How to Get Started with Slack
Step-by-step guide to getting started with Slack. Create a workspace, invite your team, set up channels, and start messaging.
Step-by-step
How to Get Started with Slack
Create a Slack workspace
Go to slack.com and click 'Get Started'. Enter your email, verify it with a code, and name your workspace. Choose a URL (e.g., yourcompany.slack.com) — this can't be changed later.
Invite your team
Enter teammate email addresses or share an invite link. Slack sends them an onboarding email with setup instructions. You can also configure auto-join for anyone with your company email domain.
Set up your first channels
Slack creates #general and #random by default. Create additional channels for each team (#marketing, #engineering) and project (#proj-website-launch). Keep channel names lowercase with hyphens.
Customize your profile and notifications
Upload a profile photo, set your display name and title, add your time zone, and configure notification preferences. Turn off notifications for low-priority channels to avoid overload.
Install the desktop and mobile apps
Download Slack from slack.com/downloads for desktop (Mac, Windows, Linux) and from your app store for mobile (iOS, Android). The desktop app provides a better experience than the browser version.
Tips
Pro tips
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Start with fewer channels and add more as needed — too many channels from day one overwhelms new teams
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Set a channel naming convention early (e.g., #team-, #proj-, #help-) so channels stay organized as you grow
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Configure Do Not Disturb hours to protect after-work time from notifications
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Use the /remind command to set personal reminders — e.g., /remind me to review the proposal at 3pm
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