1. Slack Help Centre
  2. Using Slack
  3. Message features & tools
    4. Use threads to organise discussions

Use threads to organise discussions

Threads help you to create organised discussions around specific messages. They let you discuss a topic in more detail without adding clutter to a channel or direct message (DM) conversation.


Start or reply to a thread

Desktop

Mobile

A thread to keep discussion organised in Slack
  1. Hover over the message that you'd like to reply to.
  2. Click the  Reply in thread icon.
  3. Type your reply.
  4. If you'd like to send your reply back to the channel or DM's main view, tick the box below your message.
  5. Send your message.

Tip: You can also send a reply back to the channel after you've sent it. Click on the  three dots icon on the thread reply and select Send reply to this channel.

  1. Tap the message you want to reply to.
  2. Tap  Reply in thread, or tap the Add a reply field to add to an existing thread.
  3. Type your reply.
  4. If you'd like to send your reply back to the channel or DM's main view, tick the box below your message.
  5. Tap the  paper plane icon to send your message.

Tip: You can also send a reply back to the channel after you've sent it. Tap and hold the thread reply and select Send reply to this channel.


Open threads in a new window

From Slack on desktop, you can open any thread in a window to view it alongside any other conversation.

  1. From a channel or DM, open a thread.
  2. In the top right-hand corner, click the  window icon.

 

Manage thread notifications

By default, you’ll be notified of new replies to a thread if you started the thread, replied to it or were mentioned.

Manage notifications for a single thread

Desktop

Mobile

  1. Hover over the thread.
  2. Click the  three dots icon.
  3. Select Get notified about new replies or Turn off notifications for replies.
  1. Tap the thread.
  2. Tap the three dots icon below the original message.
  3. Select Get notified about new replies to receive notifications for all new thread replies, or Turn off notifications for replies to stop receiving notifications.


Get notifications for all threads in a channel

  1. From your desktop, open a channel you’d like to adjust notifications for and click the channel name in the conversation header.
  2. Below the channel name, click on the notifications menu.
  3. Select More notification options.
  4. Tick the box next to Get notified about all replies and show them in your Threads view.
  5. Click on Save changes.


View all threads

Desktop

Mobile

Select  Threads at the top of your left sidebar to see all the conversations that you’re following. Threads with unread replies will appear at the top of the list.

Clicking on Threads in Slack to see all thread conversations From your Threads view, you can do the following:
  • Reply to any thread
  • Select a thread to open it in the original conversation
  • Unfollow a thread if you no longer want to be notified of new replies
From  Home, tap at the top of your screen to see all the conversations that you're following. Threads with unread replies will appear at the top of the list. From your Threads view, you can do the following:
  • Reply to any thread
  • Select a thread to open it in the original conversation
  • Unfollow a thread if you no longer want to be notified of new replies

Tip: When you’ve read a thread reply that you’d like to come back to later, you can mark the message as unread.

Who can use this feature?

Threads help you to create organised discussions around specific messages. They let you discuss a topic in more detail without adding clutter to a channel or direct message (DM) conversation.


Start or reply to a thread

Desktop

Mobile

A thread to keep discussion organised in Slack
  1. Hover over the message that you'd like to reply to.
  2. Click the  Reply in thread icon.
  3. Type your reply.
  4. If you'd like to send your reply back to the channel or DM's main view, tick the box below your message.
  5. Send your message.

Tip: You can also send a reply back to the channel after you've sent it. Click on the  three dots icon on the thread reply and select Send reply to this channel.

  1. Tap the message you want to reply to.
  2. Tap  Reply in thread, or tap the Add a reply field to add to an existing thread.
  3. Type your reply.
  4. If you'd like to send your reply back to the channel or DM's main view, tick the box below your message.
  5. Tap the  paper plane icon to send your message.

Tip: You can also send a reply back to the channel after you've sent it. Tap and hold the thread reply and select Send reply to this channel.


Open threads in a new window

From Slack on desktop, you can open any thread in a window to view it alongside any other conversation.

  1. From a channel or DM, open a thread.
  2. In the top right-hand corner, click the  window icon.

 

Manage thread notifications

By default, you’ll be notified of new replies to a thread if you started the thread, replied to it or were mentioned.

Manage notifications for a single thread

Desktop

Mobile

  1. Hover over the thread.
  2. Click the  three dots icon.
  3. Select Get notified about new replies or Turn off notifications for replies.
  1. Tap the thread.
  2. Tap the three dots icon below the original message.
  3. Select Get notified about new replies to receive notifications for all new thread replies, or Turn off notifications for replies to stop receiving notifications.


Get notifications for all threads in a channel

  1. From your desktop, open a channel you’d like to adjust notifications for and click the channel name in the conversation header.
  2. Below the channel name, click on the notifications menu.
  3. Select More notification options.
  4. Tick the box next to Get notified about all replies and show them in your Threads view.
  5. Click on Save changes.


View all threads

Desktop

Mobile

  1. Click  Activity.
  2. Select  Threads to view threads that you are a part of. Threads with unread replies will appear at the top of the list.
From your Threads view, click a thread to open it and send a reply. You can also hover over a thread for additional options:
  •   Add an emoji reaction
  •   Open the thread in a channel or direct message
  •   Save a message for later
  •   Access more options, like turning off notifications for a thread
From  Home, tap  Threads at the top of your screen to see all the conversations you're following. Threads with unread replies will appear at the top of the list. From your Threads view, you can do the following:
  • Reply to any thread
  • Select a thread to open it in the original conversation
  • Unfollow a thread if you no longer want to be notified of new replies*

*Only available on iOS

Tip: When you’ve read a thread reply that you’d like to come back to later, you can mark the message as unread.

Who can use this feature?

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