There are three ways to install Slack on Ubuntu: the official .deb from slack.com (auto-updates via the Slack apt repo), the snap (snap install slack), or Flatpak. The .deb from the official repo is the right pick for most teams - same install path as apt-managed packages, auto-updates with the rest of the system, no snap confinement, and works on Ubuntu derivatives that do not have snap.
Table of contents
- Method 1: .deb from slack.com (the right pick)
- Method 2: snap (one-liner, no repo config)
- Method 3: Flatpak (cross-distro)
- Launching and signing in
- How this fits the rest of the stack
- FAQ
Method 1: .deb from slack.com (the right pick)
Download the .deb from https://slack.com/downloads/linux. Or via curl:
curl -O https://downloads.slack-edge.com/releases/linux/prod/x64/slack-desktop-4.36.0-amd64.deb
sudo apt install ./slack-desktop-4.36.0-amd64.deb
The ./ in apt install ./ is important - it tells apt to install the local file and resolve dependencies from the configured repos. The team that uses just dpkg -i without apt install -f afterwards hits dependency errors.
For auto-updates, add Slack’s official apt repo:
curl -fsSL https://packagecloud.io/slacktechnologies/slack/gpgkey | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/slack-archive-keyring.gpg
echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/slack-archive-keyring.gpg] https://packagecloud.io/slacktechnologies/slack/debian/ jessie main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/slack.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install slack-desktop
After this, apt upgrade updates Slack alongside the rest of the system. The team that wants zero-touch updates runs this version.
Method 2: snap (one-liner, no repo config)
sudo snap install slack
That’s it. The snap daemon handles auto-updates. The trade-offs: snap confinement is more restrictive than .deb (Slack can only see files in ~/snap/slack/), and the install size is larger because the snap bundles its own dependencies.
The team that has snap enabled (Ubuntu 22.04+ has it by default; Ubuntu 24.04+ requires explicit install) uses this for the one-liner. The team that runs a snap-free derivative (Linux Mint without snapd, elementary OS) uses the .deb instead.
Method 3: Flatpak (cross-distro)
flatpak install flathub com.slack.Slack
Works on any distro with Flatpak. The team that already has Flatpak for other apps (Steam, Spotify, etc.) uses this for consistency.
Launching and signing in
After any of the three installs, launch from the application menu or:
slack
Sign in with the workspace URL, then the email/password (or SSO). Slack stores its data in ~/.config/Slack/ (or ~/snap/slack/current/.config/Slack/ for the snap), so the team that migrates between machines copies that directory.
FAQ
Which install method is best?
The official .deb via the Slack apt repo. Auto-updates work with the rest of the system, no snap confinement, smaller install size. The snap is fine for a quick install; Flatpak is fine if you already use Flatpak for other apps.
Does Slack work on Wayland?
Yes - the official .deb and snap both support Wayland natively. The team that uses GNOME on Wayland (Ubuntu 24.04 default) has no issues.
Why is Slack slow on Linux?
The Electron-based desktop app is heavier than the web version. The team that wants the fastest experience uses the web client at app.slack.com in a Chrome PWA (Install Slack from the address bar). It is the same Electron under the hood, but with a less-loaded renderer.
Can I run Slack in a container?
Yes, but it is not the right tool for the job. Slack needs a desktop, audio, and a microphone for calls. The team that needs Slack in a headless environment uses the web client or the API for bots.
How do I update Slack after the .deb install?
If you added the apt repo: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade. If you downloaded the .deb manually: download the new .deb and sudo apt install ./slack-desktop-4.37.0-amd64.deb (apt will replace the old version).
How this fits the rest of the stack
For a sense of what the full project costs before it commits, the RunxBuild hosting calculator shows the line items together. The API, the database, the storage, the worker, the bandwidth - each one is a separate number, and the team’s mental model for the platform is the sum of those numbers.
Useful related references: