Products · Product

Slack

Raised as a usability problem by 913 people on Hacker News over 13 years (2014–2026), in 583 threads.

Ranked by people · period

This year (last 12 months)Last 5 yearsSince the beginning (2007)

1
Searching is hard to get rightUnreviewed
4 people this year · 3 threads

1
Searching is hard to get rightUnreviewed
17 people in the last 5 years · 15 threads
2
Notifications constantly interrupt concentrationUnreviewed
11 people in the last 5 years · 9 threads
3
Threaded replies are less visible, so follow-ups are missedUnreviewed
9 people in the last 5 years · 9 threads
4
Switching channels is laggy, sometimes taking five seconds or moreUnreviewed
8 people in the last 5 years · 7 threads
5
Hard to get people to use threads, so messages get buriedUnreviewed
8 people in the last 5 years · 8 threads
6
Can't tell which channels have unread messages after redesignUnreviewed
8 people in the last 5 years · 7 threads
7
Markdown formatting sometimes fails, so text doesn't render as expectedUnreviewed
7 people in the last 5 years · 6 threads
8
Typing lags far behind keystrokes on the desktop appUnreviewed
6 people in the last 5 years · 6 threads
9
Past conversations are hard to find through chat history searchUnreviewed
6 people in the last 5 years · 6 threads
10
Switching workspaces is slow and notifications are easy to missUnreviewed
6 people in the last 5 years · 5 threads
11
Other workspace icons are hidden, so switching workspaces is hardUnreviewed
6 people in the last 5 years · 5 threads
12
Enter sends inside code blocks, sending half-finished messages by accidentUnreviewed
5 people in the last 5 years · 5 threads
13
Hard to track messages and catch up across many channelsUnreviewed
5 people in the last 5 years · 5 threads
14
Create Channel now needs two or more clicks instead of oneUnreviewed
5 people in the last 5 years · 5 threads
15
Notification badge stays visible after no unread items remainUnreviewed
4 people in the last 5 years · 4 threads
16
Switching workspaces requires separate account creation instead of reusing loginUnreviewed
3 people in the last 5 years · 3 threads
17
Hard to catch up, with no clear conversation start and interleaved threadsUnreviewed
3 people in the last 5 years · 3 threads
18
Scrolling up through conversation history is slow and laggyUnreviewed
3 people in the last 5 years · 3 threads
19
Thread updates suppress channel unread notifications, so updates are missedUnreviewed
3 people in the last 5 years · 3 threads

1
Searching is hard to get rightUnreviewed
44 people since the beginning · 41 threads
2
Threaded replies are less visible, so follow-ups are missedUnreviewed
28 people since the beginning · 26 threads
3
Notifications constantly interrupt concentrationUnreviewed
25 people since the beginning · 22 threads
4
Typing lags far behind keystrokes on the desktop appUnreviewed
23 people since the beginning · 21 threads
5
Switching workspaces is slow and notifications are easy to missUnreviewed
18 people since the beginning · 17 threads
6
Past conversations are hard to find through chat history searchUnreviewed
16 people since the beginning · 15 threads
7
Markdown formatting sometimes fails, so text doesn't render as expectedUnreviewed
16 people since the beginning · 11 threads
8
Messages fail to load on poor connections, delaying notified textUnreviewed
14 people since the beginning · 12 threads
9
Switching channels is laggy, sometimes taking five seconds or moreUnreviewed
12 people since the beginning · 11 threads
10
Hard to get people to use threads, so messages get buriedUnreviewed
11 people since the beginning · 11 threads
11
Switching workspaces requires separate account creation instead of reusing loginUnreviewed
11 people since the beginning · 10 threads
12
Enter sends inside code blocks, sending half-finished messages by accidentUnreviewed
10 people since the beginning · 10 threads
13
Can't tell which channels have unread messages after redesignUnreviewed
10 people since the beginning · 9 threads
14
Hard to track messages and catch up across many channelsUnreviewed
8 people since the beginning · 8 threads
15
Scrolling up through conversation history is slow and laggyUnreviewed
8 people since the beginning · 8 threads
16
WYSIWYG editing gets in the way of plain-text and markup habitsUnreviewed
8 people since the beginning · 6 threads
17
Can't view and interact with several conversations at onceUnreviewed
7 people since the beginning · 7 threads
18
Push notifications unreliable on Android, working better when closedUnreviewed
7 people since the beginning · 7 threads
19
Other workspace icons are hidden, so switching workspaces is hardUnreviewed
7 people since the beginning · 6 threads
20
Hard to catch up, with no clear conversation start and interleaved threadsUnreviewed
6 people since the beginning · 6 threads
21
With notifications off, channels cannot be mutedUnreviewed
6 people since the beginning · 6 threads
22
Too much channel noise makes conversations and context hard to findUnreviewed
6 people since the beginning · 5 threads
23
Failed messages show only tiny hidden indicatorsUnreviewed
6 people since the beginning · 4 threads
24
Extra arrow press to exit inline code, and text jumps while typingUnreviewed
