Slack guide
By
Elias Brandt
Elias Brandt writes about marketing, email and analytics tools for Appcyclopedia, working on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 and a Galaxy S25.
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
Short answer
Click DMs in the sidebar, then the new message icon, and type the person’s name. Write your message and press Enter. On a phone, tap the DMs tab and the new message icon. Add more names for a group DM of up to nine people.
Direct does not mean private from your employer: DMs are hidden from other members, but on some paid plans workspace owners can export them.
Below: the steps on a computer and a phone, group DMs, and when a channel is the better choice.
How to message someone directly in Slack
To send a direct message in Slack, start a new message and pick the people. The first group covers a computer, the second a phone, and the last group covers several people at once.
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On a computer
Click DMs, then the new message icon
In the Slack desktop app or a browser, click DMs in the sidebar, then the new message icon at the top. You can also click the + in the sidebar to start one.
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Type the person’s name
In the To field, start typing their name and pick them from the list. If you have messaged them before, the earlier conversation opens so you can carry on in it.
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Write the message and press Enter
Type your message in the box at the bottom and press Enter to send. Press Shift+Enter for a new line without sending.
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On a phone
Tap DMs, then the new message icon
In the Slack app, tap the DMs tab at the bottom, then the new message icon. Or tap the compose button. Type the name, pick the person, write the message and tap send.
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Several people at once
Add more names for a group DM
In the To field, add up to eight more people for a group DM of nine in total. Everyone sees every message. On a computer you can name the group DM, which helps tell similar ones apart.
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Turn a busy group DM into a channel
If a group DM keeps growing or needs more than nine people, open its settings and convert it to a private channel. The conversation history comes with it.
A quick question for a colleague about a report: open DMs, start a new message, type their name and ask. The conversation stays between the two of you and appears under DMs whenever either of you opens Slack.
Use a DM for anything that concerns one or two people, and a channel for anything the team should be able to find later.
More about Slack
Team chat organised into channels, with a free plan that shows 90 days of history.
If your Slack DM does not go through
- The person does not appear when you type their name
They may not be in your workspace, or they are a guest you cannot message. Check the spelling, or ask an admin to invite them.
- You cannot add a tenth person
Group DMs hold up to nine people. Create a private channel instead and add everyone to it.
- Your message shows a red error
The connection dropped while sending. Click the message to try again once you are back online.
DM, group DM or channel
Slack has three places for a conversation, and choosing the right one keeps things findable later.
| Where | Who can see it | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Direct message | You and one other person | Quick questions, personal matters |
| Group DM | Up to nine people | A short discussion among a few |
| Channel | Its members, or the whole workspace if public | Anything a team will need to find again |
Move a conversation to a channel once more than a few people need it: answers buried in DMs cannot help the next person with the same question.
Who can read your direct messages
Other workspace members cannot see your DMs, and they do not appear in anyone else’s search. That is not the same as private: the workspace belongs to your employer, and on some paid plans its owners can export messages, including DMs, under the company’s policies.
Write in a DM what you would be comfortable having on file at work.
What to do after sending your first DM
Your DMs collect under DMs in the sidebar, newest first. Open one to pick up where you left off.
Click DMs, start a new message, choose the person and write. When a topic needs more people, create a channel for it instead.
Slack direct messages: common questions
- Can my boss read my Slack DMs?
- Other members cannot. On some paid plans, workspace owners can export messages including DMs under the company’s policies, so treat DMs as work records.
- How many people can be in a group DM?
- Up to nine, including you. For more, create a private channel.
- Can I message myself in Slack?
- Yes. Your own name appears in the DMs list; messages to yourself work as notes and reminders only you see.
- Can I message people at other companies?
- Yes, if your company uses Slack Connect. Otherwise DMs work only with people in your workspace.
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Test log
Followed the steps? Tell us how it went on your device. Entries appear here after we check them.
- Worked Every step, start to finish · Elias Brandt and Marta Kowalczyk Team
I tested this
Steps performed and confirmed 4 days ago
When you need this
To message one colleague, or a few, in Slack without posting in a channel, send a direct message. A group DM holds up to nine people.
- Describes
- Slack desktop app for Mac and Windows, and Slack in a browser · Slack app for iPhone and Android
- Takes
- A few seconds
- Platforms
- Web · macOS · Windows · iOS · Android
- Published
- 19 October 2026
- Facts checked
- 10 October 2026
Steps repeated and verified by 
Elias Brandt and 
Marta Kowalczyk
on
- Elias Brandt: the Windows and web steps on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Windows 11 Pro).
- Marta Kowalczyk: the Mac steps on a MacBook Air (macOS 27.0.1), the iPhone steps on an iPhone 16 Pro (iOS 27.0.1) and the Android steps on a Galaxy A55 (Android 16).
Slack 
