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chat.update method

Facts​

DescriptionUpdates a message.
Method Access
POST https://slack.com/api/chat.update
Scopes
Bot token:
User token:
Content types
application/x-www-form-urlencoded
application/json
Rate LimitsTier 3: 50+ per minute

Arguments​

Required arguments

tokenstringRequired

Authentication token bearing required scopes. Tokens should be passed as an HTTP Authorization header or alternatively, as a POST parameter.

Example: xxxx-xxxxxxxxx-xxxx
channelstringRequired

Channel containing the message to be updated. For direct messages, ensure that this value is a DM ID (starts with D) instead of a User ID (starts with either U or W).

tsstringRequired

Timestamp of the message to be updated.

Example: "1405894322.002768"

Optional arguments

as_userOptional

Pass true to update the message as the authed user. Bot users in this context are considered authed users.

Example: true
attachmentsOptional

A JSON-based array of structured attachments, presented as a URL-encoded string.

Example: [{"pretext": "pre-hello", "text": "text-world"}]
unfurled_attachmentsOptional

A JSON-based array of structured attachments, presented as a URL-encoded string.

Example: [{"pretext": "pre-hello", "text": "text-world"}]
blocksOptional

A JSON-based array of structured blocks, presented as a URL-encoded string.

Example: [{"type": "section", "text": {"type": "plain_text", "text": "Hello world"}}]
markdown_textstringOptional

Accepts message text formatted in markdown. This argument should not be used in conjunction with blocks or text. Limit this field to 12,000 characters.

Example: **This is bold text**
metadataOptional

JSON object with event_type and event_payload fields, presented as a URL-encoded string. If you don't include this field, the message's previous metadata will be retained. To remove previous metadata, include an empty object for this field. Metadata you post to Slack is accessible to any app or user who is a member of that workspace.

Example: {"event_type": "task_created", "event_payload": { "id": "11223", "title": "Redesign Homepage"}}
link_namesOptional

Find and link channel names and usernames. Defaults to none. If you do not specify a value for this field, the original value set for the message will be overwritten with the default, none.

Example: true
parseOptional

Change how messages are treated. Defaults to client, unlike chat.postMessage. Accepts either none or full. If you do not specify a value for this field, the original value set for the message will be overwritten with the default, client.

Example: none
textOptional

How this field works and whether it is required depends on other fields you use in your API call. See below for more detail.

Example: Hello world
reply_broadcastbooleanOptional

Broadcast an existing thread reply to make it visible to everyone in the channel or conversation.

Default: false
Example: true
file_idsarrayOptional

Array of new file ids that will be sent with this message.

Example: F013GKY52QK,F013GL22D0T or ["F013GKY52QK","F013GL22D0T"]

Usage info​

This method updates a message in a channel. Though related to chat.postMessage, some parameters of chat.update are handled differently.

Ephemeral messages created by chat.postEphemeral or otherwise cannot be updated with this method.

New Slack apps may use this method with the chat:write scope and either a bot or user token.

To define your message, refer to our formatting spec and our guide to composing messages.

text, blocks or attachments​

This method will behave differently depending on whether blocks or text is supplied. Slack will always try to render the message using blocks, and use text only for notifications. If you don't include blocks, the message's previous blocks will only be retained if the text argument is not provided. If the text argument is provided and blocks are not provided, the blocks will be removed, and the provided text will be used for message rendering. To remove previous blocks, include an empty array for the blocks field. If blocks are used and a message is being updated, the edited flag will not be displayed on the message (the flag will be displayed on the message if using text).

Similarly, the attachments field is required when not presenting text. If you don't include attachments, the message's previous attachments will be retained. To remove previous attachments, include an empty array for this field.

Valid message types​

Only messages posted by the authenticated user are able to be updated using this method. This includes regular chat messages, as well as messages containing the me_message subtype. Bot users may also update the messages they post.

Attempting to update other message types will return a cant_update_message error.

To use chat.update with a bot users token, you'll need to think of your bot user as a user, and pass as_user set to true while editing a message created by that same bot user.

Response​

The response includes the text, channel and timestamp properties of the updated message so clients can keep their local copies of the message in sync.

Updating interactive messages​

If you're posting an interactive message, you may use chat.update to continue updating ongoing state changes around a message. Provide the ts field the message you're updating and follow the bot user instructions above to update message text, and remove or add blocks.

Typical success response

{
  "ok": true,
  "channel": "C123ABC456",
  "ts": "1401383885.000061",
  "text": "Updated text you carefully authored",
  "message": {
    "text": "Updated text you carefully authored",
    "user": "U34567890"
  }
}

Typical error response

{
  "ok": false,
  "error": "cant_update_message"
}

Errors​

This table lists the expected errors that this method could return. However, other errors can be returned in the case where the service is down or other unexpected factors affect processing. Callers should always check the value of the ok parameter in the response.

