How to Create a Slack Channel on Desktop and Phone

A Slack workspace without channels is just a noisy group chat. The moment you give each client, project or topic its own channel, conversations stop getting lost and people can mute what isn't theirs. It's one of the first things I'd set up for a small team, a freelancer collective or a group of contractors.

Slack's help centre makes it a short job, but a couple of details trip people up: the phone steps differ from the desktop ones, and sometimes the option simply isn't there for you. I've followed Slack's own article below.

Making a new Slack channel on your computer

These are the desktop steps from Slack's help page:

1. Click the plus sign in the sidebar.
2. Select Channel.
3. Enter a channel name.
4. Choose whether the channel is public or private.
5. Click Create.

On some plans, Slack says you can pick a blank channel or a template at the second step. I cover templates a little further down.

Starting a Slack channel from your phone

The mobile route is slightly different, and the order of the screens is worth knowing so you're not hunting around. According to Slack:

1. From the Home tab, tap the plus sign.
2. Enter a channel name and tap Next.
3. Choose the channel type, public or private.
4. Tap Create.

Notice that the name comes first on mobile and the public or private choice comes after. On desktop they're on the same screen.

Choosing between a public and a private Slack channel

Slack asks you to choose during setup, so it's worth deciding before you press Create. Slack's creation article points to a separate page for the full definitions, so I'll stay with what a small business needs to think about.

• Use a public channel for anything the whole workspace might benefit from seeing, such as announcements, general questions or a shared resources list.
• Use a private channel for work that only certain people should see, such as a sensitive client project or a conversation about staffing.
• If you're unsure, think about who would be upset to find the channel, or upset to be left out of it.

That's my own rule of thumb, not Slack's wording. Check Slack's help on channel types before you rely on it for anything confidential.

Using a Slack channel template

Slack's article says templates are available on higher plans only. Instead of a blank channel, you pick a template that sets the channel up for a specific purpose, and Slack gives managing a project or handling approvals as examples. If you don't see a template option at step two, that's the likely reason, and a blank channel works fine.

Naming a new Slack channel so people can find it

Slack's creation article doesn't give naming rules on the page, so I won't quote a limit. What I can say from experience helping small teams is that a name becomes a habit very quickly. A clear pattern makes it easy to scan the sidebar:

• Start with a short group word, such as client, project or team, then the specific name.
• Keep names short so they don't get cut off on a phone.
• Use the same style every time, so nobody has to remember whether it's 'launch' or 'launch-plan'.
• Avoid vague names like 'misc' or 'stuff'. Nobody knows when to post there.

What to do straight after you create a Slack channel

A channel with one person in it isn't much use. Once it exists, I'd do three things in the first few minutes: add the people who need it, write one message that says what the channel is for, and pin or save anything people will want to find later.

If you also publish updates to followers rather than a team, the idea is similar in another app, and my step-by-step guide to creating a WhatsApp channel shows how that one works.

If you can't create a Slack channel

Slack's article is clear about why this happens. By default, members can create channels, and Multi-Channel Guests can create private channels. But Workspace Owners can change those permissions. So if the plus option isn't giving you the channel choice, work through this:

1. Check whether you're a guest rather than a full member of the workspace.
2. Ask a Workspace Owner whether channel creation has been restricted.
3. Ask them to create the channel for you, or to change the permission if that makes sense for your team.
4. If you're the owner of the workspace yourself, look at the permission settings in your workspace admin area.

Slack's own advice on the page is simply to ask a Workspace Owner for help if you can't create a channel.

Keeping your Slack channels tidy as the team grows

Think of the sidebar as a shop window. If it's crowded with half-used channels, people stop looking at it, and then they stop reading the useful ones too.

Channels multiply quickly. If you work with a small team and a few contractors, set a rule early about who creates what, and review the list now and then. When a project finishes, tell people where the discussion has moved. If you manage projects across a remote team, what a remote project manager's day involves shows why tidy channels matter so much.

Frequently asked questions

How do I create a Slack channel on desktop?

Click the plus sign in the sidebar, select Channel, enter a channel name, choose public or private and click Create. On some plans you can also pick a template instead of a blank channel.

How do I create a Slack channel on my phone?

From the Home tab tap the plus sign, enter a channel name and tap Next, choose the channel type and tap Create.

Who can create a channel in Slack?

By default members can create channels and Multi-Channel Guests can create private channels. Workspace Owners can change these permissions.

Why can't I create a Slack channel?

A Workspace Owner may have restricted who can create channels, or you may be a guest. Slack's help suggests asking a Workspace Owner for help.

What are Slack channel templates?

According to Slack, templates are available on higher plans and set up a channel for a specific purpose, such as managing a project or handling approvals.