How to Reply to a Specific Message in Slack

Messaging and collaborating with team members was once a tedious experience until Slack came into the picture. It is more than a messaging app connecting people and workgroups to trade information. The platform transforms the communication process for organizations.

If you are new to the platform, some of its features might be unknown until you, like knowing how to reply to a specific message in Slack. This article will show you the steps to take to reply to messages quickly and easily.

How to Reply to a Specific Message in Slack on a PC

You can respond to every message sent to you directly with these steps.

1. Open your team’s URL in a web browser or go to the app on your desktop and open it.
   
2. You will find your messages under the “Direct Message” header or go to your “Mentions” (@your username) in the left column.
   
3. Select the message you want to reply.
   
4. Click it to open a conversation with the user automatically.
   
5. At the bottom of the screen, you will see a box. Place your cursor inside the box and start typing. When you are done, send it.
   

If you have unread messages from any user, it will be highlighted with the number at the top of the chat (according to the number of unread messages), for example, “4 New Messages.”

How to Start a Specific Conversation in Slack on an iPhone

With an iPhone, you could quickly reply to specific messages in Slack.

1. Go to Messages under the “Dm” icon in the bottom of the Slack app.
   
2. Place your cursor inside the box at the bottom of the page to start typing.
   
3. When you are done, press the arrow icon.
   

Your message will appear automatically in the conversation, and the user can read it immediately.

How to Reply to a Specific Message in Slack on an Android

You can reply to specific messages in Slack using an Android phone, irrespective of your OS version.

1. Open your Slack App.
   
2. Go to the “Dm” icon.
   
3. Tap the message or DM you want to reply to.
   
4. Place your cursor inside the text box and begin typing.
   
5. When done, click the arrow icon in the bottom corner of the box to send the message.
   

How to Reply to a Message Using a Thread

This method is helpful if you want to reply to a message without taking over the channel.

1. Hover your mouse over the message.
   
2. Once you find several icons (if you are using the updated version). Click on the chat bubble icon to automatically create a thread column on the right side of the window.
   
3. Type your message inside the box.
   
4. Press the “Enter” key or the arrow icon at the bottom.
   

How to Set Messages Aside for Later in Slack

Often, your schedule could get so busy at work that you may not be able to respond to messages in Slack. However, you can easily set them aside to read later. There are three primary ways to set messages for “later.”

Set a Reminder

If you need more time to respond to a message in Slack, you could set a reminder and get an alert later from Slackbot. For example, on your way to work, you get a message that says, “don’t forget to send the minutes of yesterday’s meeting before noon.” You can set a reminder with the following steps:

1. Find three dots in a horizontal style and click it.
   
2. Place your cursor on “Remind me about this” from the options.
   
3. Choose the time you wish to get the reminder.
   

You will automatically get a message from Slackbot notifying you that you will get a reminder about the message at your chosen time. This message from the bot is only visible to you.

Mark as Unread

Sometimes you won’t have time to reply to messages in Slack. If you’ve accidentally opened a message that you’d like to address later, here’s how to mark it as “Unread.”

1. Click on the three dots beside the message you want to mark.
   
2. Choose “Mark as Unread” from the options displayed.
   

So whenever you revisit your Slack, it will be maintained as “New Messages” in the message sidebar until you check it.

Star a Message

If you receive essential information that you would like to keep for future use, you can flag the message with a star to easily access it later.

Here are the steps for starring messages in Slack:

1. Select the DM you want to star.
   
2. Open the conversation.
   
3. Click the header.
   
4. You will find the star icon beside it. Click the “Star” icon.
   

Whenever you want to read one of your starred messages, go to the starred option in the Menu.

How to Respond to a Message in Slack Using an Emoji

Emojis are not just meant for use in casual conversations. They are useful for actual work too. Perhaps, you receive a message in Slack that demands your urgent response, and you don’t have the time to begin typing. So what do you do?

An emoji allows you to respond quickly to a message in Slack without typing long sentences or paragraphs. They are designed to convey a message even without further explanations on your end. So, you can make the most of it when next you converse with your team members.

Here is how to reply to a specific message in Slack using a custom emoji:

1. Click on the smiley face icon to open the emoji menu in the Message section.
   
2. Select “Add Emoji.”
   
3. Enter a name for the emoji.
   
4. Click “Save.”
   

How to Share Past Conversations in Slack

Slack makes it easy to share a message from one public channel to another in just a few steps outlined below:

1. Click on the three dots to find more options.
   
2. Place your cursor on “Remind me about this” from the options and select time.
3. Select “Copy link” from the options and go to the thread or channel where you want to share the message and paste it into the message box below the page. Your message will be shared immediately.
   

Use Slack to Improve Communication and Collaboration With Your Team

With Slack, replying to specific messages is simple for different situations. Remember, you don’t have to respond to messages immediately if you are pressed for time. Instead, use the emoji features to give a quick response or the “Mark as Unread” to set it for later.

How do you use Slack? Do you find the various options for replying to messages helpful? Let us know in the comment section below.