Slack Voice and Video Calls

Slack includes built-in voice and video calling so you can talk face-to-face with teammates without switching to another app. Calls start directly from a direct message or channel, keeping the conversation and the call in one place.

Voice Call vs Video Call vs Huddle

              VOICE CALL      VIDEO CALL      HUDDLE
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
How it starts  Phone icon      Phone icon      Headphone icon
               → select audio  → select video  (bottom sidebar)
Scheduling     Can ring        Can ring        Drop in instantly
               someone         someone
Video          Optional        On by default   Optional
Best for       Focused 1:1     Face-to-face    Quick open-ended
               calls           meetings        team sessions
Max people     50              50              50
Screen share   ✓               ✓               ✓

How to Start a Voice or Video Call

You initiate calls from a direct message or group DM:

1. Open a DM with the person you want to call.
2. Click the phone icon (📞) in the top-right area of the DM header.
3. Slack immediately starts ringing the other person.
4. The call opens in a separate panel when they answer.

To choose between audio-only or video from the start, click the dropdown arrow next to the phone icon and select your preference before calling.

Receiving a Call

INCOMING CALL NOTIFICATION

  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
  │  📞 Incoming call from Bob Smith        │
  │                                         │
  │  [Accept] [Decline] [Remind me]         │
  └─────────────────────────────────────────┘

  Accept  → join the call immediately
  Decline → call ends, Bob sees "unavailable"
  Remind me → snoozes the notification 15 minutes

A ringing sound plays when a call comes in. A visual notification also appears even if Slack is minimized.

The Call Interface

CALL PANEL CONTROLS

  [🎤 Mute]     Toggle your microphone on/off
  [📹 Camera]   Toggle your camera on/off
  [🖥️ Share]    Share your screen
  [😊 Emoji]    Send a reaction visible to everyone
  [⋯ More]      Background effects, settings
  [📞 End]      Hang up

Muting and Unmuting

Click the microphone icon or press the keyboard shortcut M (while the call window is focused) to toggle your mic. Mute yourself whenever you are not speaking — background noise from your environment is distracting for other participants and common meeting etiquette.

Slack shows a red microphone icon next to your name when you are muted so other callers can see your status at a glance.

Turning Video On and Off

Click the camera icon to toggle your video. Your video feed appears in a grid or gallery layout alongside other participants. Turn video off when your background is distracting, your internet connection is slow, or you simply prefer audio only.

Group Calls

Group DMs (up to 9 people) support group calls with all participants. You can also start a call from a channel — any channel member can join. On paid plans, channel calls support up to 50 participants.

1. Open the channel.
2. Click the phone icon in the channel header (top-right area).
3. The call starts in that channel. Slack notifies all channel members.
4. Participants click "Join" on the notification.

Background Settings

Blur your background or choose a virtual background during a video call:

1. Click ⋯ More → Video settings during a call.
2. Choose Blur background or Select a virtual background.

Background blurring hides a messy room or private home environment without using a preset image.

Call Quality Tips

FOR BETTER CALL QUALITY

  ✓ Use a wired connection or sit close to your router
  ✓ Use headphones with a built-in microphone
  ✓ Close unused browser tabs and apps
  ✓ Turn off video if audio cuts out
  ✓ Check your microphone and camera in Preferences
    → Preferences → Audio & video

Call History

After a call ends, Slack posts a summary card in the DM or channel showing who was in the call and how long it lasted. This creates a lightweight record without requiring anyone to take notes about the call itself.

Integrating Zoom or Other Tools

Many teams prefer Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams for video meetings. Slack integrates with all of these. When you have the Zoom app installed in Slack, typing /zoom starts a Zoom meeting and shares the link in the channel automatically. This keeps Slack as the communication hub even when the actual call happens elsewhere.

Key Takeaways

• Start a voice or video call from any DM by clicking the phone icon in the header.
• Use the keyboard shortcut M to quickly mute and unmute during a call.
• Channel calls let up to 50 people join from a single notification in the channel.
• Blur your background from the More menu during any video call.
• Slack posts a call summary card after every call, creating an automatic record.