Skip to main content

rtm.start method

Facts​

DescriptionDeprecated: Starts a Real Time Messaging session. Use rtm.connect instead.
Method Access
GET https://slack.com/api/rtm.start
ScopesNo scopes required
Content types
application/x-www-form-urlencoded
application/json
Rate LimitsTier 1: 1+ 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

Optional arguments

simple_latestbooleanOptional

Return timestamp only for latest message object of each channel (improves performance).

no_unreadsbooleanOptional

Skip unread counts for each channel (improves performance).

mpim_awarebooleanOptional

Returns MPIMs to the client in the API response.

presence_subbooleanOptional

Only deliver presence events when requested by subscription. See presence subscriptions.

Default: true
batch_presence_awarebooleanOptional

Batch presence deliveries via subscription. Enabling changes the shape of presence_change events. See batch presence.

Default: false
Example: 1
no_latestbooleanOptional

Exclude latest timestamps for channels, groups, mpims, and ims. Automatically sets no_unreads to 1

Default: 0
Example: 1
include_localebooleanOptional

Set this to true to receive the locale for users and channels. Defaults to false

Usage info​

Deprecated

Learn more about this method's deprecation.

This method began a Real Time Messaging API session and reserved your application a specific URL with which to connect via websocket.

It's user-centric and team-centric: your app connects as a specific user or bot user on a specific team. Many apps will find the Events API's subscription model more scalable when working against multiple teams.

Please proactively rtm.connect instead. Existing apps still using rtm.start after September 27, 2022 now get the response from that method instead.

Consult the RTM API documentation for full details on using the RTM API.

New Slack apps may not use any Real Time Messaging API method.

For most applications Socket Mode is a better way to communicate with Slack, anyway.

Response​

Typical success response

{
  "ok": true
}

Typical error response

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

See the rtm.connect method documentation for details on this method's response after September 27, 2022.

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.

deprecated_endpoint

The endpoint has been deprecated.

ekm_access_denied

Administrators have suspended the ability to post a message.

enterprise_is_restricted

The method cannot be called from an Enterprise.

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.

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_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_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_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.

method_deprecated

rtm.start is deprecated. Please use rtm.connect instead of rtm.start. Read https://docs.slack.dev/changelog/2021-10-rtm-start-to-stop for more info.

method_deprecated

The method has been deprecated.

migration_in_progress

Workspace is being migrated between servers. See the team_migration_started event documentation for details.

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.

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.

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.

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.

rtm_connect_required

rtm.start is deprecated. Please use rtm.connect instead of rtm.start. Read https://docs.slack.dev/changelog/2021-10-rtm-start-to-stop for more info.

service_unavailable

The service is temporarily unavailable

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.

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.

two_factor_setup_required

Two factor setup is required.