Slackbot-LinkExpanding
Slack's link preview fetcher.
- Operator
- Slack
- In the user agent
Slackbot-LinkExpanding- robots.txt token
- none
- Follows robots.txt
- says it does not follow robots.txt
- Official documentation
- api.slack.com
- Checked on
- 2026-11-11
What is Slackbot-LinkExpanding?
Slackbot-LinkExpanding is Slack's link preview fetcher. It loads a page to show its preview when a link is shared in a chat or social network.
The operator's description: Reads the start of pages linked in Slack to build previews (Open Graph, oEmbed).
(api.slack.com)
How do I block or allow Slackbot-LinkExpanding?
Slackbot-LinkExpanding has no robots.txt token of its own. Slack says it does not follow robots.txt. Controlling its access means recognising its verified identity at the edge (CDN or server).
How do I see whether Slackbot-LinkExpanding visits my site?
In your server or CDN access logs, look for Slackbot-LinkExpanding in the user agent. Google Analytics does not show these visits: agents do not run its JavaScript.
Anyone can copy the name in a user agent, so counting log lines is not enough. Knocklog reads your site's traffic on any host, confirms who is who, and shows how often Slackbot-LinkExpanding came, which pages it read and what that brought you.
How do I know it is really Slackbot-LinkExpanding?
Slack does not publish a way to verify Slackbot-LinkExpanding. Any program can use that name, so Knocklog shows these visits as “unverified”, never as genuine.
Does Slackbot-LinkExpanding visit your site?
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Other Slack agents
- Slack-ImgProxy Link preview fetcher
- Slackbot Link preview fetcher