# How to set up Slack notifications in Linear on Mac: desktop app steps for 2026

> How to set up Slack notifications in Linear on Mac. Connect Slack, pick personal, team, or project alerts, then turn on macOS badges.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/set-up-slack-notifications-in-linear
Updated: 2026-11-09

To get Slack notifications from Linear on a Mac, a Linear admin connects your Slack workspace once. After that, you turn on your own alerts under Settings > Personal > Notifications, and the Linear desktop app shows real-time alerts with a red badge.

## Quick answer

- A Linear admin connects Slack once under Settings > Integrations > Slack.
- You turn on personal alerts under Settings > Personal > Notifications, then approve Slack.
- Team, project, and view alerts are set from each item, and they post to a channel you pick.
- On a Mac, real-time alerts need the Linear desktop app and the red badge turned on in macOS Notifications.

Applies to: Linear desktop app for macOS, with a connected Slack workspace. Time: 10 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- The Linear desktop app installed on your Mac
- Linear admin rights, or the owner role on Enterprise, for the one-time Slack connection
- A Slack account that can sign in to your workspace
- Permission to change notification settings in macOS System Settings

## How to Set up Slack notifications in Linear on Mac in Linear on a Mac

1. **Open the Linear desktop app.** Open Linear on your Mac. If you do not have the desktop app yet, download Linear Desktop for macOS from linear.app/download. The page also offers an Open Web app option, but real-time desktop alerts need the desktop app. Tip: The download page shows no version number, so check for updates when the app offers them.
2. **Connect Slack to the workspace.** (Settings > Integrations > Slack) Go to Settings > Integrations > Slack and click Connect. Approve Linear in the Slack window that opens. Only a Linear admin can do this, or the owner on Enterprise. Tip: If you cannot see Connect, your account probably lacks admin rights. Ask an admin for this step.
3. **Open your personal notification settings.** (Settings > Personal > Notifications) Go to Settings > Personal > Notifications. Linear's notifications docs call the same place Settings > Account > Notifications. Use the label your app shows. Tip: Either label leads to your own alert settings, not the team's.
4. **Select the Slack channel.** In the list of notification channels, select Slack. The four channels are Desktop, Mobile, Email, and Slack. A green dot means the channel is on, and a gray dot means it is off. Tip: Leave Desktop on if you want alerts on your Mac while you work in other apps.
5. **Turn on the Slack toggle.** Click the toggle for Slack. If Linear asks you to authenticate to Slack, approve it in the Slack window. Wait for the approval to finish before you move on. Tip: Approve with the Slack account you use every day, so alerts reach the right inbox.
6. **Choose the alert types.** With Slack selected, switch each notification type on or off. Keep the alerts that need an answer from you. Turn off the ones that only record activity. Tip: Start with fewer alerts. You can turn more on later.
7. **Check the Linear app in Slack.** Open Slack and look for Linear under Apps in the sidebar. Your personal alerts arrive as direct messages from the Linear app. Tip: If you do not see Linear under Apps, go back to the Slack toggle step and confirm it is on.
8. **Open macOS notifications for Linear.** (System Settings > Notifications > Linear) Open System Settings and go to Notifications. Find Linear in the app list, then turn on notifications for Linear. Tip: Apple's guide for these settings does not spell out every label, so match the names on your screen.
9. **Turn on the red badge.** In Linear's notification entry, turn on the red badge icon option. The count then shows on the Linear icon in the Dock. If the badge stays off, check that notifications for Linear are still on. Tip: If the badge is still missing, restart the Linear desktop app and check again.
10. **Send yourself a test alert.** Ask a teammate to comment on one of your issues. Watch the Dock icon and your Slack DMs. The alert should arrive in the channels you turned on. Tip: Keep the Linear desktop app open during the test. A browser tab can take the alert instead.
11. **Subscribe to one issue.** Shortcut: ⇧S. Open the issue, then press Shift S. Linear then sends you updates for that issue. Open the issue first, because the shortcut works on the issue you have open. Tip: Use this for one issue. For a whole project, use the bell icon on the project page instead.
12. **Unsubscribe from a busy issue.** Shortcut: ⇧⌘S. Open the issue and press Command Shift S to stop updates for it. Subscribe again later if the thread needs your input. Tip: Linear's docs list Cmd or Ctrl for this shortcut. On a Mac, use Command.