6 people since the beginning · 4 threads
25
Thread updates suppress channel unread notifications, so updates are missedUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
26
Chats can't be reordered, and channel split feels arbitraryUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
27
Notification badge stays visible after no unread items remainUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
28
Each team takes more than five seconds to loadUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 4 threads
29
General channel produces no notifications despite notification settingsUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
30
Messages are the least visible element on screenUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 4 threads
31
Create Channel now needs two or more clicks instead of oneUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
32
Hard to move between channel messages and thread repliesUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 5 threads
33
Drafts can't be turned off, and the chat jumps to the topUnreviewed
5 people since the beginning · 3 threads
34
Searching private conversation history returns only public channel resultsUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 4 threads
35
Lags on powerful machines and uses excessive memoryUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 4 threads
36
Can't open multiple chats side by side, forcing constant switchingUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 4 threads
37
Opening in browser forces a detour that must be skipped manuallyUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 4 threads
38
Video calls work only in Chromium browsers, forcing a browser switchUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 4 threads
39
Notifications appear only as a red dot with no timing controlUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 3 threads
40
Messages are fragments interleaved with other talk, hard to reconstruct laterUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 3 threads
41
Activity shows messages as unread after they've been readUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 3 threads
42
Posting code snippets in the new editor is harder than pastebinUnreviewed
4 people since the beginning · 3 threads
43
Email notifications on by default, with turn-off hidden in settingsUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
44
Some text fields ignore Shift+End, Home and arrow selection shortcutsUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
45
Focus lost after editing a messageUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
46
Posting outside threads when the relevant thread is right thereUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
47
Thread sidebar must be closed and navigated around to reach ThreadsUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
48
Right-click shows only browser menus, not app-specific optionsUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
49
Hard to find how to create threads on mobileUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
50
Pings too often or not at all, with few controlsUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
51
Threads bury information and don't show when they become active againUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
52
@ mentions pull people into unrelated low-priority questionsUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
53
Clearing unread channels takes seconds each, tedious for manyUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
54
Each short message triggers a separate notificationUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
55
Settings are hidden in hard-to-find placesUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
56
Opening from launcher doesn't clear notificationsUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
57
Blind users can't use it with screen readersUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
58
Unread badges on app icon and channels constantly demand attentionUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
59
Muted channels still show unread counts mixed with real messagesUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
60
DM notifications unreliable, and opening a chat marks everything readUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
61
Frequently used channels jump to different sidebar spotsUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
62
Hard to find the right channel in a very long listUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
63
No easy way to tell urgent messages from ones that can waitUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads
64
Can't tell which workspace has unread notifications at a glanceUnreviewed
3 people since the beginning · 3 threads

Every issue, all time, most people first

Searching is hard to get rightUnreviewed
44 people since 2015, in 12 different years · 4 this year
20142026
- Hard to find old Slack messages, even from a month ago2026-08-20
- People can't find old conversations in Slack, so they stop searching for them2026-08-20
- Hard to find anything in Slack older than a week2026-02-15
Something wrong here?
