How to mute Slack notifications for channels that aren’t starred

Slack can be a powerful tool for communication, but the constant stream of notifications can quickly become overwhelming — especially when you’re part of multiple channels that you don’t check often. Thankfully, there’s a simple solution: you can mute notifications for all channels except the ones you’ve starred.

In this quick guide, you’ll learn how to take control of your Slack experience by muting low-priority channels while still staying in the loop with the ones that matter most.

⭐ What Are Starred Channels in Slack?

In Slack, starring a channel pins it to the top of your sidebar for easy access. You can use stars to mark your most important channels — like project updates, direct reports, or team discussions.

By adjusting your notification settings, you can limit notifications to only your starred channels, giving you more focus and less noise.

🔕 How to Mute Non-Starred Slack Channels

Here’s how to set Slack notifications so only your starred channels will alert you:

✅ Step 1: Open Slack Notification Preferences

1. Click your profile picture in the top right corner of Slack.
2. Select Preferences from the dropdown menu.
3. Click on Notifications in the left-hand sidebar.

✅ Step 2: Set Notification Behavior

Scroll down to the “Notification Preferences” section.

• Look for the option that says:
  “Notify me about…”
• Select:
  ✅ Direct messages, mentions & keywords
  ✅ Only on starred channels

💡 This setting ensures you’ll still receive notifications for DMs and mentions, but only in channels that you’ve marked as important by starring them.

✅ Step 3: Star the Channels You Care About

1. Go to any important channel.
2. Click the star icon next to the channel name at the top.
3. The channel will move to your “Starred” section in the sidebar.

You’ll now receive notifications from this channel while others stay quiet unless directly mentioned.

🔄 Optional: Mute Specific Channels Manually

For even more control, you can mute individual channels:

1. Open the channel.
2. Click the channel name at the top.
3. Click “Mute channel” to stop all notifications from it.

Muted channels appear grayed out in your sidebar and won’t show notification badges.

🧠 Why Use This Feature?

• Reduce distractions during focused work hours
• Prioritize important conversations
• Customize your workflow for maximum efficiency
• Avoid burnout from constant alerts

🚀 Final Thoughts

Slack is designed to help teams communicate — but when too many channels are buzzing, productivity can suffer. By limiting notifications to only starred channels, you’ll create a cleaner, quieter workspace that lets you focus on what really matters.

Mark Vincent

Tech enthusiast and content creator passionate about making technology simple for everyone. I share practical tips, guides, and reviews on the latest in computers, software, and gadgets. Let’s explore the digital world together!