The change started rolling out in October 2026. To-dos replaces Later in the sidebar, while Saved lives under Home. Slack says the rollout is gradual, so two colleagues might see different versions for a while. Slack's October changes.
It helps to think about the job the item does. An action belongs on a task list. A link you might want again belongs with saved references. Previously, both could end up in Later and quietly become one enormous pile.
Familiar, perhaps.
Where your old Later items went
Slack's migration guide gives this breakdown:
| Old Later item | New location |
|---|---|
| In progress, with a reminder | To-dos |
| In progress, without a reminder | Saved |
| Archived | Saved |
| Completed | To-dos, after in-progress items by default |
So check both places. In particular, an unfinished item with no reminder can be in Saved rather than To-dos. The new name doesn't mean everything from Later became a task. Slack's migration guide.
Before reorganising everything, find one item you recognise. Work out which of the two places it landed in. It's easier than trying to tidy the entire backlog while you're still learning the layout.
Saving something and remembering to do it are separate jobs
To save a message or file on desktop, hover over it, open More actions, then choose Add to saved. You'll find saved items under Home > Saved. Saved items are private to you. You can open one in its original conversation when you need the surrounding context. Saving messages and files.
That makes Saved useful for references: the project brief, a helpful explanation, the link somebody will ask for again next week. Saving isn't a commitment to act on it.
For an action, hover over a message and choose Add to-do. On your phone, tap and hold the message, then tap To-dos. Adding a to-do does not set a reminder by default. If a saved item turns out to need doing after all, find it in Saved, open More actions and choose Move to to-dos. The To-dos guide.
That's the easy bit to miss. “It's on my list” and “Slack will tell me when it's due” aren't the same promise.
Add a reminder when you need a nudge
On desktop, open To-dos, choose Add To-do, write the task, then select Add reminder. Pick a suggested time or choose Custom, then add it. A reminder notification appears when the chosen time arrives, with a badge in To-dos and Activity.
For an existing message or file, its three-dot menu offers Remind me about this. That saves you rewriting the task and keeps the original context close by. Slack's reminder instructions.
Try writing the task as the next action. “Ask Sam whether the budget includes travel” is easier to pick up tomorrow than “Budget”. This isn't a special Slack trick. It's just kinder to your future self, who may have forgotten what today's cryptic noun meant.
A date is useful when something actually needs doing then. Putting a reminder on every saved article merely arranges for your reading backlog to interrupt you.
If Slack already interrupts you too much, start with a few quieter Slack habits. A task system should reduce the things you're carrying around in your head, not supply more reasons to look at the sidebar. Our remote-work productivity guide has more on making those choices.
Common questions
Why do I still have Later?
Slack says To-dos is rolling out gradually. Your workspace may not have received the new layout yet.
Where did archived Later items go?
Archived items moved to Saved under Home; completed items stayed in To-dos.
Will a new to-do remind me automatically?
No. Add a reminder when you need a notification. A task without one can still be useful as part of a list you review yourself.
Does saving a file make a separate backup?
Saving keeps a reference accessible in Slack. If you need a copy on your device, download the file separately. Don't treat a bookmark as your backup plan.
Green Dotter is independent software and isn't affiliated with Slack Technologies, LLC or Salesforce.