> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.langchain.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Channels

> Configure channels to trigger your Fleet agents automatically.

Channels define when your agent starts running. Connect your agent to external events so it responds automatically to messages, emails, or other events.

<Tip>
  To trigger an agent on a recurring basis, use [schedules](/langsmith/fleet/schedules).
</Tip>

## Add a channel

To add a channel:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Edit your agent">
    Open your agent in the [Fleet](https://smith.langchain.com/agents?utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=cta\&utm_campaign=langsmith-signup\&utm_content=langsmith-fleet-channels) inbox.
    Next to the agent name, click the <Icon icon="pencil" /> **Edit Agent** icon.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the channel">
    1. In the **Channels** section, click **+ Add** and select the channel you want to add.
    2. Follow the prompts to add the channel and authenticate.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Add a Gmail channel

The Gmail channel activates your agent when new emails arrive in your inbox. To let your agent read and respond to emails, add Gmail tools in the **Tools** section. Available Gmail tools include reading emails, sending replies, creating drafts, managing labels, and marking messages as read. See [Tool integrations](/langsmith/fleet/tools) for more information.

<Warning>
  The Gmail channel only monitors your primary inbox. The following emails do not activate the channel:

  * **Alias emails**: Messages sent to an email alias rather than your primary address.
  * **Mailing list emails**: Messages received through a mailing list or group.
  * **Emails outside the inbox**: Messages that skip the inbox due to filters, or that land in spam, trash, or other folders.
</Warning>

### Add a Slack channel

The default Slack bot activates your agent when messages are posted in a connected Slack channel. It triggers on every message in the channel and cannot receive DMs. To let your agent respond in Slack, [add Slack tools](/langsmith/fleet/slack-app#add-slack-tools).

<Tip>
  For tag-only triggering or DM support, [create a custom Slack bot](/langsmith/fleet/slack-app) instead. See [Custom vs. default bot](/langsmith/fleet/slack-app#custom-vs-default-bot) for a comparison.
</Tip>

### Add a Microsoft Teams channel

The Teams channel activates your agent when messages are sent in Microsoft Teams conversations.

For full setup instructions including Azure Bot creation, credential registration, and tool configuration, see [Integrate Teams with an agent](/langsmith/fleet/teams-app).

## Pause and resume channels

You can pause and resume channels without removing them. To pause all channels:

1. In the [Fleet](https://smith.langchain.com/agents?utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=cta\&utm_campaign=langsmith-signup\&utm_content=langsmith-fleet-channels) inbox, open your agent.
2. Next to the agent name, click the <Icon icon="pencil" /> **Edit Agent** icon.
3. In the **Channels** section, click <Icon icon="player-pause" /> **Pause channels** button to pause all channels.

To resume all channels, click <Icon icon="player-play" /> **Resume channels** button.

## Thread behavior

How threads are marked depends on whether the agent uses channels:

* **Chat agents (no channel)**: Responses mark the thread as **unread**. Viewing the thread marks it as read.
* **Channel-based agents**: Responses keep the thread as **read** by default.

You can manually mark any thread as read or unread at any time.

***

<div className="source-links">
  <Callout icon="terminal-2">
    [Connect these docs](/use-these-docs) to Claude, VSCode, and more via MCP for real-time answers.
  </Callout>

  <Callout icon="edit">
    [Edit this page on GitHub](https://github.com/langchain-ai/docs/edit/main/src/langsmith/fleet/channels.mdx) or [file an issue](https://github.com/langchain-ai/docs/issues/new/choose).
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