How to Hide Slack Messages, DMs, and Notifications During Screen Sharing

Short answer

To hide Slack messages during screen sharing, quit the Slack desktop app if possible, enable Do Not Disturb, turn off message previews, share a single window, and blur the Slack web app if it must stay visible.

Direct answer

To hide Slack messages during screen sharing, reduce Slack exposure at both levels: stop notification leaks with Do Not Disturb and preview controls, then stop in-app leaks by sharing a specific window and blurring the Slack web app sidebar, DMs, and unread badges.

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If this is the workflow you need, install ContextBlur, review how it works, and compare free versus Pro before your next call.

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Step-by-step

1. 1Quit the Slack desktop app if you do not need it during the meeting.
2. 2Enable system Do Not Disturb before you start sharing.
3. 3Share a specific browser tab or application window instead of your full desktop.
4. 4If Slack must stay visible, open the Slack web app and blur the sidebar, DMs, and previews before the call.

FAQ

How do I hide Slack DMs during screen sharing?

The safest method is to quit the Slack desktop app, enable Do Not Disturb, and share a specific browser tab or application window. If you need Slack visible, use the Slack web app and blur the DM panel before the call.

Can Slack hide message previews by itself?

Slack can reduce notification exposure by pausing notifications and switching previews to a generic Slack notification, but it does not hide the sidebar, open conversations, or unread badges inside the app.

What is the safest way to present Slack on a call?

Use the Slack web app in Chrome, blur channel names and message areas you do not want visible, and share only that prepared window or tab instead of your full screen.

Install-first workflow

Set up the privacy layer before the next meeting starts

This is the fastest path from search intent to product value: install the extension, blur the risky UI, and keep pricing as a second decision once the workflow proves itself.

• +The free plan is enough for one-off calls and quick proof-of-value.
• +The product works best when you combine narrow sharing with element-level blur.
• +Pro is mainly for people who share often enough to want automation and unlimited coverage.

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Install ContextBlur, test it on one real page, and keep pricing as a second decision after the workflow proves itself.

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Install free first. Upgrade inside the extension only if the workflow becomes part of your weekly meetings, demos, or recordings.

Short answer

If you need to hide Slack during screen sharing, do these four things in order:

1. Quit the Slack desktop app if you do not need it.
2. Turn on system Do Not Disturb.
3. Change Slack notifications from full previews to generic Slack alerts.
4. If Slack must stay visible, use the Slack web app in Chrome and blur the sidebar, DMs, and unread badges before you share.

That is the fastest way to prevent the two Slack leak paths that matter most: desktop notification previews and visible in-app conversations.

Slack notifications vs visible Slack content

Slack usually leaks in two ways:

1. Notification popups from the desktop app
2. Visible Slack content inside the app or browser window itself

Do Not Disturb helps with the first. It does not solve the second. If Slack stays on screen, you still need to hide the sidebar, DMs, unread badges, and preview text that remain visible in the app.

Slack Is the #1 Source of Screen Sharing Embarrassment

Every remote worker has a story. A Slack DM pops up during a presentation. A channel message with a sarcastic comment appears while the CEO is watching. An unread badge reveals a channel name that should not be visible. A message preview shows just enough text to be mortifying.

Slack is uniquely dangerous during screen sharing because it is always running and always generating notifications. Unlike email (which you can close), Slack is expected to be open during work hours. And Slack notifications include message previews by default — showing the first line of every message to everyone watching your screen.

This guide covers every method for hiding Slack content during screen sharing, from quick fixes to permanent solutions.

How to hide Slack messages during screen sharing

If you need a fast answer, use this order of operations:

1. Quit the Slack desktop app if it is not required for the meeting.
2. Turn on system Do Not Disturb so Slack notifications cannot interrupt the share.
3. Share a single browser tab or app window instead of your full desktop.
4. If Slack must remain visible, use the Slack web app and blur the sidebar, DM list, and message previews first.

That sequence removes the most common Slack leaks: desktop banners, accidental app switching, exposed channel names, unread badges, and readable DMs.

If you need the product setup behind that workflow, start with downloads, review the blur workflow on features, and compare limits on pricing.

Method 1: Close Slack Entirely

The simplest solution. Close the Slack desktop app before sharing your screen.

Pros: Eliminates all Slack visibility — no messages, no notifications, no sidebar. Cons: You cannot reference Slack during the meeting. If someone messages you something relevant, you will not see it.

Close the app, not just the window. On macOS, Cmd+Q. On Windows, right-click the system tray icon and "Quit."

Method 2: Enable System Do Not Disturb

Enable DND at the operating system level to suppress all notifications, including Slack.

macOS: Hold Option and click the date/time in the menu bar. Windows 11: Win+N then toggle Focus. Windows 10: Click the notification icon, select Focus Assist, choose Alarms Only.

