How to Install Slack on Debian Linux

Slack combines team chat, voice calls, video meetings, and file sharing into a unified workspace for distributed teams. Whether you need to coordinate software development with integrated GitHub notifications, manage customer support channels with searchable message history, or run daily standups with screen sharing and recording, Slack organizes conversations into channels and threads that keep context intact.

This guide covers two ways to install Slack on Debian: the official APT repository for native package management with system-integrated updates, and Flatpak for sandboxed isolation with Flathub. Additionally, by the end, you will have Slack installed with automatic updates configured, desktop launcher access, and complete removal procedures for both methods.

Choose Your Slack Installation Method

Slack offers two installation paths on Debian, each with different update mechanisms and isolation levels. Before proceeding, choose the method that best fits your workflow and system preferences.

Method	Update Mechanism	Isolation	Best For
APT Repository	Automatic through APT repository	System-level install	Official package, integrated with system updates
Flatpak	Automatic through Flathub	Sandboxed environment	Flathub ecosystem, cross-distro compatibility

Both methods handle Slack updates automatically. Specifically, the APT method integrates updates through your regular apt upgrade workflow, while Flatpak manages updates through Flathub. Therefore, choose based on your preference for system integration versus sandboxing level.

Slack publishes desktop builds for 64-bit (amd64/x86_64) Debian systems only. Raspberry Pi, ARM servers, and 32-bit hardware lack native packages. Use Slack’s web interface on unsupported architectures.

Method 1: Install Slack via Official APT Repository

The APT repository method provides native package integration and automatic updates through your standard system upgrade workflow. Furthermore, this approach uses the modern DEB822 repository format with scoped GPG key verification, ensuring package authenticity while maintaining clean repository configuration.

Configure Slack APT Repository on Debian

First, remove any legacy repository files to avoid duplicate entry warnings, then configure the repository using DEB822 format. Notably, the Packagecloud suite name remains jessie for Slack, which is expected even on current Debian releases:

sudo rm -f /etc/apt/sources.list.d/slack.list
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://packagecloud.io/slacktechnologies/slack/gpgkey | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /etc/apt/keyrings/slacktechnologies_slack-archive-keyring.gpg > /dev/null
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/slack.sources > /dev/null <<'EOF'
Types: deb
URIs: https://packagecloud.io/slacktechnologies/slack/debian/
Suites: jessie
Components: main
Architectures: amd64
Signed-By: /etc/apt/keyrings/slacktechnologies_slack-archive-keyring.gpg
EOF

Install Slack from APT Repository on Debian

Update your package lists and install Slack directly from the repository. APT automatically downloads the latest version without requiring you to specify version numbers:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install slack-desktop

The slack.sources file points to Slack's Packagecloud repository, so updates arrive automatically through your regular apt upgrade workflow. As a result, this approach eliminates manual version tracking entirely—you can reinstall or upgrade to the latest version anytime without visiting the Slack website or downloading new .deb files.

Method 2: Install Slack via Flatpak and Flathub

Flatpak provides sandboxed isolation and automatic updates through Flathub. Specifically, this method runs Slack in a contained environment, isolating it from system libraries for better security. Before proceeding, verify Flatpak is available on your system.

If Flatpak is missing from your system, follow the How to Install Flatpak on Debian guide before proceeding with Slack.

Verify Flatpak Installation on Debian

Check if Flatpak is installed:

flatpak --version

Expected output:

Flatpak 1.14.4

The version number may differ depending on your Debian release. However, any successful version output confirms Flatpak is ready.

Add Flathub Repository on Debian

Add the Flathub repository to access Slack and thousands of other applications:

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Additionally, the --if-not-exists flag safely skips this step if you have already added Flathub previously.

Install Slack via Flatpak on Debian

Install Slack from Flathub:

sudo flatpak install -y flathub com.slack.Slack

This command installs Slack system-wide with the -y flag to skip confirmation prompts. Subsequently, Flatpak runs Slack in a sandboxed environment, isolating it from the rest of your system for improved security.

Launching Slack on Debian

Launch Slack from the terminal using the APT installation:

slack

Alternatively, Flatpak installations use the application ID:

flatpak run com.slack.Slack

Alternatively, to use the graphical interface, open the application menu in your desktop environment. Then, search for "Slack" in the menu's search bar or locate the Slack icon in the list of installed applications, then click the icon to launch the application.

Log in to your workspace or create a new account at first launch.

Updating Slack on Debian

Keeping Slack up to date gives you the latest features and security patches. However, the update method depends on how you installed Slack.

For APT repository installations, refresh your package lists and upgrade Slack directly:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade slack-desktop

As mentioned earlier, the slack.sources file points to Slack's Packagecloud repository, so updates arrive through your standard APT workflow.

Flatpak installations update with:

sudo flatpak update

This updates all system-wide Flatpak applications including Slack.

Regular updates keep Slack performing well and give you access to new features as they're released. If you manage team communication alongside remote access, secure your Debian system with SSH key-based authentication and UFW firewall rules to protect network services. Development teams often pair Slack with Docker for containerized development environments or GitHub Desktop for version control workflows. For enhanced system monitoring, consider Fail2Ban to automatically block suspicious login attempts.

Removing Slack from Debian

Similar to updates, removal methods vary by installation type.

Remove APT installations:

sudo apt remove slack-desktop

This leaves system configuration files in /etc. However, for complete removal including configuration files:

sudo apt purge slack-desktop

Alternatively, for Flatpak installations, remove the system-wide app and its sandboxed data with:

sudo flatpak uninstall --delete-data com.slack.Slack

Notably, the --delete-data flag cleans up ~/.var/app/com.slack.Slack so cached data does not linger after removal.

Regardless of installation method, Slack stores workspace configurations, cached data, and local files in your home directory. Therefore, remove these manually if you want a complete cleanup:

The commands below permanently delete your Slack workspace data, including saved passwords, workspace configurations, downloaded files, and cached messages. If you need to preserve any workspace data, export it from Slack's web interface before removing these directories.

rm -rf ~/.config/Slack
rm -rf ~/.cache/Slack

However, for Flatpak installations, the sandboxed data lives in a separate location that the --delete-data flag already removes.

Finally, remove repository configuration for APT installations:

sudo rm -f /etc/apt/sources.list.d/slack.sources /etc/apt/sources.list.d/slack.list
sudo rm -f /etc/apt/keyrings/slacktechnologies_slack-archive-keyring.gpg
sudo apt update

Conclusion

You now have Slack installed on Debian with automatic updates configured through either the APT repository using DEB822 format or Flatpak with Flathub. Specifically, the APT method integrates updates into your standard apt upgrade workflow with native package management, while Flatpak provides sandboxed isolation with cross-distro compatibility. Ultimately, both approaches include desktop launcher access and complete removal procedures for clean uninstallation when needed.