Error
Description
access_denied

Access to a resource specified in the request is denied.

accesslimited

Access to this method is limited on the current network

account_inactive

Authentication token is for a deleted user or workspace when using a bot token.

as_user_not_supported

The as_user parameter does not function with workspace apps.

block_mismatch

Rich-text blocks cannot be replaced with non-rich-text blocks

blocked_file_type

Admin has disabled uploading this type of file.

cant_broadcast_message

Unable to broadcast this message.

cant_update_message

Authenticated user does not have permission to update this message.

channel_not_found

Value passed for channel was invalid.

deprecated_endpoint

The endpoint has been deprecated.

edit_window_closed

The message cannot be edited due to the team message edit settings

ekm_access_denied

Administrators have suspended the ability to post a message.

enterprise_is_restricted

The method cannot be called from an Enterprise.

external_channel_migrating

The channel is in the process of migrating and so the message cannot be updated at this time.

fatal_error

The server could not complete your operation(s) without encountering a catastrophic error. It's possible some aspect of the operation succeeded before the error was raised.

file_deleted

File to share deleted.

file_is_deleted

The file is deleted.

file_not_found

One or more of the provided file IDs could not be found.

file_share_limit_reached

The file has reached the share limit.

internal_error

The server could not complete your operation(s) without encountering an error, likely due to a transient issue on our end. It's possible some aspect of the operation succeeded before the error was raised.

invalid_arg_name

The method was passed an argument whose name falls outside the bounds of accepted or expected values. This includes very long names and names with non-alphanumeric characters other than _. If you get this error, it is typically an indication that you have made a very malformed API call.

invalid_arguments

The method was called with invalid arguments.

invalid_array_arg

The method was passed an array as an argument. Please only input valid strings.

invalid_attachments

The attachments were invalid.

invalid_auth

Some aspect of authentication cannot be validated. Either the provided token is invalid or the request originates from an IP address disallowed from making the request.

invalid_blocks

The blocks were invalid for the requesting user.

invalid_blocks_format

The blocks array is not a valid JSON object or doesn't match the Block Kit syntax.

invalid_charset

The method was called via a POST request, but the charset specified in the Content-Type header was invalid. Valid charset names are: utf-8 iso-8859-1.

invalid_form_data

The method was called via a POST request with Content-Type application/x-www-form-urlencoded or multipart/form-data, but the form data was either missing or syntactically invalid.

invalid_metadata_format

Invalid metadata format provided

invalid_metadata_schema

Invalid metadata schema provided

invalid_post_type

The method was called via a POST request, but the specified Content-Type was invalid. Valid types are: application/json application/x-www-form-urlencoded multipart/form-data text/plain.

is_inactive

The message cannot be edited within a frozen, archived or deleted channel.

markdown_text_conflict

Markdown text cannot be used in conjunction with blocks or text argument.

max_file_sharing_exceeded

Exceeded max allowed files shared.

message_limit_exceeded

Members on this team are sending too many messages. For more details, see https://slack.com/help/articles/115002422943-Usage-limits-for-free-workspaces.

message_not_found

No message exists with the requested timestamp.

metadata_must_be_sent_from_app

Message metadata can only be posted or updated using an app-level token

metadata_too_large

Metadata exceeds size limit

method_deprecated

The method has been deprecated.

missing_post_type

The method was called via a POST request and included a data payload, but the request did not include a Content-Type header.

missing_scope

The token used is not granted the specific scope permissions required to complete this request.

msg_too_long

Message text is too long. The text field cannot exceed 4,000 characters.

no_dual_broadcast_content_update

Can't broadcast an old reply and update the content at the same time.

no_permission

The workspace token used in this request does not have the permissions necessary to complete the request. Make sure your app is a member of the conversation it's attempting to post a message to.

no_text

No message text provided

not_allowed_token_type

The token type used in this request is not allowed.

not_authed

No authentication token provided.

org_login_required

The workspace is undergoing an enterprise migration and will not be available until migration is complete.

posting_to_channel_denied

The user does not have permission to share files in this channel.

ratelimited

The request has been ratelimited. Refer to the Retry-After header for when to retry the request.

request_timeout

The method was called via a POST request, but the POST data was either missing or truncated.

service_unavailable

The service is temporarily unavailable

slack_connect_blocked_file_type

Files with certain extensions are blocked from being uploaded in all Slack Connect messages.

slack_connect_canvas_sharing_blocked

Admin has disabled sharing of canvas links in all Slack Connect messages.

slack_connect_clip_sharing_blocked

Admin has disabled Clip uploads in Slack Connect channels.

slack_connect_file_link_sharing_blocked

Admin has disabled Slack file sharing in all Slack Connect messages.

slack_connect_file_upload_sharing_blocked

Admin has disabled file uploads in all Slack Connect messages.

streaming_state_conflict

The message is currently streaming text and cannot be edited.

team_access_not_granted

The token used is not granted the specific workspace access required to complete this request.

team_added_to_org

The workspace associated with your request is currently undergoing migration to an Enterprise Organization. Web API and other platform operations will be intermittently unavailable until the transition is complete.

team_not_found

Team associated with the message and channel could not be found.

token_expired

Authentication token has expired

token_revoked

Authentication token is for a deleted user or workspace or the app has been removed when using a user token.

too_many_attachments

Too many attachments were provided with this message. A maximum of 100 attachments are allowed on a message.

two_factor_setup_required

Two factor setup is required.

unable_to_share_files

Sharing the files failed.

update_failed

Internal update failure.