Threaded replies are less visible, so follow-ups are missedUnreviewed
28 people since 2017, in 9 different years · 1 this year
20142026
- Threads are hard to find, open in new windows awkwardly, and can't be inlined or merged with replies2026-09-28
- Thread replies like "yes" lose context; hard to find the thread they belong to2025-10-24
- Side-panel threads are easily missed, fragmenting discussions and confusing users2025-01-28
Something wrong here?
Notifications constantly interrupt concentrationUnreviewed
25 people since 2014, in 10 different years · 1 this year
20142026
- Constant notifications make it impossible to get work done in chat2026-10-20
- Notification options are scattered, requiring checking several settings to silence mentions2025-01-02
- Notifications silently blocked by Do Not Disturb, user couldn't tell why they didn't pop up2024-01-18
Something wrong here?
Typing lags far behind keystrokes on the desktop appUnreviewed
23 people since 2016, in 9 different years · 1 this year
20142026
- Typed letters appear with a delay of up to a second2026-02-14
- Perceptible delay when typing in the app2023-10-23
- Typing lags seconds per character and messages sometimes fail to render2023-08-26
Something wrong here?
Switching workspaces is slow and notifications are easy to missUnreviewed
18 people since 2019, in 6 different years · 2 this year
20142026
- Slack window steals focus while typing, sending command to wrong chat2026-07-24
- Slack window steals focus mid-typing, sending text to the wrong chat2026-07-24
- Moving every workspace to a new device takes too many steps per workspace2025-06-19
Something wrong here?
Past conversations are hard to find through chat history searchUnreviewed
16 people since 2016, in 8 different years · none this year
20142026
- Shared solutions become impossible to find in chat history2024-11-19
- Searching the saved chat backlog is slow and nearly unusable, harder than using Google2023-07-29
- Hard to browse old chat history with departed colleagues once time passes2023-03-07
Something wrong here?
Markdown formatting sometimes fails, so text doesn't render as expectedUnreviewed
16 people since 2017, in 8 different years · 1 this year
20142026
- Pasted Markdown loses formatting, forcing manual fixes to asterisks, links and nested lists2026-03-10
- Slack alters entered text and breaks code blocks and hyperlinks2024-10-31
- Valid markdown links get mangled when posting2024-02-09
Something wrong here?
Messages fail to load on poor connections, delaying notified textUnreviewed
14 people since 2016, in 8 different years · none this year
20142026
- Messages and client state break on bad connections, causing lost work and missing history2024-05-31
- Takes seconds to show a few text messages2023-08-01
- Can't mark individual messages as unread; client is slow and laggy2021-05-12
Something wrong here?
Switching channels is laggy, sometimes taking five seconds or moreUnreviewed
12 people since 2017, in 8 different years · 1 this year
20142026
- UI rendering lags noticeably when switching channels and projects2026-08-22
- Sluggish UI lags on every keystroke and jumps unexpectedly2025-09-18
- Switching channels feels sluggish and delayed even when content is cached2025-05-13
Something wrong here?
Hard to get people to use threads, so messages get buriedUnreviewed
11 people since 2020, in 7 different years · 1 this year
20142026
- Hard to find old threads and notifications are painful with many threads2026-01-19
- Threads were poorly integrated, with no way to be notified of new thread messages2025-10-19
- Threads are hard to search and poorly suited to hundreds or thousands of messages2024-06-26
Something wrong here?
Switching workspaces requires separate account creation instead of reusing loginUnreviewed
11 people since 2016, in 7 different years · none this year
20142026
- Needs a separate account per workspace, so switching accounts breaks things and login often fails2025-05-03
- Switching workspaces forces a separate account creation instead of reusing an existing login2022-09-18
- Must log out and log into each workspace separately, with no overview of all2022-01-20
Something wrong here?
