The #general channel
Every new Slack workspace starts with a #general channel. It’s unlike all other Slack channels because no one can leave it — that's what makes it so useful! It's a great place to share important messages, like announcements. You don’t even need to invite members to #general: they’ll be added automatically when they join the workspace (but not guests!).
Tip: If you have an urgent message to share with the entire team, mention @everyone in #general. Ask people to react to your message so you know who’s seen it. 👀
Share what’s important in #general
Everyone can see everything posted in #general, so we recommend discouraging unnecessary messages. There are a few options to help reinforce this:
Set a channel topic and purpose
Make it clear what the #general channel is for by setting a descriptive channel topic and purpose.
Rename the #general channel
Workspace Owners and Admins can rename the channel to something more descriptive, like #announcements, #notices, or #room101 — whatever suits your workspace's needs!
Decide who can post in #general
Workspace Owners can limit who can post in #general. This option is especially helpful if you'd like to use the channel for important announcements only. Here's how to adjust this permission from your desktop:
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Click your workspace name in the top left.
- Select Administration, then Workspace settings from the menu.
- Click the Permissions tab.
- Next to Messaging, click Expand.
- Under People who can post to #general, make your selection.
- Click Save.
Tip: Owners can also restrict who can use @everyone in #general, as well as @here and @channel in all channels. To browse the options, visit Messaging.
Note: The #general channel can't be converted to a shared channel.
Reduce noise in #general
Although it’s not possible to leave the #general channel, there are few ways members can reduce distractions:
Mute #general
Members can mute activity in #general the same way they'd mute any other channel.
Ignore channel notifications
Members can adjust their channel notification preferences for #general and ignore any @here and @everyone notifications.
Tip: Check out Reduce noise in Slack for more tips to help you manage what gets your attention — and what doesn’t.