Appearance
Summary
When Slack stops working, the entire office feels like it has ground to a halt. If you are seeing a banner that says "Slack couldn't connect," messages are stuck sending, or the app is frozen on the loading screen with the spinning logo, follow these steps to force it to reconnect.
Symptoms
- A red banner appears at the top saying "Slack couldn't connect" or "Connecting..."
- Messages you type turn gray and have a "Failed to send" error next to them
- You open the app and it is completely blank or stuck on the loading animation
- Your coworkers are talking about a conversation you cannot see
Before You Start
- Check
status.slack.comon your phone to ensure Slack isn't experiencing a global outage. If they are, you have to wait.
Instructions
1. The "Force Reload" (Fixes 80% of issues)
Often, the Slack app gets stuck in a bad state and needs to refresh its connection to the server. Closing the window with the "X" button doesn't actually close Slack; it hides it.
- Click on the Slack app to make sure it is the active window.
- Press Ctrl + R on Windows (or Cmd + R on Mac).
- The screen will flash white, and Slack will attempt to reload all of your messages.
2. Clear the Cache
If a Force Reload didn't work, Slack might be holding onto corrupted temporary data (cache).
- Click the three horizontal lines (menu icon) in the top left corner of the Slack window. (On Mac, click "Slack" in the top menu bar).
- Hover over Help.
- Select Troubleshooting.
- Click Clear Cache and Restart.
- The app will close, clear its memory, and reopen automatically. You will not lose any messages or be signed out.
3. Check for Network or VPN Interference
Slack requires a steady, uninterrupted internet connection. Sometimes, your company's VPN or firewall blocks it by mistake.
- In the Slack app, click the Help (question mark) icon in the top right corner.
- Type
Connection Statusin the search bar and select the article. Or, go directly to[yourworkspace].slack.com/help/testin a web browser. - This tool tests your connection to Slack's servers.
- If it fails the "WebSockets" test: You are likely on a VPN that is blocking Slack traffic. Try disconnecting from the VPN and reconnecting. If it still fails, contact IT.
4. Fully Quit and Reopen
Closing the Slack window does not quit the app, which is why restarting it often seems to change nothing.
If the app is completely frozen and you can't click any menus:
- Windows: Right-click the Slack icon in your System Tray (the small icons near the clock in the bottom right corner) and select Quit Slack. Then, reopen it from the Start menu.
- Mac: Right-click the Slack icon in the Dock, hold down the Option key, and click Force Quit.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom / Error | Potential Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| "Sorry, something went wrong" upon signing in | SSO Timeout | Your company's login token expired. Go to Help > Troubleshooting > Restart, then sign in again |
| Only one specific channel isn't loading | Corrupted channel data | Right-click the channel name, leave the channel, and then rejoin it |
| Slack is taking up 4GB+ of memory and running slow | Memory leak | Go to Help > Troubleshooting > Clear Cache and Restart |
Related Articles
- How to Get Started with Slack
- How to Manage Slack Notifications and Do Not Disturb
- Troubleshooting General Network/VPN Issues