## What you need before you start

You need three things: a Mac with the Linear desktop app, a Slack account that can sign in to your workspace, and a Linear workspace where someone can connect Slack. If you are the admin, you can do the whole setup yourself. If you are not, one step belongs to a Linear admin. On Enterprise, that is the owner. Everything after that is personal, so you can set your own alerts without waiting on anyone.

- The Linear desktop app for macOS, from linear.app/download
- Admin rights in Linear, or the owner role on Enterprise, for the one-time connection
- A Slack account with access to the workspace your team uses with Linear
- Access to System Settings on your Mac, for notification badges

> **Not an admin?:** Ask a Linear admin to connect Slack once. After that, you can finish your own personal alerts yourself.

## Connect Slack to your Linear workspace

Start in Settings > Integrations > Slack. The same page lives at linear.app/settings/integrations/slack. Click Connect, then approve the workspace when Slack asks. You do this once for the whole workspace, not once per person. Teammates can connect their own personal alerts after that.

![Person at a Mac learning how to set up Slack notifications in Linear on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/set-up-slack-notifications-in-linear/how-to-set-up-slack-notifications-in-1-905be4.jpg)

Check the workspace name on the Slack approval screen before you approve. If your company has more than one Slack workspace, approve the one your team uses. Multiple Slack workspaces are listed as an Enterprise feature, so check your plan first.

## Set up personal Slack notifications

Personal notifications are alerts about your own work. They arrive as direct messages from the Linear app in Slack, so they sit with your other DMs. After you enable them, Linear appears under Apps in the Slack sidebar. Linear launched personal Slack notifications on September 24, 2020, according to its changelog.

Linear's docs disagree on the menu label. The Slack page says Settings > Personal > Notifications. The notifications page says Settings > Account > Notifications. Both lead to your own alert settings. Read the label in your app and use that one, because the docs do not say which label each version shows.

- **About one-third** Surveyed U.S. workers and employers who said Slack, Teams, and email alerts disrupted their focus ([source](https://news.outsourceaccelerator.com/workers-focus-insightful-study/))
- **$10** Linear Basic plan, per user per month, billed yearly ([source](https://linear.app/pricing))
- **$16** Linear Business plan, per user per month, billed yearly, includes Slack intake ([source](https://linear.app/pricing))
- **Sept 24, 2020** Date Linear launched personal Slack notifications ([source](https://linear.app/changelog/personal-slack-notifications))

## Choose channels and alert types

Linear's notification channels are Desktop, Mobile, Email, and Slack. Each channel has a dot beside it. A green dot means the channel is enabled. A gray dot means it is disabled. Turn on Slack, then switch each notification type on or off under that channel. Each type is a separate choice, so you can keep the alerts you act on and drop the rest.

Here is a worked example. Say you run triage for one team. You want alerts for issues that need a decision, but not for every status change. Turn Slack on, keep the decision alerts on, and switch the status changes off. Leave Desktop on too, so the same alert shows on your Mac while you work in other apps.

## Set up team notifications in a Slack channel

Team notifications post to a channel, not to your DMs. Open the team's Slack notifications settings menu, authenticate to Slack, and then choose the channel. Team alerts cover issue creation, comments, status changes, and project updates. Everyone in the channel sees the same post, which suits triage better than a private DM.

Choose the channel with care. A busy general channel buries alerts. A small channel for one team is easier to scan. If the channel is private, type /invite @Linear in that channel first. Private channels need that invite before team alerts can post.

## Project and view alerts in Slack

For a project or initiative, open its page and click the bell icon in the top right. Authenticate to Slack, then choose a channel. Use this when one project matters more than the whole team feed, such as a launch you are following closely.

![Small team in an office reviewing project work together on laptops](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/set-up-slack-notifications-in-linear/how-to-set-up-slack-notifications-in-2-405e55.jpg)

Admins can also create a Slack channel for each new project. Under Slack settings, they turn on Project channels > Create channel for new projects. Linear then creates a public channel for each new project, invites all project members, and adds a bookmark to the project. Project updates post there by default. Renaming the project also renames the channel. Linear announced this on May 21, 2026.

