Workspace Owners can choose from the following options when setting message retention for conversations:

• Keep messages, but don't track edits or deletions
  Slack will keep all messages for one year, but will not track message edits or deletions. After one year, messages will be permanently deleted.
• Delete messages after 90 days
  Slack will delete messages, edits, and deletions after 90 days.

Note: Applying basic data retention settings allows you to automatically delete messages and files that are hidden by the message limits of the free plan.

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
3. Next to Data retention, click Expand.
4. Select your preferred retention settings from the drop-down menus.
5. Click Save.
6. To confirm the change, click Confirm.

Workspace Owners can choose from the following options when setting message retention for conversations:

• Never delete messages – save edits
  Slack will keep all messages and track message edits and deletions.
• Never delete messages – don't save edits
  Slack will keep all messages, but will not track message edits or deletions.
• Choose custom timeline
  Slack will delete messages following the custom time frame you choose.

Note: On the Business+ plan, you can choose to delete messages from channels, but keep them accessible in exports if your workspace has been approved to export data from all conversations.

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
3. Next to Message history, click Expand.
4. Select your preferred retention settings from the drop-down menu.
5. Click Save.
6. Check the box to confirm the change, then click Save.

As an Org Owner, you can set a policy for message retention that will apply to every workspace in your org. With a policy in place, Workspace Owners won’t have the option to adjust message retention settings for workspaces they manage. You can choose from the following options when setting message retention for conversations:

• Never delete messages – save edits
  Slack will keep all messages and track message edits and deletions.
• Never delete messages – don't save edits
  Slack will keep all messages, but will not track message edits or deletions.
• Choose custom timeline
  Slack will delete messages following the custom time frame you choose.

Note: If your organization has been approved to export data from all conversations, you can choose to delete messages from channels and DMs, but keep them accessible in JSON based exports.

Set org-level message retention policies

To set an org policy for message retention or hiding, contact our Support team. When a policy is set, Slackbot will notify the Primary Org Owner and request approval to apply it. If approved, Slackbot will notify each Workspace Owner of changes to retention settings.

Review org-level message retention policies

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
3. Click Settings in the left sidebar, then select History.

Set workspace-level message retention settings

Note: If a retention policy has been set at the org level, Workspace Owners won’t be able to adjust message retention settings for their workspace(s).

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings. If you manage more than one workspace, choose one from the drop-down menu.
3. Next to Data retention, click Expand.
4. Select your preferred retention settings from the drop-down menu.
5. Click Save.
6. Check the box to confirm the change, then click Save.

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
3. Next to Data retention, click Expand.
4. Check the box next to Let workspace members override these settings.
5. Click Save.
6. Check the box to confirm the change, then click Apply new setting.

Set message retention override policies

As an Org Owner, you can set a policy to allow admins or members to override retention settings and adjust message retention for individual conversations in every workspace of your Enterprise org. With this policy in place, Workspace Owners won’t have the option to adjust message retention settings for workspaces they manage.

Contact our Support team to set this policy for your org. When a policy is set, Slackbot will notify the Org Primary Owner with a request to apply it. If approved, Slackbot will notify each Workspace Owner of changes to retention settings.

Review message retention override policies

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
3. Click Settings in the left sidebar, then select History.
4. Review your policies next to Message history overrides.

Set workspace-level message retention override settings

Note: If a retention policy has been set at the org level, Workspace Owners won’t be able to adjust message retention settings for their workspace(s).

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings. If you manage more than one workspace, choose one from the drop-down menu.
3. Next to Data retention, click Expand.
4. Check the box next to Let members set their own message history in private channel.
5. Click Save.
6. Check the box to confirm the change, then click Apply new setting.

Workspace Owners can choose from the following options when setting file retention:

• Keep files for one year, but don't keep deleted content
  Slack will keep all shared files for one year, before they are permanently deleted. Deleted files will not be tracked.
• Keep files for 90 days, including deleted content
  Slack will permanently delete files (snippets, uploaded files, and those shared via third-party apps like Dropbox or Google Drive) after 90 days.

Note: Files shared via third-party apps remain stored in the service they originate from. Deleting them from Slack won't impact the original files.

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
3. Next to File history, click Expand.
4. Select your preferred retention settings.
5. Click Save.
6. Check the box next to Yes, apply these new settings, then click Confirm.

