Obvious/Help Center

Slack Integration Not Working

Published February 27, 2026 · Last updated March 5, 2026 · 2 min read

Your Slack integration isn't behaving. Messages aren't going through, the bot is missing from channels, or you're seeing connection errors.

Here's how to fix each one.

Messages aren't sending

You asked the agent to send a Slack message, but nothing showed up in the channel.

Most common cause: the Obvious bot hasn't joined that channel. Obvious can only post to channels where the bot is a member.

  1. Open Slack and go to the channel you're trying to send to.
  2. Type /invite @Obvious to add the bot.
  3. Go back to Obvious and resend your message.

Note: For private channels, someone in that channel needs to invite the bot manually.

Bot not appearing in channels

You've connected Slack, but the Obvious bot doesn't show up in your workspace.

The Slack connection likely expired — this happens when permissions change or a workspace admin revokes the app.

  1. Open Settings in the Obvious sidebar.
  2. Go to Integrations and find Slack.
  3. Disconnect the current connection.
  4. Click Connect to Slack and complete the authorization.

After reconnecting, re-invite the bot to any private channels it was in before.

Note: Only workspace admins in Obvious can manage the Slack integration.

Connection errors

The agent returns "Slack not connected," "authentication failed," or "token revoked" when you try a Slack operation.

"Slack not connected" means no active integration exists. A workspace admin needs to set it up in Settings → Integrations → Slack.

"Authentication failed" or "token revoked" means the existing connection broke. Disconnect and reconnect Slack from Settings → Integrations to generate a fresh token.

If the error mentions a specific channel, verify it still exists and isn't archived in Slack.

If nothing works

Contact support through the ? icon in the bottom-left corner of Obvious, or email support@obvious.ai. Include the error message and which Slack channel you're trying to reach.

Integrations Overview — How third-party integrations work in Obvious, including setup and permissions.

Working with the Agent — How to structure agent requests, including messaging and Slack commands.

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