How to Set Slack Reminders: Personal, Team, and Channel Reminder Guide
Slack reminders are tiny digital nudges. They tap you on the shoulder before your brain says, “Wait, what was I doing?” You can use them for your own tasks, for teammates, or for a whole channel. They are quick, friendly, and surprisingly powerful.
TLDR: Use /remind in Slack to create reminders for yourself, another person, or a channel. You can also set reminders from message menus when you want Slack to bring a message back later. Use clear wording, a time, and a target. Check your reminders with /remind list and edit or delete them when needed.
Why Slack reminders are your tiny productivity goblins
Slack moves fast. Messages fly by. Threads grow legs. Someone asks a question during lunch. Then your afternoon disappears into meetings.
That is where reminders help. They catch the little things before they become big things. They can remind you to follow up, post a report, check a ticket, drink water, or wish the team good luck before a launch.
The best part is this: you do not need a fancy setup. You just need a simple command.
The magic command is:
/remind
Think of it like telling Slackbot, “Hey buddy, remind me later.” Slackbot nods, puts on a tiny calendar hat, and gets to work.
The basic Slack reminder formula
Most reminders follow this simple shape:
/remind [who] [what] [when]
Here is what each part means:
- Who: The person or place getting the reminder.
- What: The task or message.
- When: The date, time, or repeating schedule.
For example:
/remind me to send the weekly update tomorrow at 10am
Slack understands normal language pretty well. You do not need to write like a robot. You can say tomorrow, next Monday, in 30 minutes, or every Friday at 4pm.
How to set a personal Slack reminder
Personal reminders are just for you. They are perfect for private tasks. Nobody else needs to know that you forgot to reply to Gary. Again.
Type your reminder in any Slack message box, then press enter.
Try these examples:
/remind me to review the budget at 2pm/remind me to reply to Sam in 1 hour/remind me to check the launch notes tomorrow morning/remind me to submit my timesheet every Friday at 3pm
Slackbot will confirm the reminder. When the time comes, Slackbot sends you a message. It is simple. It is quiet. It does not judge.
Pro tip: Use action words. Start the reminder with verbs like send, review, check, call, or post. This makes the reminder easier to act on.
How to set a reminder from a Slack message
Sometimes a message itself is the task. Maybe someone shares a file. Maybe your manager asks for feedback. Maybe a thread has one tiny detail you need later.
You can remind yourself about that exact message.
- Hover over the message.
- Click the three dots or more actions menu.
- Choose Remind me about this.
- Pick a time, such as in 20 minutes, tomorrow, or next week.
- Use Custom if you need a specific date and time.
This is great for busy channels. It lets you say, “Future me can handle this.” Future you may roll their eyes. But they will be grateful.
How to set a reminder for a teammate
Need to nudge one person? You can create a reminder for a teammate with their Slack username.
Use this format:
/remind @name to do something at a certain time
Examples:
/remind @maya to upload the slides at 11am/remind @leo to approve the design tomorrow/remind @nina to bring the metrics to the meeting next Tuesday at 9am
This is useful, but use it kindly. A reminder is not a tiny boss robot. It should help, not annoy.
Good teammate reminder: “Please check the final draft tomorrow.”
Not so good: “Do the thing you forgot, again, because chaos follows you.”
Keep it clear. Keep it polite. Add context when needed.
How to set a channel reminder
Channel reminders are for a group. They are great for daily standups, weekly reports, release checks, social events, and team rituals.
Use this format:
/remind #channel to do something at a certain time
Examples:
/remind #marketing to post campaign results every Friday at 2pm/remind #engineering to update sprint tickets every weekday at 5pm/remind #support to review urgent tickets tomorrow at 9am/remind #team to join the all hands meeting at 3pm
Channel reminders are best when many people need the same nudge. They also reduce repeated messages. Instead of one person typing “Don’t forget!” every week, Slackbot does the polite nagging.
Pro tip: Be specific. A reminder that says “Update stuff” is not helpful. A reminder that says “Update the project tracker before 4pm” is much better.
How to create recurring reminders
Recurring reminders are where Slack starts to feel like a helpful wizard.
You can use words like:
- Every day
- Every weekday
- Every Monday
- Every month
- Every Friday at 4pm
Try these:
/remind me to plan tomorrow every weekday at 4:30pm/remind #sales to update the pipeline every Monday at 10am/remind @chris to send the client report every month on the 1st
Recurring reminders are perfect for habits. They keep routine work from falling into the swamp.
How to view, complete, or delete reminders
Reminders are useful. Too many reminders are a confetti cannon in your face. So clean them up often.
To see your reminders, type:
/remind list
Slack will show your upcoming reminders. From there, you can usually mark them complete, delete them, or manage them.
You can also mark a reminder complete when Slackbot sends it. This feels good. It is a small victory button.
Best practices for better reminders
A good reminder is short, clear, and timed well. A bad reminder is vague and arrives at the worst possible moment.
Use these simple rules:
- Include the action. Say what needs to happen.
- Add the object. Say what file, task, meeting, or thread matters.
- Use a real time. “Soon” is not a plan.
- Avoid reminder spam. Do not remind a whole channel about tiny things.
- Use recurring reminders carefully. Review them now and then.
- Be kind. Reminders should support people, not pressure them.
Common mistakes to avoid
Mistake one: Writing a reminder with no time.
Weak: /remind me to call Alex
Better: /remind me to call Alex tomorrow at 11am
Mistake two: Making a channel reminder too broad.
Weak: /remind #project to update things
Better: /remind #project to update the launch checklist every Thursday at 3pm
Mistake three: Reminding teammates without context.
Add a few words so they know why the reminder matters.
Quick reminder cheat sheet
- Personal:
/remind me to finish notes at 4pm - Teammate:
/remind @alex to review the deck tomorrow - Channel:
/remind #design to share updates every Monday at 10am - Message reminder: Use the message menu and choose Remind me about this.
- See reminders:
/remind list
Slack reminders are small, but they can save your day. Use them for tasks, follow-ups, routines, and team nudges. Keep them clear. Keep them friendly. Then let Slackbot carry the mental sticky notes for you.
