This can get quite annoying after a while of entering the password and clicking add helper or cancel. macOS users seem to be facing this issue more than Windows users. However, fret not as here are two ways to fix Slack Is Trying to Add a New Helper Tool issue on Mac.

Slack Is Trying to Add a New Helper Tool on Mac

According to the world wide web, the issue occurs on macOS because the root instead of the user owns the Slack app. You can either reinstall the app or change the app ownership of Slack to resolve the issue.

Change the App Owner for the Slack App

If you still see the issue, it’s time to change the app ownership of the Slack app on your MacBook. This happens when the /Applications/Slack.app is owned by the root and not the user. You can simply use chown terminal command to change the app ownership by following the below steps.

  1. Press Command + Space on your keyboard to activate Spotlight Search.
  2. Type Terminal and hit Enter.
  3. In the terminal window, type ls -la /Applications/Slack.app and hit Enter.
  4. If you see root admin, it means the app is owned by the root.
  5. Type sudo chown -R $USER:staff /Applications/Slack.app and hit Enter. The above steps will change the app ownership to the user and the issue should not crop up again.

2. Reinstall Slack

One of the first steps that you should do when an app is misbehaving is to uninstall and reinstall the app. The same rule applies here as well. Here’s how to uninstall and reinstall the Slack app on macOS.

  1. Go to the Desktop on your Mac and open Finder from the Dock.
  2. On the sidebar, click on Applications under Favourites section.
  3. Scroll to the Slack app and Double-click on it.
  4. Select Move to Bin from the context menu.
  5. Go to the desktop again and double-click on Trash.
  6. Select Empty Trash to completely uninstall Slack.
  7. Now, open App Store on your Mac and search for Slack.
  8. Tap on the Get button next to Slack for Desktop.
  9. Tap on Install and enter your Mac password.
  10. If you have a newer MacBook, used TouchID to authenticate the installation. Once the app has been installed, launch the app, log in, and start using it. You should not see the frustrating “Slack Is Trying to Add a New Helper Tool on Mac” issue anymore.

What is the Slack helper tool?

Slack Helper assists with integrating Slack with other applications. It happens to be a Scrum assistant that is crucial for co-located and remote teams that use Slack for communication.

How do I remove Slack helper from my Mac?

You can simply re-install Slack on your Mac to resolve the issue. You can also change Slack app ownership from root to owner using the terminal.

What is new helper tool on Mac?

The new Slack Helper tool is what helps the app integrate with other applications. However, it fails to update and keeps popping up.

Final Words

There are no two thoughts about it. Slack is and will continue to be the primary communication channel for a lot of corporates. And the incessant popups can be frustrating and affect the productivity of various teams. However, fret not as the above two methods should take care of this issue. Let us know in the comment box below, which of the two methods worked for you. 

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