1. Slack Help Centre
  2. Using Slack
  3. Audio and video
    4. Create audio and video clips in Slack

Create audio and video clips in Slack

Who can use this feature?

Share audio and video clips in Slack to communicate easily with your team, regardless of their time zone or location. Anyone in a channel or direct message (DM) can play clips, and reply in thread with a clip of their own.


Record a clip

You can record video and audio clips up to five minutes long from Slack on your desktop or mobile device.

Record a video clip

  1. From a channel or DM, click on the  camera icon in the message field. 
  2. Click on Record. Click on Share screen and select a window.
  3. When you’ve finished, click Stop Recording and  select a thumbnail.
  4. Click on Done and add a message, if you like.
  5. Click on the  paper plane icon to send your clip.

Customise your video clip

  •  Turn your camera on or off.
  •   Mute or unmute yourself.
  •  Blur your background or upload a background image. 
  •   Select a different camera or microphone.
  •   Upload an existing video as a clip.
  1. Open a channel or DM and tap the message field.
  2. Tap the  plus icon and select Record a Video Clip.
  3. Tap the Record button.
  4. When you’ve finished recording, tap the Record button again, then tap Use Video.
  5. Add a message if you like, and then tap the  paper plane icon to send your clip.
  1. Open a channel or DM and tap the message field.
  2. Tap the  plus icon and select Record a Video Clip.
  3. Tap the Record button.
  4. When you’ve finished recording, tap the Record button again, then tap Attach.
  5. Add a message if you like, and then tap the  paper plane icon to send your clip.

Tip: Closed captions are available for all video clips.

Record an audio clip

  1. From a channel or DM, click on the microphone icon in the message field to start recording.
  2. When you’ve finished, click on the  tick to stop recording.
  3. Add a message if you like, and then click on the  paper plane icon to send your clip.
  1. Open a channel or DM and tap the message field.
  2. Tap on the  microphone icon to start recording.
  3. When you’ve finished, tap on the  tick to stop recording.
  4. Add a message if you like, and then tap the  paper plane icon to send your clip.
  1. Open a channel or DM and tap the message field.
  2. Tap on the  microphone icon to start recording.
  3. When you’ve finished, tap the  tick button to stop recording.
  4. Add a message if you like, and then tap the  paper plane icon to send your clip.

Note: When clips are shared in a conversation on desktop, a preview of the transcript will be displayed. To read a clip’s full transcript on desktop or mobile, select the  three lines icon.


Delete a clip

If you have permission to edit or delete messages, you can delete clips that you’ve recorded.

  1. Hover over a clip and click on the  three dots icon.
  2. Click on Delete clip.
  3. Click on Yes, delete this clip.

Delete a video clip

  1. Tap the clip, then tap the  three dots icon.
  2. Tap  Delete.
  3. Tap Yes, delete clip.


Delete an audio clip

  1. Tap and hold the clip.
  2. Tap  Delete, then tap Yes, delete clip.

Delete a video clip

  1. Tap the clip, then tap the  three dots icon.
  2. Tap Delete.
  3. Tap Delete again.


Delete an audio clip

  1. Tap and hold the clip.
  2. Tap Delete, then tap Delete again.

Note: Clips follow the same retention policy as other files in Slack.


Troubleshoot recording issues

If you’re having trouble with audio or video when recording clips, read on to learn how to troubleshoot some common issues.

Check audio input sources

If audio isn’t working when you record, go to your audio and video preferences in the Slack desktop app.

  1. From your desktop, click on your profile picture in the top right.
  2. Select Preferences from the menu.
  3. Click Audio & video in the left-side column.

Once you’ve opened preferences, check the following:

  • Make sure that you’ve selected the correct microphone and speaker.
  • Test your microphone by saying a few words. If the voice meter doesn’t move up and down as you speak, try the other options in the microphone drop-down menu.

Check audio settings

Check to make sure that your audio isn’t muted, then confirm that Slack has permission to access your microphone.

  1. Open System preferences.
  2. Select Security & privacy, then click on the Privacy tab.
  3. Select Microphone from the list on the left.
  4. Tick the box next to Slack. If it’s already ticked, untick it and then tick it again.
If you’re on Windows 10, follow these steps to make sure that you’ve granted Slack access to your microphone:
  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select Privacy.
  3. Click on Microphone.
  4. Toggle the setting on to allow apps to access your microphone. In the list of Microsoft Store apps, find Slack and toggle the setting on.


Check camera and video settings

If your camera isn’t working when you record, you may need to grant Slack access from your computer’s system settings:

  1. Open System preferences.
  2. Select Security & privacy, then click on the Privacy tab.
  3. Click on Camera.
  4. Tick the box next to Slack. If it’s already ticked, untick it and then tick it again.
  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select Privacy.
  3. Click on Camera.
  4. Toggle the setting on to allow apps to access your camera. In the list of Microsoft Store apps, find Slack and toggle the setting on.
Was this article helpful?Yes, thanks!Not really