If your workspace connected to Slack before this feature arrived, an owner or admin must reauthorize it first. Ask one before you expect project channels to appear.

For a custom view, open the view's three-dot menu and choose Configure custom view Slack notifications. Turn on the toggle, authorize Linear, and pick a channel. Then choose the events you want: an issue being added, completed or canceled, or both. Views suit a filtered backlog, where a team channel would be too broad.

Since August 20, 2026, Linear also lets you subscribe to events in project views. Those events arrive in Inbox or in Slack. If a view feels quiet, check which events you picked before you decide Slack is broken.

## Make real-time alerts work on your Mac

Desktop alerts on macOS come from the Linear desktop app. Linear's notifications docs say it does not currently support new browser push subscriptions, so a browser tab cannot stand in for the app. Get the app from linear.app/download. The download page lists Linear Desktop for macOS and Windows, plus an Open Web app option.

Then set the macOS side. Open System Settings, go to Notifications, and find Linear in the app list. Turn on notifications for Linear. Turn on the red badge icon option, which shows a count on the Linear Dock icon. Apple's guide to notification settings does not spell out every label, so match the names on your screen.

![Laptop on a desk with a phone beside it, during focused work with alerts](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/set-up-slack-notifications-in-linear/how-to-set-up-slack-notifications-in-3-ee4572.jpg)

> **Alerts on, nothing arrives:** Linear may route alerts to an active desktop app or browser session. Close extra Linear tabs in your browser, then test again. If alerts still do not arrive, contact Linear support, as the docs suggest.

## Subscribe to one issue with a shortcut

Sometimes you want updates on one issue, not a whole team channel. Open the issue, then press Shift S to subscribe. Press Command Shift S to unsubscribe. Open the issue first, because the shortcut works on the issue you have open. Linear's docs list Cmd or Ctrl for these shortcuts. On a Mac, that means Command.

Use the unsubscribe shortcut on busy threads. Subscribe again when the thread needs your input. A quick toggle like this keeps your feed short without turning off whole channels.

## Avoid notification overload

Too many alerts cost attention. A survey of 1,200 U.S. employees and employers, covered on July 12, 2024, found that roughly one-third said apps like Microsoft Teams and Slack, along with email notifications, disrupted their focus. Fieldwork dates were not given, so treat the number as a rough signal.

Here is a simple rule. Put team-wide traffic in one channel, and keep personal DMs for alerts that need your action. Switch off status changes if they are noisy. In September 2026, Linear fixed priority-only Slack notifications that ignored custom sender filters. On November 5, 2026, long review comments began arriving as a short excerpt with a link to the full comment.

## Pricing and plan limits for Slack

Slack alerts and Slack intake are different features. Intake creates issues from Slack messages. Linear's pricing page says Slack intake is not included on Free or Basic, and is included on Business and Enterprise. Basic costs $10 per user per month billed yearly. Business costs $16 per user per month billed yearly.

The pricing page lists multiple Slack workspaces and per-channel configurations only on Enterprise. If you need more than one workspace, check that plan first. The page does not say the same limits apply to personal or team alerts, so read it before you buy. Plans change, so verify the numbers on the day you decide.

## Fix blank link previews and broken unfurls

Linear links sometimes show no preview in Slack. In Slack, go to Preferences > Messages & Media > In-line media and links. Turn on Show text previews of linked websites. This is a Slack setting, so you change it in Slack, not in Linear.

Broken unfurls have a separate cause. If Asks was installed in Slack before the Slack integration, unfurls can break. Disconnect both Asks and Slack in Linear, then disconnect Asks from the Slack Marketplace. Confirm that Linear Asks is gone under Tools & settings > Manage apps in Slack. Reconnect Slack in Linear, and then reconnect Asks.

## Limits to know before you roll this out

- Only Linear users can create issues from Slack.
- Slack guests cannot install or approve apps, so a full member has to do it.
- Synced threads do not work in DMs.
- Private channels need /invite @Linear before team alerts can post.

Plan around these before you announce the setup. Tell guests early, so they do not wait for a setting they cannot change.

If you want the issues behind your alerts in one list, read [How to go to inbox in Linear on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/go-to-your-inbox-in-linear). It covers the G then I shortcut and the sidebar route.

