How to Install Slack on Fedora Linux

Slack pulls team chat, voice huddles, and file sharing into one place so you spend less time switching between apps. Several methods let you install Slack on Fedora, each with different trade-offs around updates, isolation, and offline support.

Every method delivers the same desktop client on current Fedora releases. The walkthrough also covers launching, Wayland and audio troubleshooting, updates, and clean removal.

Install Slack on Fedora

Slack offers three installation paths on Fedora. Each one handles updates and isolation differently.

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
DNF Repository (Recommended)	Packagecloud	Latest stable	Automatic via DNF	Most users; clean integration with system package manager
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest stable	Automatic via Flatpak	Sandboxed isolation, cross-distro compatibility
Manual RPM	Slack Downloads	Latest stable	Manual re-download	Offline installations, air-gapped systems

The DNF repository method suits most users because it hooks into Fedora’s package manager and delivers automatic updates through your regular dnf upgrade workflow. Flatpak adds sandboxed isolation at the cost of slightly higher disk usage. The manual RPM method works in environments without persistent internet access but requires you to download new versions yourself.

Slack publishes desktop builds for 64-bit (x86_64) systems only. As a result, Raspberry Pi, ARM servers, and 32-bit hardware lack native packages. Instead, use Slack’s web interface at app.slack.com on unsupported architectures.

Update Fedora Before Installing Slack

Refresh your package metadata and apply any pending updates so dependencies resolve cleanly:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

This guide uses sudo for commands that need root privileges. If your user is not in the sudoers file yet, run the commands as root or follow the guide on how to add and manage sudo users on Fedora.

If any kernel packages update, reboot before proceeding so the new kernel modules load correctly.

Method 1: Install Slack via DNF Repository (Recommended)

The DNF repository method configures Slack’s official Packagecloud repository, giving you automatic updates through dnf upgrade like any other system package.

Import Slack GPG Key

Import the signing key that Slack uses to authenticate their packages:

sudo rpm --import https://packagecloud.io/slacktechnologies/slack/gpgkey

Configure Slack Repository

Create the repository configuration file. Slack uses a universal repository labeled fedora/21 that works across all current Fedora releases:

cat << 'EOF' | sudo tee /etc/yum.repos.d/slack.repo
[slack]
name=Slack
baseurl=https://packagecloud.io/slacktechnologies/slack/fedora/21/$basearch
enabled=1
gpgcheck=0
repo_gpgcheck=0
gpgkey=https://packagecloud.io/slacktechnologies/slack/gpgkey
sslverify=1
sslcacert=/etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt
metadata_expire=300
EOF

The fedora/21 path is an artifact of Slack’s Packagecloud configuration; the repository contains current packages that work on all modern Fedora releases. The $basearch variable expands to your system architecture (x86_64).

GPG package verification (gpgcheck) is disabled because Slack’s RPM signatures do not match the Packagecloud GPG key on DNF5. The repository still uses TLS (sslverify=1) to secure downloads.

Verify Repository Configuration

Confirm DNF recognizes the new source:

dnf repo list --all | grep -i slack

Expected output confirming the repository is active:

slack                           Slack                                              enabled

Install Slack from DNF Repository

With the repository configured, install Slack:

sudo dnf install slack -y

DNF resolves all dependencies automatically, including libraries for audio, video, and the Electron framework that powers Slack’s interface.

Verify DNF Installation

Confirm the package registered correctly:

rpm -q slack

Expected output:

slack-4.x.x-0.1.el8.x86_64

The version number varies depending on the current release. The el8 suffix means the package was built for Enterprise Linux 8 compatibility, which works seamlessly on Fedora.

Method 2: Install Slack via Flatpak and Flathub

Flatpak runs Slack in a sandboxed environment, isolating it from system libraries and providing automatic updates through Flathub. Fedora Workstation includes Flatpak by default, so standard desktop installations need no additional setup.

Add Flathub Repository

Fedora may have Flathub disabled by default. Add it if it is not already present:

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

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

Install Slack via Flatpak

Install Slack system-wide from Flathub:

sudo flatpak install -y flathub com.slack.Slack

The -y flag automatically confirms installation prompts, which is useful for scripted deployments.

If the installation fails with “Unable to load summary from remote flathub,” the Flathub repository may be disabled. Enable it with flatpak remote-modify --enable flathub and retry the install command.

Verify Flatpak Installation

Confirm Slack appears in your Flatpak applications:

flatpak list | grep -i slack

Expected output:

Slack    com.slack.Slack    4.x.x    stable    system

Method 3: Install Slack via Manual RPM Download

The manual RPM method is a fallback for environments where repository access is restricted. You will need to download new versions manually when updates are released.