Enter sends inside code blocks, sending half-finished messages by accidentUnreviewed
10 people since 2017, in 8 different years · 1 this year
20142026
- Shift+Enter and Enter swap behaviour inside code blocks, so messages get sent unexpectedly2026-04-12
- Enter and shift+enter swap behaviour inside code blocks, causing accidental message sends2025-09-02
- Enter-to-send behavior reverses inside code blocks, causing confusion about which key sends2024-08-06
Something wrong here?
Can't tell which channels have unread messages after redesignUnreviewed
10 people since 2016, in 5 different years · none this year
20142026
- Missed direct messages and unread channel messages now show the same badge, so users can't tell them apart2023-11-02
- Can't tell which channels have unread messages at a glance after redesign2023-11-02
- Can't tell how many unread messages a subscribed channel has, only that it's bold2023-02-14
Something wrong here?
Hard to track messages and catch up across many channelsUnreviewed
8 people since 2019, in 6 different years · 1 this year
20142026
- Repeated failures flood the channel with many messages and must be deleted one by one2026-01-14
- Hard to keep track of messages and catch up across many channels2024-07-18
- Too many channels and notifications make it hard to get work done2022-12-18
Something wrong here?
Scrolling up through conversation history is slow and laggyUnreviewed
8 people since 2017, in 5 different years · 1 this year
20142026
- View scrolls up on new messages while user is reading chat2026-02-14
- Scrolling back to older messages shows blank space while they load2025-01-28
- Scrolling up through chat history is clunky and hard to do2023-10-14
Something wrong here?
WYSIWYG editing gets in the way of plain-text and markup habitsUnreviewed
8 people since 2019, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Markdown-style inline formatting was replaced by a WYSIWYG interface, which users disliked2025-04-11
- Forced WYSIWYG editing with no way to opt out2020-07-11
- Slack's message editor is broken and adds bad UI practices2020-03-19
Something wrong here?
Can't view and interact with several conversations at onceUnreviewed
7 people since 2017, in 6 different years · none this year
20142026
- Only under half the screen is given to the actual conversation2022-08-27
- Too many clicks to reach a thread, and conversation uses under half the screen2022-08-27
- Conversations are slow to load when clicking between them2021-04-28
Something wrong here?
Push notifications unreliable on Android, working better when closedUnreviewed
7 people since 2015, in 5 different years · none this year
20142026
- Mobile app's offline indication and notifications are frustrating to deal with2025-09-18
- Messages seen on phone get buried, and no way to review past notifications2021-03-18
- Buried under a deluge of notifications, hard to stay on top of things2020-12-14
Something wrong here?
Other workspace icons are hidden, so switching workspaces is hardUnreviewed
7 people since 2016, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Cluttered new interface becomes hard to navigate when switching between many workspaces2024-01-14
- Multiple workspaces share no UI elements, making the interface a monstrosity2023-11-16
- Some workspaces show the new UI and others the old, which is jarring2023-09-22
Something wrong here?
Hard to catch up, with no clear conversation start and interleaved threadsUnreviewed
6 people since 2017, in 6 different years · none this year
20142026
- People expect immediate answers and it is easy to lose track of messages2023-07-28
- Important messages get buried in the flood, so the user misses them and responds late2022-11-14
- Hard to catch up on missed messages; no clear start to conversations, many threads interleaved2021-11-09
Something wrong here?
With notifications off, channels cannot be mutedUnreviewed
6 people since 2016, in 6 different years · none this year
20142026
- With notifications off, it won't let users mute channels2022-02-12
- Turning off notifications disables unrelated features, like adding channels to the ignore list2020-01-07
- Cannot mute or block annoying people in the channels they use2019-03-01
Something wrong here?
