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# Send AFK notifications on Slack

AFK = Away From Keyboard. When you need to step away from your desk and won't be replying to messages for some time, use Pause to update your Slack status to 💨 and send a notification to a preferred public channel. 

This is a Slack-only feature. To use it, please ensure that Pause has been integrated into your Slack workspace. 

| AFK Notifications are **not** automatically sent to a predetermined channel. If you would like to send AFK notifications to a new notifications channel, please create the channel first (like #afk-notifications) and ask teammates to select only that channel when using the AFK feature. 

## To send an AFK notification on Slack:

**Step 1**: Type `/pause afk` and hit **Enter**.

**Step 2**: Select the **time period** and **preferred channel** for notification in the dropdown.

**Step 3**: Click on **Notify**.

### You can also do it this way:

**Step 1**: Type `/pause` and hit **Enter**.

**Step 2**: Click on 💨 **Say you’re AFK**.

**Step 3**: Select the **time period** and **preferred channel** for notification in the dropdown.

**Step 4**: Click on **Notify**.

Your 💨 Slack status will disappear as soon as the AFK period expires.

## What's next?

*   [Lock critical dates through Slack](https://support.getpause.com/en/article/lock-critical-dates-through-slack-1dbwg82/)
    
*   [Get birthday and work anniversary notifications on Slack](https://support.getpause.com/en/article/get-birthday-and-work-anniversary-notifications-on-slack-1h13ibe/)
    
*   [Automatically update Slack status when on leave](https://support.getpause.com/en/article/automatically-update-slack-status-when-on-leave-5bzqpg/)