you need. 


Will there be similar changes to the Slack mobile apps?

Not right now. The tabs you see at the bottom of the mobile apps will stay the same, as will the way you find and browse files from the search field.