Download Slack RPM Package

Download the latest Slack RPM from the official Slack downloads page, or grab it directly from the command line:

cd ~/Downloads
curl -sLO $(curl -sL "https://slack.com/downloads/instructions/linux?ddl=1&build=rpm" | grep -oP 'https://downloads\.slack-edge\.com/desktop-releases/linux/x64/[^"]+\.rpm' | head -1)

The inner curl fetches Slack’s download page and extracts the current RPM URL. The outer curl -sLO downloads it, where -s suppresses progress output and -L follows CDN redirects.

Install Downloaded Package

Install the downloaded RPM with DNF, which handles dependency resolution automatically:

sudo dnf install ./slack-*.rpm -y

DNF installs all required dependencies from Fedora’s repositories while processing the local Slack package.

Verify Manual Installation

Confirm the package registered correctly:

rpm -q slack

Expected output shows the installed version:

slack-4.x.x-0.1.el8.x86_64

Unlike the repository method, manual RPM installation does not configure automatic updates. You must download and install new versions manually when Slack releases updates. Consider using the DNF repository method if automatic updates are important to your workflow.

Launch Slack on Fedora

Once installed, launch Slack from the terminal or the graphical application menu.

Launch Slack from Terminal

For DNF or manual RPM installations:

slack

For Flatpak installations, use the application ID instead:

flatpak run com.slack.Slack

Launch Slack from Applications Menu

Search for “Slack” in Activities and click the icon to open it. On first launch, Slack prompts you to sign in to your workspace or create a new account.

Update Slack on Fedora

Keep Slack up to date so you get the latest fixes and features. The update method matches your installation type.

Update DNF Repository Installation

Slack updates automatically as part of your regular system upgrade:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Alternatively, to update only Slack without upgrading other packages:

sudo dnf upgrade slack

Update Flatpak Installation

Flatpak installations update through the Flatpak command:

sudo flatpak update

This updates all system-wide Flatpak applications, including Slack.

Update Manual RPM Installation

Manual RPM installations require downloading the new version from the Slack downloads page and reinstalling. Follow the same download and install steps from Method 3 with the new RPM file.

Troubleshoot Slack on Fedora

Common issues you may hit when installing or running Slack on Fedora, along with fixes.

Slack Window Appears Blank or White

If Slack opens but displays a blank or white window, GPU acceleration may conflict with your drivers. Launch Slack with GPU acceleration disabled:

slack --disable-gpu

For Flatpak installations:

flatpak run com.slack.Slack --disable-gpu

If this resolves the issue, make the change permanent by editing /usr/share/applications/slack.desktop and appending --disable-gpu to the Exec= line, or add an alias to your ~/.bashrc.

System Tray Icon Missing on Wayland

Fedora uses Wayland by default, and some system tray functionality may not work because Slack’s Electron framework has limited Wayland tray support. If the system tray icon is missing or unresponsive, install the AppIndicator GNOME extension:

sudo dnf install gnome-shell-extension-appindicator

Log out and back in after installation, then enable the extension through the GNOME Extensions app.

Repository Package Not Found

If DNF cannot find the Slack package after adding the repository, check that the configuration file exists and is enabled:

cat /etc/yum.repos.d/slack.repo

If the file is missing or corrupted, recreate it using the commands in Method 1, then refresh repository metadata:

sudo dnf clean metadata
sudo dnf makecache --repo=slack

Audio or Microphone Not Working

If Slack cannot detect your microphone or speakers, verify PipeWire (Fedora’s default audio system) is running correctly:

systemctl --user status pipewire

Expected output should show active (running). If PipeWire is stopped, start it:

systemctl --user start pipewire

For Flatpak installations, Slack may need explicit permission to access audio devices. Grant it through Flatseal or the flatpak override command.

Remove Slack from Fedora

When you no longer need Slack, follow the removal steps that match your installation method.

Remove DNF Repository Installation

Remove the Slack package:

sudo dnf remove slack -y

Remove the repository configuration and clean cached metadata to prevent future update checks:

sudo rm -f /etc/yum.repos.d/slack.repo
sudo dnf clean metadata

Remove Manual RPM Installation

For manual RPM installations, remove the package with:

sudo dnf remove slack -y

Remove Flatpak Installation

If you used Flatpak, remove the application and its sandboxed data:

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

The --delete-data flag removes application data stored under ~/.var/app/com.slack.Slack/.

Remove User Data Directories

Regardless of installation method, Slack stores workspace configurations, cached data, and local files in your home directory. Remove these for 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

For Flatpak installations, the --delete-data flag in the uninstall command already handles the sandboxed data directory.

Verify Removal

After removal, confirm Slack is no longer on the system:

which slack

If successful, the command returns no output, confirming the Slack binary is no longer in your PATH.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Slack is running on your Fedora system, configured with whichever update and isolation approach fits your workflow. The DNF repository integrates tightest with Fedora’s package manager, while Flatpak keeps the app sandboxed from system libraries.

For related Fedora guides, try Discord on Fedora for community chat, Zoom on Fedora for video conferencing, or Docker on Fedora for containerized development.