Slack message capture is not working

Slack message capture turns a message link or copied message text into a post, idea, brief, knowledge entry, or campaign input. When capture fails, nothing opens after you paste a link, or a follow-up modal closes with a permission or access error.

Symptoms

• A message link cannot be read, or Slash Social says it cannot access the message.
• Pasted text does not produce enough context to open the next step.
• A follow-up modal closes immediately with a permission message.
• Message shortcuts that used to open Create no longer respond.
• Capture works for you in a channel but not for a thread link someone else shared.

Checks

Work through these checks on the message you want to capture:

1. Confirm you copied the message link or the full message text, including threaded replies when the source is a thread.
2. Paste into /social, /social-create, the Command Palette, or a direct message to the Slash Social app (not only a channel @mention).
3. Select the active brand when prompted in multi-brand workspaces.
4. If Slack says the message cannot be accessed, copy the message text instead of the link.
5. Close any modal left open from an earlier attempt before you retry.
6. Confirm you can open the source channel or thread in Slack. If the message was deleted or you were removed from the channel, link capture cannot recover it.
7. Try the same message from a second entry point (for example paste in /social after a DM attempt fails) to rule out a stale modal session.

Likely causes:

• The bot cannot read the channel or thread where the message lives.
• The workspace install is missing permissions added after an earlier install.
• You pasted in a channel instead of a supported intake surface (Command Palette, /social, /social-create, or a DM to Slash Social).
• An old modal session is still open from a failed attempt.

Fixes

1. Use a supported entry point. Open /social, run /social-create, use the Command Palette, or send the link or text to Slash Social in a direct message. Follow Save Slack messages as social content for the full flow.
2. Paste message text when links fail. If link resolution fails, copy the message body (and thread context if needed) and paste it through the same entry point.
3. Refresh the Slack app install when message links fail for everyone after a permissions change. Ask a workspace admin to reinstall from https://go.slashsocial.app/slack/install, accept new permission prompts, then retry from the same message.
4. Use the global Open Command Palette shortcut in Slack when you prefer a keyboard path. It opens the same search surface as /social.

Confirm the fix

Your selected action opens the follow-up modal or confirmation in Create. Saved ideas and drafts link back to the original Slack message when a message link was available.

Prevent it next time

• Capture from message links when you have access to the channel; fall back to pasted text for private or restricted threads.
• After workspace permission changes, reinstall before the team retries capture flows.
• In multi-brand workspaces, confirm the active brand before you submit capture so the follow-up modal targets the right profile.
• For link and note intake through DMs only, see DM intake is not working.
• Keep the Slack shortcuts reference handy when you train new creators on which shortcuts open Create versus other actions.

Contact support

Contact support when message capture fails for all users after a fresh install.

Send the workspace, brand, message type (thread or channel), which entry point you used (/social, /social-create, Command Palette, or DM), and any error text shown in Slack. See the Slack shortcuts reference for registered shortcut names.