Slack finally fixes its horribly slow Mac app in huge overhaul

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Slack-Mac
Slack gets the upgrade we’ve all been waiting for.
Photo: Web Hosting/Unsplash

Slack today confirmed a brand new version of its desktop app that will finally fix painfully slow performance many users have been suffering for years.

The new app for Mac and Windows is completely rebuilt with a focus on speed. It promises to launch 33% faster and take up 50% less RAM than before.

You’re incredibly lucky if you already enjoy snappy performance in Slack. The desktop client has been horribly slow for the vast majority of us — particularly when it comes to loading up for the first time. It also likes to eat your RAM almost as much as Chrome.

Slack hasn’t been ignoring that. It has actually been working on a complete overhaul for two years, and it is finally ready to deliver it.

Slack will be faster than ever

The new Slack app is still built with Electron, but some elements have been modernized using React to improve upon the performance issues we’ve been facing.

Slack says the overhaul will bring significantly faster load times, especially for those who use multiple workspaces. It will also use less RAM by no longer creating a standalone copy of Slack for each of the workspaces you’re using.

Slack-new-vs-old
Slack finally has some snap.
Photo: Slack

You should notice that Slack calls are faster to join, and that you get a smoother experience when you’ve got bad connectivity. When you’re completely offline, it will be easier to view sessions and conversations you were having before.

Slack doesn’t have a proper offline mode yet. But thanks to improved caching, it will do a better job of saving your data and allowing you to view it without an internet connection.

Enjoy the new Slack today

What’s really great about the new Slack app is that you don’t have to wait a day longer to enjoy it. The update is available to download now for macOS and Windows.

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