Everything you can do with Empowia for Slack
Install it, connect Slack, and turn your messages into searchable to-dos, decisions, and links — all on your own Windows PC. Nothing leaves your machine.
- Windows 10 / 11
- 100% local
- No account needed
Store or portable — same app, same features
There are two ways to get Empowia. The app and every feature are identical — only how you install it, how it updates, and where your data is stored differ.
| Microsoft Store | Portable (.zip) | |
|---|---|---|
| Install | One click from the Store | Download a .zip, unzip, run — no installer, no admin rights |
| First-run prompt | None (Microsoft-signed) | Windows SmartScreen once → More info → Run anyway |
| Updates | Automatic, in the background | Manual — download the new zip |
| Where data lives | A protected per-app location Windows manages | A data folder next to the .exe — moves with the folder |
| Best for | Most people — simplest, auto-updates | Locked-down or offline PCs, USB sticks, power users |
You can switch editions later by exporting a backup and restoring it. Buying the full version is the same for both: get an unlock code from our site and paste it in.
Install & first launch
Option A — Microsoft Store
- 1Open the Microsoft Store, search Empowia for Slack, and click Install.
- 2Launch it from the Start menu. There is no security warning, and it updates itself automatically.
Option B — Portable (from our site)
- 1Download Empowia-Portable.zip and extract it anywhere — a folder on your PC, or a USB drive.
- 2Double-click Empowia-for-Slack.exe.
- 3If Windows shows a SmartScreen notice, click More info → Run anyway (once — Windows remembers your choice).
- 4Everything the app creates lives in the data subfolder next to the .exe. Move the whole folder and your backup moves with it.
Either way, the first time you open Empowia you land on Home, where you connect your first Slack workspace.
Connect a Slack workspace
On the Home screen, click + Connect a workspace. Empowia tries three ways, in order:
- 1
Slack Desktop (automatic)
If the Slack desktop app is installed and signed in, Empowia reads its session for you — no password needed. If Slack Desktop is open, its files are locked, so you’ll be asked to quit Slack briefly and retry.
- 2
Browser sign-in
If the automatic path isn’t available, a sign-in window opens — log in to Slack as usual.
- 3
Manual paste (advanced)
Paste a token and cookie by hand. Hidden by default; most people never need it.
Repeat to connect more workspaces. Your Slack sign-in is stored securely on your PC, protected by Windows (DPAPI), and is used only to talk to Slack. Then click Back up now, or let the scheduler back up automatically in the background (Settings → General).
Microsoft Store edition: the automatic Slack-Desktop reader is off by design (the Store build asks for no broad file access), so it goes straight to browser sign-in — the “quit Slack” step doesn’t apply.
Free vs. full version
The free version has every feature but backs up at most 20 conversations — channels, DMs, and group DMs all count toward the 20.
Activate the full version — offline
To remove the limit, buy an unlock code from the site. Activation is offline — nothing is checked over the internet:
- 1Go to Home (or Settings → License).
- 2Paste your code into “Have a code? Paste it here” and click Activate.
- 3The badge changes to UNLIMITED and the cap is lifted.
Your unlock code is stored with your data, so it travels with a backup or a folder copy. A code isn’t tied to one machine — you can activate the same code after moving to a new computer.
Feature tour
Here’s what each part of the app does.
Home
Connect and manage workspaces, run Back up now or Deep scan (re-reads recent days to catch edits, reactions, and late thread replies).
Browse
A Slack-style reader: channels on the left, messages on the right. Full-text search across everything — type #channel or @user to scope a search.
Files
A gallery of every attachment, filterable by type and workspace.
Ask
Ask a question in plain language and the AI answers from your archive, citing the source channels. Pin useful answers for later.
Insights
AI-extracted, structured views: To-dos (task, assignee, deadline, source), Decisions (with context), Useful links, and Custom extractions you define yourself.
Settings
License, Appearance (theme + language), Backup schedule, Export messages, AI provider, Auto-extraction, Usage & cost, File downloads, MCP server, and Back up & restore.
AI setup — bring your own key
Ask and extraction use your own provider key. In Settings → AI provider, pick a provider (Google Gemini, OpenAI, Anthropic, or OpenRouter), paste your API key, choose a model, and Test. Google Gemini has a free tier that covers personal use. You only ever pay your provider directly; Empowia shows your estimated usage under Settings → Usage.
Use your archive from Claude Desktop or Cursor (MCP)
Settings → MCP server gives you a config snippet that makes your backed-up archive available to any MCP-aware client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, …) as read-only tools — search messages; list workspaces, channels, and files; fetch a single message or a whole thread; collect recent or topic-related messages; and list your to-dos and decisions. Your data never leaves your machine, and it works on both the Store and portable editions. On the Store edition the command keeps working across app updates; on the portable edition, if you move its folder, re-open Settings → MCP server and copy the updated command into your client.
Where your data lives (and privacy)
Your data — message database, downloaded files, AI insights, settings, license, and your protected Slack sign-in — is kept separately from the app itself, so updating the app never touches your data.
Portable
A data folder right next to Empowia-for-Slack.exe. Easy to find, and it moves when you move the folder.
