# Backup private channels and DM's of Slack To Backup DM's and private channels we currently recommend [slackdump](https://github.com/rusq/slackdump). It is an easy to use commandline tool to backup your Channels and DM's and store the data locally. No Online Service involved, so all of your data stays with you. ## Installation Slackdump is supporting various platforms. You can find the latest release [here](https://github.com/rusq/slackdump/releases/tag/v3.1.4) ### MacOS ``` brew install slackdump ``` ### Other OS On other Operating Systems, please follow these steps: 1. Download the latest release for your operating system from the [releases] page. 1. Unpack the archive to any directory. 1. Run the `./slackdump` or `slackdump.exe` executable (see note below). 1. You know the drill: use arrow keys to select the menu item, and Enter (or Return) to confirm. 1. Follow these [quickstart instructions][man-quickstart]. [releases]: https://github.com/rusq/slackdump/releases/ > [!NOTE] > On Windows and macOS you may be presented with "Unknown developer" window, > this is fine. Reason for this is that the executable hasn't been signed by > the developer certificate. To work around this: - **on Windows**: click "more information", and press "Run Anyway" button. - **on macOS** 14 Sonoma and prior: open the folder in Finder, hold Option and double click the executable, choose Run. - **on macOS** 15 Sequoia and later: start the slackdump, OS will show the "Unknown developer" window, then go to System Preferences -> Security and Privacy -> General, and press "Open Anyway" button. ## Step by Step Walkthrough Use the wizard to get started:  If you select export you will be asked for a login.  You can select any option you prefer. For some users the default browser Login does not work. We recommend the Cookie and Workspace Name Option.  To retrieve the Cookie, Login into [https://kubernetes.slack.com](https://kubernetes.slack.com) with your credentials and retrieve the Coookie. It will start with the following formate: ``` xoxd- ```  Enter as workspace Name "kubernetes" and then your Session Cookie and make the Checkmark to create credentials:  Now you can dump your private Channels and DMs The easiest way is to use ChannelId's To retrieve a Chanel ID of a private Channel, select the channel and click on the 3 dots to choose "Open channel details". The following Popup will display the Channel ID.   For DM's you follow a similar way. Again the three dots and "Open conversation details". Afterwards you can again copy a ChanelID   Now you can export the Data, by entering the ChanelIDs. We recommend the "standard" storage type option.  And you will receive your export!:  ## View the export: Once the workspace data is dumped, you can run built-in viewer: ```shell slackdump view <zip or directory> ``` The built-in viewer supports all types of dumps: 1. Slackdump Archive format; 1. Standard and Mattermost Slack Export; 1. Dump mode files The built-in viewer is experimental, any contributions to make it better looking are welcome. Alternatively, you can use one of the following tools to preview the export results: - [SlackLogViewer] - a fast and powerful Slack Export viewer written in C++, works on Export files (images won't be displayed, unless you used an export token flag). - [Slackdump2Html] - a great Python application that converts Slack Dump to a static browsable HTML. It works on Dump mode files. - [slack export viewer][slack-export-viewer] - Slack Export Viewer is a well known viewer for slack export files. Supports displaying files if saved in the "Standard" file mode. [SlackLogViewer]: https://github.com/thayakawa-gh/SlackLogViewer/releases [Slackdump2Html]: https://github.com/kununu/slackdump2html [slack-export-viewer]: https://github.com/hfaran/slack-export-viewer