To invite someone to Slack, click your workspace name in the sidebar, choose Invite people to..., enter their email address and click Send. The invitation lasts 30 days. You can also copy an invite link that up to 400 people can use, and if your workspace needs admin approval, you'll send a request instead.
Inviting someone to a Slack workspace is quick, but what you see depends on your role and your workspace's settings. Some people can send invitations straight away, some can only request them, and owners can choose between inviting a full member or a guest. Here's how each route works, plus the invite-link catch worth knowing before you paste one anywhere.
Invite someone by email
- Click your workspace name at the top of the sidebar.
- Select Invite people to...
- Enter the email address of the person you want to invite.
- Click Send, then Done.
On your phone, go to the DMs tab, tap the plus sign, tap Invite, then type an email address or pick someone from your contacts, and tap Send. Slack says an invitation stays active for 30 days, and owners and admins can resend a pending one to reactivate it.
Member or guest?
On Pro, Business+ and Enterprise plans, owners and admins get a drop-down to choose between inviting a member or a guest:
| Invite as | Best for | What you set |
|---|---|---|
| Member | Staff and long-term team members | Optional default channels via Customize your invitation |
| Guest | Clients, freelancers and contractors | The channels they can see, and an optional time limit |
One catch: Slack says you can't currently invite guests from its mobile apps, so do that from a computer. For freelancers and clients, a guest with an end date is far tidier than a full member you forget to remove.
Share an invite link
- Click your workspace name, then Invite people to...
- Click Copy invite link.
- Optionally, click Edit link settings to choose an expiry date and whether you're notified when someone uses it.
On the free, Pro and Business+ plans, members with permission can share a link. Each link lasts 30 days and can be used by up to 400 people. Here's the catch Slack spells out: anyone who clicks the link can join your workspace. Don't post it publicly or in a big group chat unless you mean it, because it's an open door to your workspace and everything shared openly in it.
You won't see the link option if your workspace uses single sign-on, and Slack says invite links can't be created in the Android app.
Can't invite? Send a request
If your workspace requires admin approval, you'll see a request option instead. Go to Invite people to..., enter the email address and click Send Request. Slack notifies you when an admin approves or turns it down. If nothing happens after a day or so, message an owner or admin directly and mention who you're trying to add.
Let people join with a company email
Workspace owners can approve certain email domains, so anyone with an address on that domain can join without an individual invitation. That's handy for growing teams, as new starters can sign up themselves on day one.
Inviting versus adding to a channel
Inviting someone brings them into the workspace. Adding them to a channel is a separate step for people who are already in it. If your colleague is already in Slack and just needs access to a project channel, add them to that channel rather than sending a new invitation.
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A welcome that makes the invite worth accepting
An invitation email on its own is easy to ignore. Send a quick personal note alongside it: what the workspace is for, which two or three channels matter most, and what you'd like them to do first, such as introduce themselves in a general channel. When you invite members on a Pro or higher plan, use Customize your invitation to drop them straight into those default channels, so they don't land in an empty sidebar. For clients invited as guests, pin a short welcome message in their channel explaining how you'll use it, how quickly you reply and where files will live. Ten minutes of setup saves weeks of 'where do I find...' messages.
When an invite doesn't arrive
- Check the email address for typos and resend it.
- Ask them to look in spam or promotions folders.
- Remember the invitation expires after 30 days, so resend an old one.
- If you're a member, check whether your workspace needs admin approval.
Keep your workspace tidy
Every new person adds noise, so invite thoughtfully. Give guests only the channels they need, set end dates for temporary access, and do a quick review every few months of who's still in your workspace. When projects finish, archiving the Slack channel keeps the history without the clutter, and my office productivity hacks cover more ways to keep shared tools under control.
My verdict
Invite by email from your workspace name, Invite people to..., and choose guest for anyone outside your business. Use invite links carefully, because anyone with the link can join. And if you can only send requests, that's your workspace's setting, not a fault.
Frequently asked questions
How do I invite someone to my Slack workspace?
Click your workspace name, choose Invite people to..., enter their email address and click Send.
How long does a Slack invitation last?
Slack says an invitation is active for 30 days. Owners and admins can resend a pending invitation to reactivate it.
How many people can use a Slack invite link?
Each invite link is active for 30 days and can be used by up to 400 people.
Why can't I invite people to Slack?
Your workspace may require admin approval, in which case you can send a request. Guests can't invite new members by default.
Can I invite a guest from the Slack app?
No. Slack says it's not currently possible to invite guests from its mobile apps, so use a computer.
