Here are the latest feature releases and fixes to support accessibility at Slack. 

March 2026

Desktop

• Slackbot no longer claims to be "away" when you use a screen reader.
• We updated button labels in the channel conversation header to better convey their purpose when using a screen reader.
• We updated how screen readers announce when someone you mention is unavailable because their status is set to Out of office.
• We fixed a bug that hid the weekly Slackbot message usage limit banner from assistive technology.

iOS

• You can now access more custom VoiceOver actions on messages, including opening the More actions menu.
• You can now use the Select text message action on VoiceOver.
• We fixed a bug that hid channel menu information, including the channel name, members count, and tab count.
• We fixed a bug in the Catch Up view where an unlabeled button unexpectedly transitioned focus. 

Android

• We improved TalkBack navigation of message previews in DMs and Activity to make it easier to switch between previews.
• We removed the additional tab stop and misleading state information from the Replied tag on Activity items.
• We fixed an issue where selecting Edit image details opened the wrong view.
• We fixed a bug that incorrectly labelled the Share to another app button when viewing files.
• We fixed a bug that failed to announce your selected audio output device in the huddles audio preferences.

February 2026

Desktop

• We updated custom font support including:
  • Adding Meiryo for Japanese language users.
  • Adding Cyrillic support and fixing an issue with numbered list misalignment for Roboto Mono.
  • Adding the ability to save font preferences for each respective language.
• We added the ability for owners and admins to add a link to any relevant company policies or documents that surface in the alt text preference or when you add alt text.
• We added an entry point to Slackbot in the top navigation bar in simplified layout mode
• We improved focus transitions within the Discover more carousel of the Help in Slack window.
• We improved the volume slider for video clips to provide a more consistent keyboard experience.
• We made improvements to lists, including:
  • Updating labels in the audio and video recording flows for better consistency with the visible text.
  • Grouping the header buttons of the item view into a toolbar to provide more context and reduce tab stops.
  • Fixing a couple focus restoration bugs after sorting and grouping changes.
  • Improving focus navigation and search result labels in the board and table views.
  • Fixing a bug where changes to checkboxes were not being announced.
  • Updating the semantics and labels of date and file fields to be more descriptive.
  • Fixing a few bugs where labels were truncated or conditionally rendered.
  • Improving focus transitions in the view switcher.
• Attachment and link previews in the message composer now use a consistent format, making it easier to distinguish between them and associate controls with the right element when using a screen reader.
• When an attachment in a message has no name, we now include a label to provide meaningful information to help you differentiate it.
• Action buttons associated with a message attachment or link now have more descriptive labels.
• The controls responsible for expanding and collapsing message attachments now have labels that reflect the attachment type and work with the aria-expanded attribute so you can perceive the expanded state. 
• You will now hear the duration associated with an audio file when you move focus to the player controls while using a screen reader.
• You can now find more complete labels for items in the slash commands autocomplete list.
• The tabs used by app views, like Slackbot, are now labelled and accurately expressed as tabs, and use tabpanel semantics when selected. 
• We fixed a bug that removed your focus when closing the More actions message menu.
• We fixed a bug where messages unexpectedly shift when you use the Page Up key in editing mode on Windows.

iOS

• We improved how custom actions surface in the Later view. 
• We fixed a bug where automated message previews were not being included in message labels or custom actions.

Android

• We've updated the semantics when creating a new member to provide more clarity.
• We made changes to the formatting toolbar in the message composer to better convey the selected state of text styling buttons.

January 2026

Alt text reminders

• We added a new alt text reminder preference that can be enabled at the individual or workspace level. When turned on, you’ll get a reminder to add alt text before you send an image on desktop. On iOS and Android, you'll get a reminder badge when sending images. We’ve also made general improvements to make adding alt text simpler and more discoverable. 