Too much channel noise makes conversations and context hard to findUnreviewed
6 people since 2015, in 4 different years · none this year
20142026
- Too much noise in channels, so people can't follow conversations or find context2022-11-17
- Conversations get buried or unreadable when channels discuss multiple topics; hard to catch up2017-04-11
- Channel structure feels messy, and conversations don't fit neatly into any channel2017-04-11
Something wrong here?
Failed messages show only tiny hidden indicatorsUnreviewed
6 people since 2016, in 4 different years · none this year
20142026
- Gives no indication of lost connection, so user can't tell if messages are current2023-11-14
- Doesn't show whether a sent message has reached the server yet2020-10-05
- Failed messages show only tiny hidden indicators, so users don't learn their message didn't send2020-10-05
Something wrong here?
Extra arrow press to exit inline code, and text jumps while typingUnreviewed
6 people since 2019, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Cursor behaves unpredictably around the closing backtick in inline code2023-08-10
- Cannot place cursor at start of inline code snippet; clicking always lands in same spot2022-11-06
- Cursor drawn in wrong place and cannot be placed at start of next word2019-12-03
Something wrong here?
Thread updates suppress channel unread notifications, so updates are missedUnreviewed
5 people since 2018, in 5 different years · none this year
20142026
- Expected notifications often never arrive, including thread replies and watched channels2024-10-31
- Threads hide information and notification controls are poor, hurting productivity2023-08-10
- Users must constantly work around the UI to avoid accidentally losing notifications in threads2022-08-09
Something wrong here?
Chats can't be reordered, and channel split feels arbitraryUnreviewed
5 people since 2015, in 4 different years · none this year
20142026
- Hard to search or organize chats; unclear whether a message is 1:1, group, room, or thread2023-09-08
- Channel list is not a plain chatroom list, group chats look like direct messages2020-12-01
- Browsing channels and listing personal chats doesn't work well for the user2020-05-19
Something wrong here?
Notification badge stays visible after no unread items remainUnreviewed
5 people since 2017, in 4 different years · none this year
20142026
- Catch Up shows notification badges for channels the user silenced2025-01-07
- Notification badge stays visible after no unread items remain2024-04-05
- Can't tell whether a red badge means a real missed notification or background noise2023-10-13
Something wrong here?
Each team takes more than five seconds to loadUnreviewed
5 people since 2015, in 4 different years · none this year
20142026
- Gets slower and uses lots of RAM when joining more teams2019-07-22
- Takes more than 5 seconds per team to load2018-08-04
- Takes forever to load, so users wait a long time2018-08-03
Something wrong here?
General channel produces no notifications despite notification settingsUnreviewed
5 people since 2017, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Gets pinged for threads and muted channels despite notification settings2023-07-08
- Notifications are too frequent by default and reset on every server join2020-08-22
- General channel messages produce no notifications despite notification level settings2020-03-18
Something wrong here?
Messages are the least visible element on screenUnreviewed
5 people since 2015, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Emoji, images and link previews clutter the chat and derail conversation2019-04-15
- Embedded images, emoji and link previews flood chat and clutter the conversation2019-04-15
- Chat UI wastes screen space, too large to keep glanceable in a corner2019-01-13
Something wrong here?
Create Channel now needs two or more clicks instead of oneUnreviewed
5 people since 2022, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Must repeatedly click "Only my channels" because it isn't on by default2024-08-21
- Opening Create Channel now takes two or more clicks instead of one2023-08-11
- Channels are split up, forcing clicking into groups and checking counts to catch up2023-07-26
Something wrong here?
Hard to move between channel messages and thread repliesUnreviewed
5 people since 2017, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Navigating between main channel messages and thread replies is a nightmare2022-04-23
- Replies with 'show in main feed' repeatedly interrupt the channel with linked headers from earlier messages2020-07-07
- Replies open in a separate tab away from the channel, confusing to follow2017-06-14
Something wrong here?