This prevents Slack notification banners from appearing over your shared screen. It does not hide the Slack app itself — if Slack is open in the background and you accidentally switch to it, the messages are visible.

Our guide on hiding notifications during screen sharing covers DND setup on every OS.

What Slack settings actually help?

Slack's own settings help, but each one solves a different part of the problem.

The mistake people make is assuming one Slack setting solves the whole problem. It does not. You need one fix for notifications and another for the visible Slack interface.

Method 3: Share a Specific Window, Not Your Desktop

When your conferencing tool asks what to share, select a specific application window instead of your entire desktop. This limits the broadcast to only that application — Slack messages, desktop notifications, and other apps are excluded.

If you are presenting a browser tab, use tab-level sharing (available in Google Meet and Chromium browsers) for even more isolation.

This is the single most effective technique for preventing accidental Slack exposure.

Method 4: Blur Slack Content with ContextBlur

If you need Slack open during the meeting (for reference or to respond to messages), use ContextBlur to blur specific elements within the Slack web app.

Blurring Slack Web App

Open Slack in your browser at app.slack.com. Activate ContextBlur (Ctrl+Shift+B). Click to blur:

• Channel sidebar: Blur channel names that reveal project names or client identities
• Message previews: Blur individual messages containing sensitive content
• DM conversations: Blur the entire DM panel
• Unread badges: Blur notification counts that reveal activity patterns
• User profiles: Blur names and profile photos in specific conversations

Blurs persist across page refreshes. If you switch between channels, your sidebar blurs remain active.

Limitations

ContextBlur works on the Slack web app in Chrome. The Slack desktop app renders its own window outside the browser, so browser extensions cannot modify it. If you use the Slack desktop app, combine Methods 1-3 with Method 4 for the web app.

Method 5: Slack's Built-In Notification Settings

Slack has its own notification controls that can reduce exposure:

Pause notifications: Click your profile picture, select "Pause notifications," choose a duration. This stops Slack notifications for the specified time but does not hide the Slack interface.

Notification content: Go to Preferences, Notifications, and under "Notification Display," change from showing message text to showing "Slack notification" only. This hides message previews in system notifications but does not affect the Slack app window.

Badge notifications: In Preferences, Sound & appearance, disable badge notifications if you do not want unread activity counts visible in the app icon during a recorded walkthrough or a shared desktop.

Leave app running: On Windows and Linux, Slack can keep running in the notification area after the main window is closed. Disable this if your goal is to fully remove Slack from the shared environment rather than just minimize it.

Do Not Disturb schedule: Set recurring DND hours in Slack if you have regular meeting times. Preferences, Notifications, "Do not disturb."

Mute channels: Right-click channels you do not want to see notifications from and select "Mute channel."

These settings reduce notification exposure but do not address the Slack sidebar, open conversations, or accidental window switches.

If Slack has to stay visible on the call

This is the high-stakes version: you need Slack open because the meeting depends on it.

Use this workflow:

1. Open Slack in the browser instead of the desktop app.
2. Blur the left sidebar so channel names and DMs are not visible.
3. Blur the active message list if you only need one thread or one posted screenshot visible.
4. Share only that prepared browser tab or window.
5. Keep a second non-Slack fallback window ready in case you need to stop sharing quickly.

This is much safer than hoping you can keep the Slack desktop app arranged perfectly during a live meeting.

Method 6: Slack's Dedicated Screen Sharing Mode

Slack does not have a dedicated screen sharing privacy mode. Slack Huddles have their own screen sharing feature, but it does not suppress Slack notifications or hide Slack content from the shared view.

When sharing your screen via Slack Huddles, the same risks apply: DMs, channel messages, and sidebar content are visible if Slack is the active window.

The Complete Slack Privacy Stack

For maximum protection during screen sharing, combine methods:

1. Close the Slack desktop app (Cmd+Q / right-click → Quit)
2. Enable system DND to suppress any residual notifications
3. Share a specific window, not your desktop
4. If you need Slack during the meeting, use the web app and blur sensitive elements with ContextBlur
5. After the meeting, re-open the desktop app and disable DND

This layered approach eliminates Slack-related exposure from every angle: app visibility, notification popups, sidebar content, and message previews.

For the complete pre-sharing routine covering Slack and every other application, see the screen sharing checklist. For professional guidelines on managing messaging apps during calls, see our screen sharing etiquette guide.

If you want adjacent guides for the same privacy workflow, continue with:

• How to hide sensitive info during Google Meet screen sharing
• Loom screen sharing privacy
• Best Chrome extensions for screen sharing privacy
• How to blur your screen during screen sharing