How to Use Custom Per-Channel Sounds for Slack Notifications

Slack is a powerful communication tool, but one limitation is its inability to assign custom sounds to different channels. That’s where Chirpy, a macOS app, comes in. With Chirpy, you can assign unique notification sounds for each Slack channel, allowing you to identify important messages without needing to check Slack constantly.

Chirpy Overview

Chirpy is a macOS app designed to give you the power to customize your Slack experience further. Here’s a quick overview of what Chirpy offers:

Custom Sounds: Assign different notification sounds to specific Slack channels, making it easier to identify which channel has new messages.
Sound Personalization: You can either upload your own sound files or choose from a range of pre-existing sounds that Chirpy offers.
Simple Setup: Once installed, Chirpy runs in the background, seamlessly integrating with Slack to provide per-channel sound differentiation.

📥 Download Chirpy: Get Chirpy for macOS from the official Chirpy site.

How to Use Chirpy for Slack Notifications

Follow these simple steps to customize your Slack notifications using Chirpy:

Download and Install Chirpy
Visit the Chirpy website to download the app. Ensure your system meets the requirement (macOS 11.x or later).
Select or Upload Custom Sounds
Once installed, open the Chirpy app and browse through the list of available notification sounds. You can also upload your own audio files in formats like .wav or .mp3 to add a personal touch.
Assign Sounds to Slack Channels
After choosing your sounds, you can assign different sounds to each Slack channel based on your preferences. For example, assign an urgent tone to your “#important” channel and a softer sound for less critical channels.
Enjoy the Benefits
With Chirpy running, you'll start receiving custom notification sounds for each Slack channel, helping you stay organized and focused on the most important messages.

Why Slack Doesn’t Natively Support Custom Per-Channel Sounds

As of now, Slack doesn’t offer native support for per-channel notification sounds. Users can only choose one notification sound for all channels from a limited selection in Slack's preferences. This lack of flexibility can make it difficult to distinguish between high-priority messages and less urgent ones.

Many users have sought workarounds, like manually replacing default sound files, but these methods are often complicated, don’t allow for per-channel customization, and can be easily overwritten by Slack updates. Chirpy offers a seamless solution to this limitation, providing an easy and effective way to assign custom sounds to specific channels.

Limitations of Slack’s Built-in Notification Settings

Slack’s default notification system only allows users to:

Set Global Notification Sounds: You can choose one sound for all channels.
Toggle Notifications On or Off: Mute or enable notifications for specific channels, but no sound customization.
Manual Sound Replacement: Some users attempt to replace Slack's notification sound files manually, but these changes don’t last through updates and only affect the global sound setting.

For a more detailed overview of Slack’s notification limitations, check out this Slack Help Center article.

Why Use Chirpy?

Using Chirpy enables you to overcome Slack’s default limitations. By assigning different sounds to your channels, you can instantly recognize which conversations need immediate attention, improving both productivity and response time.

For those who rely on Slack for work or personal projects, customizing your notifications with Chirpy will transform your experience. Whether you’re managing multiple projects or just want a better way to prioritize your messages, Chirpy is the solution.

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