Drafts can't be turned off, and the chat jumps to the topUnreviewed
5 people since 2019, in 2 different years · none this year
20142026
- Threads are hard to navigate and don't show new messages while typing a draft2020-03-14
- Drafts bubble to top, far from where chat started; thread links open whole thread2019-11-21
- Drafts can't be turned off, and the chat being worked on jumps to the top confusingly2019-11-21
Something wrong here?
Searching private conversation history returns only public channel resultsUnreviewed
4 people since 2015, in 4 different years · none this year
20142026
- Leaving a private channel removes it from search results, with no way to stay findable2025-09-30
- Search returns archived channels and departed staff instead of exact recent matches2023-09-08
- Search returns results from unjoined and muted channels, making wanted messages impossible to find2018-06-22
Something wrong here?
Lags on powerful machines and uses excessive memoryUnreviewed
4 people since 2016, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Terrible delays and slowness even on powerful computers2020-10-16
- Feels painfully slow to use, and its memory use creeps past a gigabyte2019-07-22
- Eats 2GB memory and beachballs the computer when channels have lots of formatting2016-06-10
Something wrong here?
Can't open multiple chats side by side, forcing constant switchingUnreviewed
4 people since 2016, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Can't open two channels in tabs or open preferences without leaving the current chat2025-10-13
- One window mixes calls, chats and channel list, causing conflicting functions and repeated information2021-12-23
- Can't open multiple chats side by side; one long channel list forces constant switching2021-09-28
Something wrong here?
Opening in browser forces a detour that must be skipped manuallyUnreviewed
4 people since 2017, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Opening Slack in browser forces an annoying detour that users must skip manually2025-01-08
- Loses track of Slack tabs and can't tell them apart from other tabs2019-06-20
- Opening a Slack link takes many redirects and sometimes fails when the tab is in background2017-04-11
Something wrong here?
Video calls work only in Chromium browsers, forcing a browser switchUnreviewed
4 people since 2018, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Video calls don't work in Firefox, and the app is slow2023-05-05
- Slack video calls are blocked or degraded in Firefox, forcing users to switch browsers2023-02-08
- Video calls only work in Chromium browsers, forcing the user to switch browsers2021-02-20
Something wrong here?
Notifications appear only as a red dot with no timing controlUnreviewed
4 people since 2014, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Persistent notification dot on the tab icon is distracting and drives the user crazy2022-12-17
- Red notification dot pulls focus until the user clears it2022-12-16
- Notifications take up huge space and aren't clearly colour-coded for relevance2015-12-16
Something wrong here?
Messages are fragments interleaved with other talk, hard to reconstruct laterUnreviewed
4 people since 2018, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Brief chat messages force many back-and-forth questions to understand the request2023-01-27
- Chat messages are fragments interleaved with other talk, so the whole conversation is hard to reconstruct later2023-01-27
- Conversations are jumbled and fragmented, so later it's impossible to piece together context2023-01-26
Something wrong here?
Activity shows messages as unread after they've been readUnreviewed
4 people since 2020, in 2 different years · none this year
20142026
- Clicking a notification reopens messages already answered on the phone, since read state doesn't sync2023-11-02
- Activity shows messages as unread even after they have been read2023-11-02
- Mobile app keeps showing messages as unread after reading them2023-08-09
Something wrong here?
Posting code snippets in the new editor is harder than pastebinUnreviewed
4 people since 2019, in 2 different years · none this year
20142026
- Pasting long text forces users to click around and manually copy content into snippets2020-02-14
- Copy-pasting from code snippets adds unwanted newlines; formatting options are limited2020-02-13
- Posting code snippets in the new editor is more annoying than pastebin2019-12-04
Something wrong here?
Email notifications on by default, with turn-off hidden in settingsUnreviewed
3 people since 2019, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Email notifications are on by default and turning them off is hidden in settings2023-08-10
- Notifications keep popping up during presentations because disabling them lies outside the normal workflow2021-01-24
- Can't find where to disable the red badge after turning off notifications2019-06-20
Something wrong here?
