To add an app in Slack, click Agents & tools in the sidebar on desktop, search for the app, click Add and follow the prompts in Slack's app directory. By default any member of a workspace can install an app, but if a Workspace Owner has turned on app approval, you'll submit a request instead and get a notification once it's reviewed.
Here's the catch. Installing an app isn't a personal choice that only affects you. Once one person installs an app, every member of the workspace can connect their account and use it. And apps that aren't listed in Slack's directory haven't been reviewed by Slack for user experience or security. Slack shows a banner saying so before you install one, and it's worth reading.
Who can install apps in a workspace
| Workspace setup, as of October 2026 | What members can do |
|---|---|
| Default settings | Any member can install any app |
| App approval turned on | Members install apps a Workspace Owner has approved, and may be able to request others |
| An app has been restricted | Members can't install it or request approval for it |
| App approval on, reinstalling a third-party app | Only Workspace Owners and members with permission to manage apps |
Owners and admins can also choose to restrict the install permission. If you're working out what your plan includes before you add anything, here's what Slack free includes.
How to add an app from your desktop
- Click Agents & tools in the sidebar. If you can't see it, click More, or look for a Tools tab instead.
- Search for the app, then click Add. You'll be taken to the app's page in Slack's directory.
- Follow the prompts to install it. If it's already installed, you'll be asked to connect your account instead.
You can also click Add to Slack on any app page in the directory. To see what other members have already installed, click Agents & tools and select Apps.
How to request an app when approval is on
- Search for the app and click Add, which takes you to its directory page.
- Add a custom message explaining why you want it. Your Workspace Owners may make this optional or required.
- Click Submit. Slack sends you a notification once your request has been reviewed.
If there's no option to request apps at all, Slack's advice is to ask a Workspace Owner.
What to check before you install
Every Slack app has its own set of permission scopes, which decide what it can see in Slack and what it can do with that information. Slack suggests looking at three things first:
- What scopes the app requests. Most ask to post messages, perform actions and read information.
- What it can access, such as member profiles, channel names, messages or files.
- What it can do with that access, such as post messages, change content or create channels.
On the app's page you can also read its privacy policy and security and compliance information, if the developer has submitted them. Slack's own line is to only choose services you trust.
Getting an app into a channel
The person who installs an app normally connects their account during installation, but other members may need to connect theirs before they can use it. Some apps also work best once they're added to a channel. Click the channel name in the header and open the Agents & apps tab, or mention the app in a message to that channel. If you're setting up a fresh space for a tool's updates, here's how to create a Slack channel first.
| App feature | Where you'll find it |
|---|---|
| Home tab | Information about the app and its settings |
| Messages tab | Messages the app sends you, such as an updated calendar event |
| Shortcuts and slash commands | The slash icon to the left of the message field |
| Messages from apps | DMs or channel posts, such as a link to a survey |
| App agents | On paid plans, the app icon in the top right of Slack opens a conversational AI panel |
Accounts with the app's own service
Most Slack apps need an account with the company that built them. Some developers make the Slack app free, others need a paid account with their service. If the developer has submitted it, the app page shows one of four labels: free, free with paid plans available, paid with a free trial, or paid. Check that label before you ask a busy team to connect their accounts.
When an app asks for new permissions
When a developer changes how their app works, they often add or remove scopes, and you may need to re-authorise the app to get the new features. Any member can review and accept new scopes using the developer's installation link, usually the Add to Slack button on the app's page. With app approval on, members submit the update as a request, and once a Workspace Owner or app manager approves the new scopes, anyone can finish the update from the same link.
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Slack also suggests rotating app tokens for custom or third-party apps every so often, by reinstalling the app:
- Open Slack's app directory and click Manage in the top right.
- On the Installed Apps page, search for and select the app.
- For a custom app, click Remove App at the bottom. For a third-party app, open the Configuration tab and click Remove App.
- Complete the steps to reinstall it.
My verdict on Slack apps
For a small team, I'd turn on app approval once you're past a handful of people. It adds one small step for each new app and stops anyone connecting an unreviewed app that every member can then use. Before approving, read the scopes and the account label, and add the app to the one channel that needs it.
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Frequently asked questions
Who can install apps in Slack?
By default, any member of a workspace can install an app. Workspace Owners can turn on app approval so apps need approval first, and restricted apps can't be installed or requested.
How do I request an app in Slack?
Search for the app, click Add, add a custom message explaining your request and click Submit. You'll get a notification from Slack once it's been reviewed.
Are Slack apps safe?
Apps in Slack's directory have been reviewed by Slack for user experience and security. Apps not listed there show a banner saying they haven't been reviewed, so check their scopes and only install services you trust.
Where are apps in the Slack sidebar?
Click Agents & tools in the sidebar. If you don't see it, click More, or look for the Tools tab instead.
How do I add an app to a Slack channel?
Click the channel name in the channel header and select the Agents & apps tab, or mention the app in a message sent to the channel.