Desktop

• We added Atkinson Hyperlegible Next to our list of supported custom fonts.
• We added missing ARIA labels to several text inputs to improve screen reader support.
• We improved the presence and status ARIA labels for direct messages and conversations.
• We made the labels within list comment threads clearer.
• We fixed a bug where you could get stuck when selecting a skin tone in the emoji picker while using a keyboard.
• We fixed a bug where suggestion lists (like the recipient field for new messages) stayed open even if you navigated away.

iOS

• We improved the file upload experience by adding more descriptive file labels and providing better context when a file is selected or removed.
• We made improvements to the status view that properly expose the interactive components and add more clarity to the associated labels.
• We improved the semantics for toggle buttons by surfacing the disabled or unavailable status.
• We fixed a bug where placeholder text for input fields was sometimes announced twice.
• We fixed a bug where you couldn’t interact with an empty canvas using VoiceOver.
• We fixed a bug where some controls, including those in the Preferences menu, didn’t have the proper roles to convey interactivity.
• We fixed a bug with iOS 26 where main view headers weren’t accessible to VoiceOver.
• We fixed a bug with iOS 26 where text containers weren’t resizing properly when the system font size changed.

Android

• We fixed a bug where the Start New Message floating action button was not accessible to assistive technologies.
• We added a screen reader label to the search field when creating a new message.

November 2025 / December 2025

Desktop

• We reorganized some of the Accessibility preferences, including:
  • Grouping all preferences under Display, Keyboard, and Screen reader headers.
  • Moving tab previews, animations, and links preferences to the Other display options section.
  • Consolidating message announcements and huddles announcements into the Screen reader announcements section. 
• We added a new message verbosity preference that replaces the message format preference, giving you more control over which components of a message you get and in what order. You can find this in the new Screen Reader section of the Accessibility preferences. We also added an option to manually sync this setting across selected workspaces.
• We added a Copy message action, allowing you to more easily copy text content. The associated keyboard shortcut is Cmd + C on Mac and Ctrl + C on Windows.
• We made several updates to the message actions menu, including highlighting more heavily used actions, increasing consistency between these menus in different views, and removing unnecessary settings.
• Huddles now open in a mini window by default and have a redesigned toolbar. When you close the mini window, the huddle will dock into a new bottom bar at the base of the main Slack window that can be accessed via F6 navigation.
• We reintroduced split view, allowing you to open channels, threads, and more side by side. Nearly everything that can be opened in a new window can also be opened in split view. Slackbot and other AI apps and agents will open automatically in split view. Split view is its own F6 stop, and is not compatible with simplified layout mode.

iOS

• We released landscape support for iOS.
• We improved the semantics of interactions on the VIP preferences page.
• We fixed a bug where some of the filter buttons on the search page were not announcing the selected state.
• We fixed a bug where swipeable actions in DMs and Activity were not accurately exposed. 
• We fixed a bug on the VIP preferences page that blocked you from selecting your related suggestions.

Android

• We fixed a bug that hid your unread messages in a given section of the Home tab when using TalkBack.
• We updated the file labels for attachments to be more descriptive, providing context with alt text and the file name, rather than a generic file type.
• We fixed a bug that crashed the app when you tried to format text in the message composer while using TalkBack.
• We improved the labels and semantics of the emoji picker to reduce verbosity and make navigation more efficient.
• We improved the delete message confirmation dialog to display the message being deleted.
• We fixed an issue to ensure you are notified when a contact is successfully saved.

October 2025

Desktop:

• We updated audio and video transcripts to be opt-in rather than automatically generated. You can still get transcripts by selecting the Generate transcript button or the Closed Captions button. Owners and admins can also elect to turn on auto-transcriptions at a workspace level.
• We updated the Cmd+ F keyboard command to open a dialog to perform a search instead of prefilling the search bar. 
• We fixed a bug where the Message sent sound didn't play when notifications were snoozed.
• We fixed a bug that didn’t properly transition focus when you opened a channel where you didn’t have posting permissions.
• We improved skin tone labels in the emoji picker.
• We added relevant ARIA attributes to the Filter button used in search results and list items.
• We fixed button label inconsistencies in huddles.
• We improved the semantics of the Share your screen action in huddles and clips.
• We improved the clarity of huddles controls in the channel header.
• We improved how focus is restored in huddles when you are sharing your screen.
• We fixed a bug that caused redundant and verbose readouts when navigating canvas sections with comments.
• We fixed a bug that unexpectedly dismissed the Edit items action while in the list item view.  
• We improved keyboard navigation in lists for the Group By views and File fields.

