Direct Messages
Send private messages to teammates one-on-one or in small groups.
Chat privately with your teammates without everyone seeing. Perfect for quick questions, sensitive topics, or small group discussions.
Why Use Direct Messages?
- Keep it private - Have conversations that don't clutter team channels
- Quick questions - Get fast answers without interrupting the whole team
- Personal discussions - Handle sensitive matters or give feedback privately
- Small groups - Include just the people who need to be involved
Starting a Conversation
Click the + button next to "Direct Messages" in your chat sidebar, then:
- For 1:1 chats - Select a teammate from the list
- For group DMs - Select multiple people (up to 8 total)
- Start typing your message
Your conversation will appear in the Direct Messages section for easy access later.
Group Direct Messages
Need to include a few people but don't want a full team channel? Group DMs are perfect for:
- Project discussions with just the key stakeholders
- Planning meetings with specific attendees
- Sharing updates with a small group
Group DMs work just like regular channels but stay private to only the people you invite.
Finding Your Messages
All your direct messages appear in the sidebar under "Direct Messages." They're sorted by most recent activity, so active conversations stay at the top.
Free users can see the last 30 days of message history. Upgrade to Pro for $8/month per user to access your complete conversation history.
Tips
- @mention people in group DMs to make sure they see important messages
- Use threads for side discussions without losing the main conversation
- Share files directly in DMs - they're only visible to people in that conversation
- Add more people to group DMs anytime by clicking the group name