# Using Slack

From channels to search, learn how Slack works from top to bottom.

# Get updates on Slack's uptime alerts

Transparency is important to us, especially when it comes to how we communicate Slack’s service availability and [uptime](https://slack.com/terms/service-level-agreement#sla-breakdown). That’s why we keep [Slack Status](https://slack-status.com/) and our [issue history](https://slack-status.com/calendar) accessible to everyone.

## During an issue

For issues that affect our customers, you'll find the most up-to-date information on [Slack Status](https://slack-status.com/). Here are some other ways to stay informed:

- **Subscribe to email updates**
  
  Visit [slack-status.com](https://slack-status.com/) and select **Subscribe to Updates** to receive email notifications whenever Slack creates or updates an incident..  
- **Subscribe to our Slack Status RSS feed**
  
  Using your preferred subscription tool, subscribe to [Slack Status](https://slack-status.com/) updates via [Atom feed](https://slack-status.com/feed/atom) or [RSS feed](https://slack-status.com/feed/rss). You can even set your RSS reader to regularly check for updates so that you're immediately notified of anything new.
- **Set up a third-party monitoring system**
  
  Visit [Slack API](https://api.slack.com/docs/slack-status) for information about building a custom tool that sends updates when Slack services are affected.

## After an issue

After we’ve resolved an issue, we’ll publish an issue summary on [Slack Status](https://slack-status.com/) within 24 hours. The issue summary will include more specific details about what occurred and how our customers were impacted.