Skip to content
SlackCLI

Inspect, read and download Slack files

Edit on GitHub

slackcli files inspects metadata, prints textual content, and downloads Slack-hosted files. Every command accepts a file ID or Slack file URL.

files info and files read take --fields with --json to print only the fields you name (files info F1234567890 --json --fields id,name,size).

Reading files requires the files:read scope when you use standard authentication. Browser-session authentication uses the existing browser cookie and token.

files info

Section titled “files info”
Terminal window
slackcli files info F1234567890
slackcli files info https://myteam.slack.com/files/U123/F1234567890/report.txt
slackcli files info F1234567890 --json

Human-readable output includes the file ID, name, type, size, owner, creation time, and permalink when Slack provides them. It does not print private download URLs.

--json returns the complete file object from Slack. This can include url_private and url_private_download, so treat the output as private.

files read

Section titled “files read”
Terminal window
# Print textual content
slackcli files read F1234567890


# Read Slack's plain-text extraction from an email file
slackcli files read F1234567890


# Read the original textual file instead of Slack's extraction
slackcli files read F1234567890 --raw


# Return the content and its source as JSON
slackcli files read F1234567890 --json

Slack email files can include a plain_text field in their metadata. The command uses that field by default. Otherwise, it downloads the original when the MIME type identifies a textual file.

--raw always reads the original textual file. Text reads are capped at 10 MB. The command refuses to print binary files; use files download for those.

JSON output has this shape:

{
  "id": "F1234567890",
  "name": "message.eml",
  "title": "Message",
  "mimetype": "message/rfc822",
  "source": "plain_text",
  "content": "From: sender@example.com\n..."
}

source is plain_text or original.

files download

Section titled “files download”
Terminal window
slackcli files download F1234567890 --output ./report.pdf
slackcli files download "$FILE_URL" --output ./message.eml


# An output path outside the current directory needs confirmation
slackcli files download F1234567890 --output ~/Downloads/report.pdf --yes

The command streams the original bytes to the output path. It does not convert binary data to text or hold the complete download in memory.

The output path is required. The command refuses to overwrite an existing file. Choose another path or remove the existing file before you retry.

Output paths outside the current directory

Section titled “Output paths outside the current directory”

--output writes wherever you point it, and SlackCLI is built to be driven by AI agents, so the value can come from content an agent read out of Slack. A path that stays inside the current working directory downloads exactly as before, with no prompt. A path that escapes it — ../…, an absolute path outside it, or a directory symlinked out of the working tree — is confirmed first:

  • --yes proceeds.
  • An interactive terminal prompts y/N.
  • A non-interactive shell without --yes refuses and exits non-zero.

The message names the resolved absolute path, not the string you typed, and names the symlink target as well when the two differ. Confirmation happens before any Slack API call, so a declined download requests nothing.

This is a containment check, not a sandbox: --yes still writes anywhere you have permission to write. See Scripting for unattended use.

File URLs and workspaces

Section titled “File URLs and workspaces”

Supported URLs include normal Slack file permalinks, Canvas document URLs, and private Slack file URLs. When a permalink names a different workspace from the selected browser-authenticated workspace, SlackCLI warns before making the API request. Use --workspace <id|name> to select the matching workspace.

Private files.slack.com URLs do not identify their workspace, so SlackCLI cannot provide a workspace-mismatch warning for those URLs.

Cookies