Slack is a useful and feature-rich business communication tool, but it is also known for throwing weird and annoying bugs. One of the most common bugs Slack users face is a persistent popup reading, “An update is ready to install. Slack is trying to add a new helper tool”. This popup is usually experienced by users running Slack on a Mac device.
If you are also one of the users annoyed by this weird error message that repeatedly appears while working, we have a solution for you. Below, we have mentioned two quick fixes that could help you get rid of the ‘Slack is trying to add a new helper tool’ issue. Before we delve into the fixes, it is important to know what the error message means in the popup.
What Causes Slack Is Trying To Add A New Helper Tool Message to Popup?
Slack helper tool is a Scrum assistant used by the business communication app, and it is pivotal for co-related and distributed teams using the software. Also, Slack Helper is used to integrate Slack with other applications to increase efficiency.
Generally, the ‘Slack is trying to add a new helper tool’ popup appears when the software is owned by root instead of the user. To fix the recurring popup, you need to change the ownership of Slack.
Fix Slack Is Trying To Add A New Helper Tool On Mac
1. Change the App Owner
Follow the steps below to change Slack ownership from user to root.
1. Launch Spotlight search by clicking on the magnifying icon on the menu bar and then type “Terminal”
2. Hit Return on the Terminal app to open it
3. Once the Terminal app is open, run the following command:
sudo chown -R $USER:staff /Applications/Slack.app.
4. At this point, $USER should get automatically replaced with your computer’s name. If not, change it manually.
5. Enter your password when prompted and then again enter it in the ‘Slack is trying to add a new helper tool’ popup.’
This should help you get rid of the pesky popup. If this does not help, proceed to the next fix.
2. Reinstall Slack
This might sound like the classic method to fix things, but reportedly, removing and reinstalling Slack from App Store has worked for many.
1. Open Finder and click on ‘Applications’ from the menu on the left side of the screen.
2. Scroll down and search for Slack in the list.
3. Right-click on the Slack application and click on the ‘Move to bin’ option.
To re-install the Slack from App Store:
1. Open App Store on your Mac device
2. Search Slack in the search option available in the top left corner of the screen.
3. Click on ‘Get’ and follow the on-screen instructions to install the applications once it is downloaded.
FAQs
What is Slack helper tool?
Slack helper tool is a Scrum assistant used by the business communication app, and it plays a major role in helping co-related and distributed teams use the software.
How do I remove Slack helper from my Mac?
To remove the popup about Slack helper tool, you need to change the ownership of Slack. Execute the following command in Mac terminal for the same: sudo chown -R $USER:staff /Applications/Slack.app.
How do I stop Slack update popups?
To stop Slack update popups, change the ownership from root to user by using chown command in the Terminal app.
What is new helper tool on Mac?
Slack helper tool on Mac devices is an assistant tool used by Mac for integrating the app with other applications.
Final Words
We are hopeful that the above-mentioned quick fixes will help you, and you’ll no longer see the popup. Slack has already acknowledged the glitch, and it releases updates to fix it. Also, ensure that you are always running the latest version of the application to avoid such issues.
