How to set your working hours in Slack
You want Slack quiet in the evening and clear about when you're around during the day. Slack can do most of that with settings you probably haven't touched. Here's what each one does.
The short answer
Slack doesn't have one "working hours" switch that does everything. Instead it has a handful of settings that together tell people when you're around and keep work messages from following you home. Slack's own guide, Set up Slack for work hours, suggests three things: only receive notifications during your working hours, keep your time zone up to date, and let coworkers know your schedule. Here's how to do each one.
1. Set a notification schedule
This is the closest thing Slack has to working hours. From Slack's Pause your Slack notifications page:
- Click your profile picture in the sidebar and select Preferences.
- Below Working hours, open the Allow notifications drop-down and choose Every day, Weekdays or Custom.
- Choose a start and end time. Settings save automatically.
On mobile, tap your profile picture, then Notifications, and use Allow notifications under Notification schedule. With Custom you can set different hours for each day, which helps if you work a shorter Friday or split shifts.
Outside your schedule, notifications are paused. Slack says other people see a snooze icon next to your name, and anyone sending you a direct message can override it to notify you about an urgent message once per day. If an owner or admin has set a default schedule for the workspace, the one you set overrides it.
2. Turn on the after-hours automatic status
Slack can tell people you may be slow to respond "if you're in a huddle, in focus mode, or it's after your working hours" (source). To check it's on, click your profile picture, select Preferences, and under Automatic statuses tick the ones you want.
3. Schedule statuses for lunch, appointments and days off
You can schedule a status ahead of time. Click your profile picture, click the Update your status field, enter a status, then in the Duration drop-down choose Choose a start and end time. Scheduled statuses turn on by themselves, and Slack lets you queue up to five at once.
For short breaks, pausing notifications is quicker: click your profile picture, hover over Notifications and pick a time frame. You can also type /dnd for 30 mins or /dnd until 5pm, and /dnd off to resume.
4. Keep your time zone right and show your hours on your profile
Slack recommends updating your time zone when you travel, so coworkers see the right local time on your profile and your notification schedule keeps working as intended. On paid plans, workspace owners and admins can create custom profile fields, and Slack suggests a field for work hours. If your workspace doesn't have one, a line in your title or status does the job.
What working hours don't change: active vs away
The settings above are about notifications and statuses. Whether your dot shows active or away is a separate thing that Slack sets from your activity: "You're set to away after 10 minutes of desktop inactivity, or if you navigate away or close the app on your mobile device." You can also click your profile picture and choose Set yourself as away or Set yourself as active.
So during the day, a long read or a call away from the keyboard can still turn your dot hollow even though you're well inside your working hours. Our guide on keeping your Slack status active covers that side in more detail.
Where Awayproof fits
If you use Slack in the browser at app.slack.com, Awayproof works on the same idea as a notification schedule, but for your presence. You set work hours, weekdays and breaks such as lunch, and during those windows it keeps the Slack tab marked as in use, so you don't drop to away while reading. Outside them it stops and Slack behaves normally. It doesn't read messages, channels or files.
What it can't do:
- It doesn't work with the Slack desktop or mobile apps, only Slack in a browser tab.
- The tab needs to stay open and the browser running.
- If your computer sleeps, the lid closes or you lock the screen yourself, you may still show as away. The optional "Keep computer awake" setting prevents sleep and the automatic screen lock while it's active.
- It doesn't change a status or away setting you chose yourself, and it doesn't touch your notification schedule.
- Slack updates can temporarily stop it from working.
A simple setup
| Goal | Slack setting |
|---|---|
| No notifications in the evening or at weekends | Notification schedule under Preferences > Working hours |
| Let people know you'll reply tomorrow | Automatic statuses, after working hours |
| Lunch, appointments, days off | Scheduled status, or pause notifications |
| Coworkers in other time zones | Keep your time zone current; a work-hours profile field if your workspace has one |
| Stay active while reading during the work day, in the browser | A scheduled extension like Awayproof |
A note on workplace policy. Presence indicators are a team communication tool, and some employers have rules about them or about which browser extensions you can install. Whatever you choose, use it in line with your organization's policies. If you're unsure, ask your manager or IT team. Often the simplest fix is to agree with your team that a yellow dot doesn't mean "not working."
Frequently asked questions
Does Slack have working hours?
Yes, as part of notification settings. Click your profile picture, select Preferences, and under Working hours use Allow notifications to choose Every day, Weekdays or Custom, with a start and end time. Outside those hours, notifications are paused.
Can people still reach me outside my working hours?
Slack says people see a snooze icon next to your name, and someone sending a direct message can override it to notify you about an urgent message once per day. People on your VIP list can also get through.
Does my notification schedule make me show as away?
Slack describes them separately. The schedule pauses notifications, which shows a snooze icon next to your name. Active or away comes from your activity, and Slack sets you away after 10 minutes of desktop inactivity.
Can my admin set working hours for everyone?
Owners and admins can set a default notification schedule for the workspace. If you set your own, Slack says yours overrides it.
Does Awayproof change my Slack notification schedule?
No. It doesn't change any Slack setting. It only keeps the Slack web tab marked as in use during the work hours you set in Awayproof.