## Shortcuts

- Subscribe to the open issue: ⇧S
- Unsubscribe from the open issue: ⇧⌘S
- Open the command bar: ⌘K
- Select all issues after filtering: ⌘A

## If it does not work

- **No Slack option appears in notification channels** Slack is offered only after a Linear admin connects the workspace under Settings > Integrations > Slack. Ask an admin to connect it, then return to your notification settings.
- **The red badge does not show on the Dock icon** Turn on notifications for Linear in macOS System Settings, then turn on the red badge icon option. Restart the Linear desktop app if the badge still stays off.
- **Alerts are turned on but never arrive** Linear may route alerts to an active desktop app or browser session. Close extra Linear browser tabs and test again. If alerts still do not arrive, contact Linear support.
- **Slack link previews are blank** In Slack, go to Preferences > Messages & Media > In-line media and links, then turn on Show text previews of linked websites.
- **Linear does not post to a private Slack channel** Type /invite @Linear in the private channel, then choose that channel again in the team's Slack notifications menu.
- **Issue links stop unfurling after Asks was added** Disconnect both Asks and Slack in Linear, disconnect Asks from the Slack Marketplace, and confirm Linear Asks is gone under Tools & settings > Manage apps in Slack. Reconnect Slack in Linear, then reconnect Asks.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where's the Slack toggle? Show me the next step.”: Lazur points at the Slack toggle and labels it. You click it yourself, then ask for the next step. (Walks you through it)

## FAQ

### Do I need to be a Linear admin to get Slack notifications?

You need admin rights to connect Slack to the workspace, and the owner does this on Enterprise. After an admin connects it, you set your own personal notifications and approve Slack yourself. Project channel auto-creation is an admin setting, so ask an admin if you cannot find it.

### Why can't I see Slack in my notification channels?

The most likely cause is that nobody has connected the Slack workspace yet. Ask a Linear admin to connect it under Settings > Integrations > Slack, then go back to your notification settings and look again.

### Do Slack notifications work in a browser instead of the desktop app?

Real-time desktop alerts on macOS come from the Linear desktop app. Linear's notifications docs say it does not currently support new browser push subscriptions. The Slack messages still arrive in Slack, so you can read them in the Slack app on your Mac.

### Why do the Linear docs show two different settings paths?

The Slack docs say Settings > Personal > Notifications. The notifications docs say Settings > Account > Notifications. Both point to your personal alert settings. Use the label in your app, because the docs do not say which label a given version shows.

### How do I get alerts from a private Slack channel?

Invite Linear to the channel first by typing /invite @Linear in it. Linear's Slack docs say private channels need this before alerts can post. Then choose that channel in the team's Slack notifications menu.

### Does the red badge work without the desktop app?

Linear's docs tie real-time macOS alerts to the desktop app. The red badge shows on the Dock icon of the Linear app, so install the desktop app first, then turn on the badge option in macOS notification settings.

### Is Slack intake the same as Slack notifications?

No. Slack intake creates issues from Slack messages. Linear's pricing page says intake is not in the Free or Basic plans and is included in Business and Enterprise. Check the pricing page before you assume notifications follow the same rules.

### Which Linear desktop version should I install on a Mac?

Linear's download page does not show a version number. The only Mac version number in the sources I checked is 1.2.9, from a 2020 changelog, so it does not tell you what to install today. Download the current build from linear.app/download.

## Sources

1. [Slack – Linear Docs](https://linear.app/docs/slack), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
2. [Notifications – Linear Docs](https://linear.app/docs/notifications), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
3. [Personal Slack notifications – Linear changelog](https://linear.app/changelog/personal-slack-notifications), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
4. [Download Linear](https://linear.app/download), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
5. [Select issues – Linear Docs](https://linear.app/docs/select-issues), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
6. [Linear changelog](https://linear.app/changelog), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
7. [Project Slack channels – Linear changelog](https://linear.app/changelog/2026-05-21-project-slack-channels), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
8. [Linear pricing](https://linear.app/pricing), Linear, checked 2026-11-09
9. [Workers focus study coverage (Insightful)](https://news.outsourceaccelerator.com/workers-focus-insightful-study/), Outsource Accelerator, checked 2026-11-09
10. [Change notification settings on Mac – Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-notification-settings-mh27964/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-09