Workspace Owners can choose from the following options when setting file retention:

• Keep all files
  Slack will keep all shared files for the lifetime of your workspace.
• Keep files, but only for a set number of days
  Slack will permanently delete files (snippets, uploaded files, and those shared via third-party apps like Dropbox or Google Drive) after the number of days you choose.
• Keep all files including deleted files
  Slack will keep all files for the lifetime of your workspace. Deleted files (including those that have been manually deleted) will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API.
• Keep files including deleted files, but only for a set number of days
  Slack will permanently delete files (snippets, uploaded files, and those shared via third-party apps) after the number of days you choose. Deleted files (including those that have been manually deleted) will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API until the specified time has elapsed.

Note: Files shared via third-party apps remain stored in the service they originate from. Deleting them from Slack won't impact the original files.

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
3. Next to File history, click Expand.
4. Select your preferred retention settings.
5. Click Save.
6. Check the box next to Yes, apply these new settings, then click Confirm.

As an Org Owner, you can set a policy for file retention that applies to every workspace in your org. To do so, contact our Support team. Org Owners can choose from the following options when setting file retention:

• Keep all files
  Slack will keep all shared files for the lifetime of your Enterprise org.
• Keep files, but only for a set number of days
  Slack will permanently delete files (snippets, uploaded files, and those shared via third-party apps like Dropbox or Google Drive) after the number of days you choose.
• Keep all files including deleted files
  Slack will keep all files for the lifetime of your Enterprise org. Deleted files (including those that have been manually deleted) will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API.
• Keep files including deleted files, but only for a set number of days
  Slack will permanently delete files (snippets, uploaded files, and those shared via third-party apps) after the number of days you choose. Deleted files (including those that have been manually deleted) will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API until the specified time has elapsed.

When a new retention policy is applied, Slackbot will notify the Org Primary Owner and request their approval to apply the update.

Note: Files shared via third-party apps remain stored in the service they originate from. Deleting them from Slack won't impact the original files.

Review file retention policies

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
3. Click Settings in the left sidebar, then select History.
4. Review your policies next to File uploads.

Workspace Owners can choose from the following options when setting retention for channel canvases:

• Keep all canvases and lists
  Slack will keep all content in channel canvases and any list for one year, before they are permanently deleted.
• Keep canvases and lists for 90 days only
  Slack will permanently delete the content in a channel canvas and in any list after 90 days.

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
3. Next to Canvas history, click Expand.
4. Select your preferred retention settings.
5. Click Save.
6. Check the box next to Yes, apply these new settings, then click Confirm.

Workspace Owners can select a retention policy that will apply to all lists and canvas types from the following options:

• Keep all canvases and lists
  Slack will keep all canvases and lists for the lifetime of your workspace. Canvases and lists that have been manually deleted will not be preserved and will not show in an export.
• Keep canvases and lists, but only for a set number of days
  Slack will permanently delete all canvases and lists after the number of days you choose. When a canvas or list is deleted is based on the date it was last edited, not the date it was created.
• Keep all canvases and lists including deleted canvases and lists
  Slack will keep all canvases and lists for the lifetime of your workspace. Deleted canvases and lists (including those that have been manually deleted) will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API.
• Keep canvases and lists including deleted canvases and lists, but only for a set number of days
  Slack will permanently delete canvases and lists after the number of days you choose. Deleted canvases and lists (including those that have been manually deleted) will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API until the specified time has elapsed.

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Workspace settings.
3. Next to Canvas and list history, click Expand.
4. Select your preferred retention settings.
5. Click Save.
6. Check the box next to Yes, apply these new settings, then click Confirm.

As an Org Owner, you can set a policy for canvas and list retention that applies to every workspace in your org. To do so, contact our Support team. The following policy options will apply to all lists and canvas types:

• Keep all canvases and lists
  Slack will keep all canvases and lists for the lifetime of your Enterprise org. Canvases and lists that have been manually deleted will not be preserved and will not show in an export.
• Keep canvases and lists, but only for a set number of days
  Slack will permanently delete all canvases and lists after the number of days you choose.
• Keep all canvases and lists including deleted canvases and lists
  Slack will keep all canvases and lists for the lifetime of your Enterprise org. Deleted canvases and lists (including those that have been manually deleted) will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API.
• Keep canvases and lists including deleted canvases and lists, but only for a set number of days
  Slack will permanently delete canvases and lists after the number of days you choose. Deleted canvases and lists (including those that have been manually deleted) will be available via exports for all conversations and the Discovery API until the specified time has elapsed. 

When a new retention policy is applied, Slackbot will notify the Org Primary Owner and request their approval to apply the update.

Review canvas and list retention policies

1. From your desktop, click your workspace name in the sidebar.
   
2. Select Tools & settings from the menu, then click Organization settings.
3. Click Settings in the left sidebar, then select History.
4. Review your policies next to Canvases & lists.