Threads
Replying in threads, following threads, and the Threads inbox.
In channels, replies are organized into threads so a side discussion does not flood the main feed.
Replying in a thread
Hover a channel message and choose Reply in thread. Your reply attaches to that message instead of appearing at the bottom of the channel. A message that has replies shows an "N replies" link. Click it to expand the thread inline, directly below the message, and click it again to collapse it.
Inside an expanded thread you can reply to the thread as a whole, using the Reply… box at the bottom, or reply to a specific reply so the conversation nests beneath it. In long threads, Show earlier replies loads older ones.
Following a thread
At the top of an expanded thread:
- Follow / Following controls whether the thread's replies reach you and whether it appears in your Threads inbox. You follow a thread automatically when you start it, reply to it, or are @mentioned in it. Click Following to stop following.
- The bell next to it chooses how this thread notifies you (Use default, All messages, Mentions only, or Nothing).
The Threads inbox
Click Threads in the sidebar to open your threads inbox. It lists the threads you follow (including every thread you started or replied to), newest activity first. Each one shows the channel, the original message, the reply count, when the last reply came in, and its own unread badge. Click a thread to expand it in place. The empty state reads: "No threads yet. Threads you start or reply to show up here."
Thread activity is tracked separately from channel unreads. New replies in your threads light up the Threads badge only; the channel badge stays quiet. Check Threads regularly; it is where conversations you are part of continue.
Threads vs. quote replies
Threads exist in channels. In direct messages, the Reply action instead quotes the original message inline; see Quote replies.