Slack Join and Leave Channels
Channels are where team conversations happen. Knowing how to join the right channels — and leave the ones you no longer need — keeps your sidebar clean and your attention focused on what actually matters to you.
Two Types of Channels You Can Join
PUBLIC CHANNEL PRIVATE CHANNEL ─────────────────────── ─────────────────────── # symbol in sidebar 🔒 lock icon in sidebar Anyone can find it By invitation only Anyone can join Admin or member invites Searchable by all Hidden from non-members
When you first join a workspace, you land in the channels the admin added you to automatically — usually #general and #random. From there, you browse and join whichever public channels match your work.
How to Browse Available Channels
- In the left sidebar, click "Add channels" (or the "+" icon next to Channels).
- Select "Browse channels".
- A list of all public channels in your workspace appears.
- Each channel shows its name, description, and member count.
- Use the search bar at the top to filter by keyword.
BROWSE CHANNELS VIEW Search: ____________ # announcements Org-wide news 342 members # design UI/UX discussions 28 members # dev-team Engineering chat 54 members # marketing Campaign updates 19 members # random Fun stuff 312 members [Join] button appears next to each channel
How to Join a Channel
From the Browse Channels view, click the channel name to preview it. Read a few recent messages to confirm it is relevant to you. Click "Join Channel" to become a member. The channel instantly appears in your left sidebar under Channels.
Alternatively, if someone pastes a channel link in a message (like #marketing), click that link. A preview popup appears. Click "Join Channel" from the popup.
Joining a Private Channel
Private channels do not appear in the Browse Channels list. A current member of the channel must invite you. Once invited, the channel appears in your sidebar with a lock icon. You see all messages from that point forward — past messages may or may not be visible depending on whether the inviting member shares the history.
How to Leave a Channel
Leaving a channel removes it from your sidebar and stops you from receiving notifications about it. Your past messages in that channel remain visible to other members — you only lose your own view and access.
Method 1: Right-click the Channel Name
- Right-click the channel name in your sidebar (or long-press on mobile).
- Select "Leave Channel" from the context menu.
- Confirm if prompted.
Method 2: From Inside the Channel
- Open the channel.
- Click the channel name in the header at the top.
- Scroll down to find "Leave channel".
- Click it to confirm.
What Happens When You Leave
BEFORE LEAVING AFTER LEAVING
────────────────────── ──────────────────────
Channel in your sidebar → Channel removed from sidebar
You receive notifications → No more notifications
You can post messages → Cannot post or read messages
Your old posts visible → Your old posts still visible
to remaining members
If you leave a public channel by mistake, just rejoin it through Browse Channels. For private channels, ask a member to re-invite you.
Muting vs Leaving a Channel
Leaving a channel is not always the right choice. Sometimes you want to stay in a channel but reduce the noise. In that case, mute the channel instead.
MUTED CHANNEL LEFT CHANNEL ────────────────────── ────────────────────── Still in your sidebar Gone from your sidebar No notification sound No notifications at all Grayed out in sidebar Cannot read new messages Can check in manually Must rejoin to see content Still post messages Cannot post
To mute a channel, right-click the channel name in the sidebar and select "Mute Channel". The channel name turns gray to remind you it is muted.
How Many Channels Should You Join
There is no hard limit on how many channels you can join, but more is not always better. A cluttered sidebar with 40 channels makes it hard to spot the important ones.
A practical approach: join channels directly related to your job role and a couple of company-wide channels. Mute channels where you want occasional visibility. Leave channels that have nothing to do with your work.
RECOMMENDED STARTING CHANNELS MUST JOIN # general ← company announcements # [your-team] ← direct teammates GOOD TO JOIN # announcements ← important news # random ← casual conversation CONSIDER MUTING # all-hands ← infrequent updates # social ← low priority for you LEAVE OR SKIP # [other-dept] ← unrelated to your work
Key Takeaways
- Browse public channels through the "Add channels" option in the sidebar.
- Click "Join Channel" on any public channel to add it to your sidebar instantly.
- Private channels require an invitation from an existing member.
- Right-click a channel name to leave or mute it quickly.
- Muting keeps you in a channel without notification noise; leaving removes access entirely.