Slack File Size Limits
Upload limits and storage quotas for Slack workspaces
Free Plan
Per file upload
Pro/Business+
Per file upload
Enterprise Grid
Per file upload
Detailed Slack Limits
| Feature | Free | Pro ($7.25/user) | Business+ ($12.50/user) | Enterprise Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File Upload Size | 1 GB | 10 GB | 10 GB | 20 GB |
| Storage per Workspace | 10 GB total | 10 GB/user | 20 GB/user | 1 TB/user |
| Message History | 90 days | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Apps & Integrations | 10 apps | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Video Calls | 1:1 only | Up to 50 people | Up to 50 people | Up to 50 people |
| Screen Recording | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Message Length | 40,000 characters | |||
| Channels per Workspace | Unlimited | |||
Understanding Slack Storage
Free Plan Storage
10 GB total for entire workspace
- Shared across all members
- Oldest files deleted when full
- Only 90 days message history
- Files over 90 days auto-deleted
Paid Plan Storage
10-20 GB per user
- Pro: 10 GB per active user
- Business+: 20 GB per user
- Enterprise: 1 TB per user
- Files stored indefinitely
Supported File Types
📸 Images
- JPEG/JPG: ✅ Inline preview
- PNG: ✅ Inline preview
- GIF: ✅ Animated
- SVG: ✅ Preview
- WebP: ✅ Supported
- HEIC: ✅ Preview
Auto-thumbnail generation
🎥 Videos
- MP4: ✅ Inline player
- MOV: ✅ Inline player
- WebM: ✅ Inline player
- AVI: ⚠️ Download only
- MKV: ⚠️ Download only
Video thumbnail preview
🎵 Audio
- MP3: ✅ Inline player
- WAV: ✅ Inline player
- M4A: ✅ Inline player
- OGG: ✅ Inline player
- FLAC: ✅ Supported
Waveform visualization
📄 Documents
- PDF: ✅ In-app preview
- DOC/DOCX: ✅ Preview
- XLS/XLSX: ✅ Preview
- PPT/PPTX: ✅ Preview
- TXT: ✅ Syntax highlight
- Code: ✅ Syntax highlight
Google Docs integration
File Sharing Best Practices
1. Use External Storage for Large Files
Integrate cloud storage:
- Google Drive integration
- Dropbox integration
- OneDrive integration
- Box integration
Preserves workspace storage and provides version control
2. Clean Up Old Files
Manage storage effectively:
- Review workspace analytics
- Delete duplicate uploads
- Archive completed projects
- Remove test/temporary files
3. Optimize File Sizes
Reduce before uploading:
- Compress images before upload
- ZIP multiple small files
- Use PDF instead of PPT when possible
- Convert videos to efficient formats
4. Use Slack Clips
For video messages:
- Record directly in Slack
- Up to 3 minutes (Pro+)
- Doesn't count toward storage
- Auto-transcription available
Pro Tips
📊 Monitor Storage Usage
Workspace owners can check:
- Settings → Workspace settings
- Analytics & insights
- Files & media section
- Set up storage alerts
🔍 Search for Large Files
Use advanced search:
has:file- All fileshas:image- Images onlyhas:video- Videos only- Sort by size to find largest
🔗 Share Links, Not Files
- Use cloud storage links
- Prevents duplicate uploads
- Easier version management
- Saves workspace storage
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when I reach the storage limit on free plan?
On the free plan with 10GB total storage, once the limit is reached, the oldest files are automatically deleted to make room for new uploads. Files over 90 days old are deleted regardless of storage usage. Upgrade to a paid plan for indefinite file retention.
Can I upload files larger than the plan limit?
No, files exceeding your plan's upload limit (1GB free, 10GB Pro/Business+, 20GB Enterprise) will fail to upload. You'll need to compress the file, split it into smaller parts, or share via an external service like Google Drive or Dropbox.
Do external links count toward storage?
No, sharing links to Google Drive, Dropbox, or other cloud services doesn't count toward your Slack storage. Only files directly uploaded to Slack consume workspace storage. This is the recommended approach for large files.
How does storage work with Enterprise Grid?
Enterprise Grid provides 1TB per active user across all workspaces in your organization. Storage is pooled, so if one workspace exceeds its allocation, it can use unused storage from other workspaces. Individual file limit is 20GB.
Can guests upload files in Slack?
Yes, single-channel and multi-channel guests can upload files within the same size limits as regular members. However, guest uploads count toward the workspace's total storage quota. Guest access is available on paid plans only.