Some text fields ignore Shift+End, Home and arrow selection shortcutsUnreviewed
3 people since 2021, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Home and End keys don't work in the input box, making edits tedious2023-08-09
- Some text fields ignore Shift+End/Home/Arrows selection shortcuts that others support2022-01-28
- Key mappings are inconsistent: Enter and up-arrow behave differently depending on context2021-05-26
Something wrong here?
Focus lost after editing a messageUnreviewed
3 people since 2017, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Typing fast while editing sends edits to the wrong message2022-02-26
- Focus lost after editing a message; slow edit mode and command suggestions2021-07-28
- Edits appear to apply, then silently fail with a dialog 10-20 seconds later2017-09-18
Something wrong here?
Posting outside threads when the relevant thread is right thereUnreviewed
3 people since 2021, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Threads echoed to channel stay unread until user explicitly opens the Threads section2024-06-25
- Typing in a thread also shows typing in the main channel, misleading others2022-09-06
- Users can post outside threads in channels even when the relevant thread is right there2021-09-16
Something wrong here?
Thread sidebar must be closed and navigated around to reach ThreadsUnreviewed
3 people since 2018, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Thread view stays open while navigating, so it becomes out of context and confusing2022-08-27
- Thread sidebar is awkward; users must close it and navigate to Threads view2021-07-27
- Couldn't figure out how to exit the thread view on mobile2018-08-29
Something wrong here?
Right-click shows only browser menus, not app-specific optionsUnreviewed
3 people since 2016, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Right-clicking only shows the built-in browser menus, not app-specific options2023-02-26
- Right-click shows only a generic copy popup; functions are buried in hidden menus2017-01-12
- Slow, non-native UI; right-click missing, so users must hunt for a cog menu2016-11-17
Something wrong here?
Hard to find how to create threads on mobileUnreviewed
3 people since 2018, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Users struggle to find how to create threads on mobile2020-08-29
- Threads are not accessible to screen reader users2019-04-27
- Threads are unusable and channel navigation is slow on mobile2018-08-04
Something wrong here?
Pings too often or not at all, with few controlsUnreviewed
3 people since 2019, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Constant pinging and endless back-and-forth messages make it hard to keep up2024-08-04
- Pings too much or not at all, with limited settings to control them2022-04-13
- @here pings are overused by default and disabling them has poor UX2019-06-17
Something wrong here?
Threads bury information and don't show when they become active againUnreviewed
3 people since 2018, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- People don't notice when a new thread has been started2020-12-01
- Threads bury information and users can't tell when a thread becomes active again2019-06-20
- Thread feature is awkward; user must post a message and start a thread with themselves to avoid cluttering the room2018-07-26
Something wrong here?
@ mentions pull people into unrelated low-priority questionsUnreviewed
3 people since 2014, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Mentions in threads are easy to miss and hard to keep track of2021-07-27
- @ mentions in large busy channels pull people into unrelated low-priority questions2020-05-27
- Can't keep track of multiple mentions when channels move fast and user is away2014-10-31
Something wrong here?
Clearing unread channels takes seconds each, tedious for manyUnreviewed
3 people since 2014, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Clearing unread channels now takes seconds each, making it tedious to clear many2023-11-02
- Hard to clear notification circles when in many channels2019-08-08
- Must click through channels repeatedly just to clear unread indicators2014-05-28
Something wrong here?
Each short message triggers a separate notificationUnreviewed
3 people since 2019, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Each short message triggers a separate notification, spamming the recipient with many alerts2022-03-29
- Each short message triggers a separate notification, so one thought pings many times2020-10-19
- No warning before someone mass-pings a large channel with trivial messages2019-09-06
Something wrong here?
Settings are hidden in hard-to-find placesUnreviewed
3 people since 2017, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Settings are hidden in hard-to-find places2023-10-13
- Settings are hard to find; you must go through the Workspace menu2018-02-09
- Admin settings are cluttered and slow, so finding the right setting takes ten minutes2017-07-27
Something wrong here?