iOS:

• We standardized how bottom sheets are dismissed when using VoiceOver.
• We suppressed unnecessary canvas loading announcements.
• We updated the Unread button in Activity to better convey when it is selected while using VoiceOver.
• We made navigating canvases easier with VoiceOver by allowing you to go back to read-only mode after making edits.
• We fixed a bug that caused the alt text icon to disappear from canvas images.
• We fixed a bug that caused missing button labels.

Android:

• We improved the labels and scroll interactions of media galleries to provide more file information and make the file upload experience easier.
• We updated the timestamp label for messages to be more consistent with the sighted experience.
• We fixed a color contrast issue with mentions.
• We fixed a bug that blocked you from focusing on the Show X more replies button in the Threads view.
• We fixed a bug that caused the alt text icon to disappear from canvas images.
• We made buttons on huddles more obviously interactive when using a screen reader.
• We fixed a bug where members and channels were incorrectly labeled in recorded files.

September 2025

Desktop:

• We improved the screen reader experience when Slack autocompletes a query, like when searching or mentioning someone. 
• We updated keyboard navigation so that the arrow keys are now used to navigate between autocomplete suggestions, while Tab is used to complete secondary actions like Open in new window.
• We updated the channel sidebar, making the Expand section and More click targets clearer.
• We created a unified Files tab (and an updated keyboard shortcut) to streamline and consolidate sidebar navigation. The Files tab now contains Files, Canvas, and Lists sections. 
• We created a consolidated Directories view (and an updated keyboard shortcut) in Home where you can find People, Channels, and External tabs. 
• We created a unified Tools tab (and an updated keyboard shortcut) that includes Workflows, Apps, and Templates sections.
• We fixed a bug in lists that prevented you from accessing the Attach or drop file control while using a keyboard.
• We fixed a bug in lists where labels were missing for certain list components, like cells with files attached and the interactive elements in files.
• We fixed a bug in lists that automatically highlighted all entities while editing a multiselect component, making it less likely to accidentally replace the selection.
• We fixed a few bugs in lists where focus was not correctly restored after closing a search field or navigating back from another window.
• We improved screen reader navigation of messages when you have turned on the VoiceOver setting to ignore grouping.
• All Business+ and Enterprise organizations can now use AI in canvas. To access this via a keyboard, type / in a canvas and select one of the options under AI. You can review generated text with a screen reader by pressing Ctrl + Up after submitting a generation prompt.

iOS:

• We fixed a bug where the message actions menu was not closing with the standard VoiceOver dismissal gesture.
• We fixed a bug where each message’s custom accessibility action was being read out by VoiceOver twice.
• We fixed an issue where you couldn't open image attachments that didn't have associated alt text.
• We made the buttons for adding or removing a VIP from the suggested list more clearly available as custom actions.
• We made updates to support Liquid Glass in iOS 26, including a redesigned composer, wider use of the screen, and visual treatments to navigational headers.

Android:

• We implemented TalkBack custom actions to allow you to use up and down swipe gestures, in addition to the standard "double tap and hold" long press interaction.
• We improved the labels for Home tab sections so you can tell which sections have unread items.
• We fixed a bug that blocked you from operating the floating action button with Switch Access and Voice Access.
• We added support for TalkBack so you can perceive the state of video transcripts that are in the process of being generated.
• We fixed a bug that blocked full message readouts in TalkBack for truncated text in Threads.
• We updated all of our bottom sheets to ensure they are focusable and have consistent labels.
• We resolved an issue where TalkBack incorrectly announced "double tap and hold to long press" for elements without long-click functionality.