Slack Start a Huddle
A Slack Huddle is an instant, lightweight audio call you start directly inside a channel or DM. Think of it like walking over to a colleague's desk for a quick verbal chat — except it works whether your team is in the same building or spread across continents.
Huddle vs Regular Slack Call
HUDDLE SLACK CALL
────────────────────────────── ────────────────────────────────
Starts instantly (one click) Requires the other person to
accept a ringing call
Audio-first (video optional) Video and audio from the start
Drop in / drop out freely More formal — you join for the
full call duration
No scheduling needed Often pre-planned
Live captions and notes Standard call features
Available in channels and DMs Available in DMs
Multiple people can join Multiple people can join
How to Start a Huddle
Look for the headphone icon in the bottom-left corner of the left sidebar (in the desktop app) or at the bottom of a DM conversation. Click it to start a Huddle in your current context.
STARTING A HUDDLE In a Channel: ┌──────────────────────┐ │ # project-alpha │ │ │ ← Click headphone icon 🎧 │ [🎧 Start a huddle] │ at the bottom-left └──────────────────────┘ Slack posts a notification in the channel: "Alice started a huddle. Tap to join."
All channel members see the huddle invitation in the channel. Anyone can join by clicking the notification or the headphone icon.
Starting a Huddle in a DM
- Open a direct message with the person.
- Click the headphone icon at the top of the DM.
- Slack sends the other person a notification inviting them to join.
- They click the notification to connect.
You are both talking within seconds — no scheduling, no invite links, no meeting IDs.
The Huddle Interface
HUDDLE PANEL (bottom of screen) ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ 🎧 In a huddle │ │ │ │ 👤 Alice 👤 Bob 👤 Carol │ │ (participant avatars, green = speaking) │ │ │ │ [🎤 Mic] [📹 Camera] [🖥️ Share Screen] │ │ [😊 Emoji React] [📝 Notes] [✕ Leave] │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Huddle Features
Drop In and Drop Out
People can join or leave a huddle at any point. The huddle keeps running until the last person leaves. This makes huddles perfect for open working sessions where teammates pop in when they have a question and leave when they are done.
Emoji Reactions in Huddles
React with emoji during a huddle without interrupting the speaker. Click the emoji button and choose a reaction. It appears as a floating bubble above your avatar for everyone to see — a lightweight way to show agreement, laughter, or a raised hand without talking over someone.
Live Captions
Huddles include automatic live captions. Toggle them on by clicking the CC button in the huddle panel. Captions help team members who prefer reading, are in noisy environments, or use Slack in a language that is not their first.
Shared Notes
Click the Notes button in the huddle panel to open a shared notepad. Everyone in the huddle can type in it simultaneously. Notes persist after the huddle ends, so the team has an automatic record of decisions and action items.
Screen Sharing
Click Share Screen to show your screen to all huddle participants. Useful for debugging code together, reviewing a design, or walking through a document step by step.
Huddle Availability
PLAN HUDDLE AVAILABILITY ──────────── ──────────────────────────────────────────── Free 2-person huddles (DMs only) Pro Up to 50 participants Business+ Up to 50 participants + advanced features Enterprise Up to 50 participants + admin controls
Ending a Huddle
Click "Leave" in the huddle panel to exit. The huddle continues if other participants remain. When the last person leaves, the huddle ends automatically. Slack posts a small summary card in the channel or DM showing who participated and how long the huddle lasted.
Key Takeaways
- Huddles are instant audio calls started with one click — no scheduling or invite links needed.
- Click the headphone icon at the bottom of the sidebar or in a DM to start a huddle.
- Anyone in the channel can see and join an active huddle at any time.
- Use shared notes during a huddle to automatically capture decisions and action items.
- Huddles end when the last participant leaves — no manual ending required.