Microsoft Store
A protected per-app location Windows manages for you — not meant to be opened or copied by hand. To back it up or move it, use Export / Import.
Privacy
Everything is processed and stored locally. Empowia does not send your messages anywhere. The only network traffic is (a) to Slack, to fetch your backup, and (b) to your chosen AI provider — only for Ask and extraction, and only if you enable AI and add a key.
We’d suggest keeping the portable app on a local disk rather than inside Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive — its live database and folder sync don’t always get along, so a mid-write sync can occasionally cause conflicts. To keep a cloud copy, Export a backup .zip instead.
Back up, restore & move to a new computer
Settings gives you two ways to get your data out, and they’re easy to mix up. Export writes your messages to a spreadsheet — Excel, CSV, or JSON — to read or analyze elsewhere. Back up & restore writes a single .zip of your whole app — messages, files, insights, settings, and your unlock code — to move or restore Empowia itself. This section is about the second one.
Make a backup
Click Export backup. Empowia writes a single .zip (messages, files, insights, settings) to your Downloads folder. Keep it as a safety copy or carry it to another computer.
Restore a backup
Click Choose backup… and pick a .zip. The restore is staged, then applied when Empowia restarts — click Restart now to finish. Your current data is kept as a rollback in case you change your mind.
Moving to a new computer
Recommended for any edition: Export a backup on the old PC, then on the new one skip signing in during onboarding (choose “Skip for now”), Import the .zip, and reconnect afterwards — importing replaces whatever you set up first, so connecting before you import is wasted work. Same machine (for example, updating the portable app): you can instead just copy the whole app folder, since it already includes your data.
Moving to a new computer
Your unlock code travels inside every backup and keeps working — it’s offline and not tied to a machine. Your Slack sign-in and AI key, though, are encrypted to the original Windows account (DPAPI): on the same PC (like updating the portable app) they come back automatically, but on a new computer you’ll reconnect Slack and re-enter your AI key once. Re-syncing only fetches what’s still on Slack, so always move the data — expired messages live only in your backup.
Updating the app
Microsoft Store
Updates install automatically in the background — nothing to do. Your archive, unlock code, and Slack connections all stay put.
Portable (from our site)
- 1Download the new Empowia-Portable.zip and unzip it into a new folder — a portable update is a fresh folder, not an in-place patch.
- 2Bring your data over: copy your old data folder into the new folder (or use Settings → Back up & restore → Export in the old app, then Import in the new one).
- 3Launch the new Empowia-for-Slack.exe. Because it’s the same computer, your Slack sign-in and unlock code keep working — nothing to reconnect or re-enter — and your database upgrades automatically on first run.
Bring your data over
A fresh unzip starts empty, so don’t skip moving your data across. Keep the old folder until you’ve confirmed the new one has everything.
Empowia never checks for updates on its own — nothing phones home. Grab the latest build from the download page whenever you want it.
Troubleshooting & FAQ
“Windows protected your PC” when I open the app.
This only affects the portable download (it isn’t code-signed). Click More info → Run anyway (once — Windows remembers). The Microsoft Store edition is Microsoft-signed and never shows this.
Connecting Slack said it couldn’t read my session, or asked me to quit Slack.
On the portable edition, if you chose the automatic connection rather than browser sign-in, Empowia reads Slack Desktop’s saved session — but while Slack Desktop is running it keeps that file locked. Fully quit Slack (right-click its tray icon → Quit) and retry, or just use browser sign-in instead. The Microsoft Store edition skips the desktop reader and always uses browser sign-in, so this doesn’t apply there.
I moved to a new computer and my workspaces are disconnected.
Expected — for security, your saved Slack sign-in and AI key are encrypted to that Windows account on that PC (DPAPI), so they don’t transfer. On the new computer, reconnect Slack and re-enter your AI key; your backed-up messages and files are intact. Re-syncing pulls back whatever is still on Slack — anything Slack already dropped past its history limit lives only in your old backup, so keep it.
Does restoring overwrite my current data?
Yes — restore fully replaces the current archive and takes effect on the next restart. Your previous data is tucked into a hidden .pre-import-backup folder in the data directory in case you change your mind — but the next import overwrites it, so if in doubt, Export your current archive first.
Where is my data, and can I move it?
Portable keeps it in the data folder next to the .exe (move the folder to relocate it). The Store edition keeps it in a Windows-managed location — use Export / Import to back it up or move it.
My AI answers are empty or show an error.
Open Settings → AI, make sure a provider is picked, a valid API key is saved, and a model is chosen, then hit Test. Empty answers usually mean an invalid or expired key, a model that’s no longer offered (pick another), a rate limit or spent quota on your provider account, or simply not enough backed-up data for the question. AI runs on your own key — it isn’t limited by Empowia’s free version.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. Everything is processed and stored on your computer; the only network traffic is to Slack (to fetch your backup) and to your AI provider (only if you enable AI).
Ready to start?
Download Empowia for Slack free — every feature, up to 20 conversations. No account, no cloud.
Empowia for Slack is Windows-only. Questions not covered here? Contact support.