Opening from launcher doesn't clear notificationsUnreviewed
3 people since 2014, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Notifications require opening the full app before the item can be acted on2020-06-06
- Notifications clutter the application switcher, annoying the user2016-03-16
- Opening app from launcher doesn't clear notifications, unlike opening via notification2014-11-01
Something wrong here?
Blind users can't use it with screen readersUnreviewed
3 people since 2018, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Non-technical colleagues couldn't figure out basic Slack functionality, requiring hand-holding2023-02-13
- Blind user finds Slack impossible to use due to accessibility barriers2019-06-17
- Blind colleague finds Slack frustrating and unusable with screen readers2018-03-01
Something wrong here?
Unread badges on app icon and channels constantly demand attentionUnreviewed
3 people since 2018, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Unread badges on the app icon and channels create constant distracting nagging2022-12-17
- Can't show useful activity badges on Mac and iOS apps2019-03-07
- Default unread badges and notifications nag users to keep checking the app2018-10-28
Something wrong here?
Muted channels still show unread counts mixed with real messagesUnreviewed
3 people since 2020, in 3 different years · none this year
20142026
- Muted channels still show unread counts mixed in with real messages2023-01-09
- Muted channels still show unread counters, and tray icon doesn't distinguish DMs from team mentions2022-12-16
- Muted chat rooms still add to the red unread count on the app icon2020-06-05
Something wrong here?
DM notifications unreliable, and opening a chat marks everything readUnreviewed
3 people since 2020, in 2 different years · none this year
20142026
- DM notifications unreliable and opening a chat jumps and marks everything read2025-09-19
- Can't trust notifications for DMs and mentions, so must keep the app open and check it constantly2020-05-26
- Constant unread alerts and DM read states force checking everything to stay up to date2020-03-07
Something wrong here?
Frequently used channels jump to different sidebar spotsUnreviewed
3 people since 2019, in 2 different years · none this year
20142026
- Users moved lower in sidebar, so people can't find them and must search instead2020-03-19
- Frequently used channels jump to a different sidebar spot, so users can't find them2019-11-21
- Switching users and channels on tablet requires digging through the sidebar, which is annoying2019-08-30
Something wrong here?
Hard to find the right channel in a very long listUnreviewed
3 people since 2017, in 2 different years · none this year
20142026
- Finding files or using search is hellish, and channels are hard to check back on2020-12-02
- No way to list all channels; can't find the right channel or spot important posts2020-05-25
- Hard to find the right channel, and the channel list is too long to navigate2017-09-18
Something wrong here?
No easy way to tell urgent messages from ones that can waitUnreviewed
3 people since 2016, in 2 different years · none this year
20142026
- No easy way to tell urgent messages from ones that can wait; must comb through red dots2022-12-17
- Unread red dots obscure later messages, and reminders make non-urgent messages look urgent2022-07-05
- No way to send a non-urgent message that doesn't disrupt the recipient2016-08-26
Something wrong here?
Can't tell which workspace has unread notifications at a glanceUnreviewed
3 people since 2020, in 2 different years · none this year
20142026
- Can't see notifications for all workspaces at a glance; must hover to check them2023-11-02
- Can't tell which workspace has unread notifications at a glance2023-09-13
- Must jump through each workspace separately to find unread messages2020-04-03
Something wrong here?

This list counts all time; the period switch above only changes the ranking. Each issue is a group of similar complaints raised by at least 3 people in 3 different months and threads. Each line under an issue is Claude Haiku's summary of one of its latest comments, not a quote; follow it to read the comment on Hacker News.

Unreviewed issues were grouped by machine: Claude Haiku labelled each comment as a usability complaint, named what it's about and summed up the problem in a line, and a small model grouped similar problems. Nobody has checked them by hand. Expect mistakes.

The newest 50 complaints