These 2 Small Slack Changes Made My Life Easier

I've been a Slack user since its open beta, but it hasn't always been smooth sailing. While a superior alternative to email's time-consuming nature, Slack has its quirks. I recently solved two of mine.

Stop Accidental Message Sending

Prematurely sending unfinished messages is embarrassing. The more crucial the message, the higher the risk of accidentally hitting Return. This was a constant issue, especially with longer messages. While Ctrl Return (Mac) or Shift Enter (Windows) adds line breaks, accidental keystrokes still happen. Editing sent messages is possible, but disruptive and leaves a temporary record of your mistake. Notifications on the recipient's end also can't be undone.

The solution? Adjust Slack's Enter key setting. In Slack, click your profile picture (bottom left), then select Preferences > Advanced. Find "When writing a message, press Enter to" and change it to "Start a new line."

Now, Command Return (Mac) or Ctrl Enter (Windows) sends messages, mimicking email behavior. It takes a few days to adapt, but prevents future accidental sends. Plus, you no longer need Shift or Control for new lines!

Embrace Markdown Mode

My other fix was enabling Slack's Markdown mode. This primarily addressed a persistent issue: the Tab key for indenting bulleted lists would select other screen elements. Markdown eliminates WYSIWYG formatting, resolving the Tab key problem and offering unexpected benefits.

As a daily Markdown user (I'm writing this in Markdown!), I'm a convert.

Why Use Markdown?

Markdown is a simple, readable, and versatile markup language. It uses simple symbols (asterisks, underscores, etc.) for formatting, making it easy to learn and use. It's a valuable skill for anyone online.

Using Markdown in Slack is straightforward. While you manually format everything (including links, though Slack auto-links URLs), it keeps your skills sharp and messages clean. The formatting bar disappears, but other features (attachments, emojis, integrations) remain.

Enable Markdown in Slack Preferences > Advanced by checking "Format messages with markup."

It's ideal for sharing pre-formatted Markdown content.

A More Efficient Slack Workflow

Slack is a valuable group communication tool. Create a free workspace and choose message retention (1 year without edits/attachments, or 90 days with full history). Download messages before they're deleted.

While great for work/study groups, Slack isn't ideal for casual socializing. Discord is a better option for friend groups.

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