How to Install the Helperbird Add-on for Google Docs and Slides
Add the Helperbird sidebar to Google Docs, Slides and Sheets. The install steps, the two permissions it asks for, and how to open the sidebar afterwards.
On this page6 sections
Your reading tools should be where the document is.
The Google Workspace add-on puts a Helperbird sidebar inside Google Docs, Google Slides and Google Sheets.
How to Install the Add-on
- Open a Google Doc, a Slides presentation or a Sheet.
- Click Extensions in the top menu.
- Choose Add-ons, then Get add-ons.
- Search for Helperbird.
- Click Install and accept the permissions.
You can also start from the Helperbird listing on the Google Workspace Marketplace (opens in a new tab).
What the Add-on Asks For
The add-on asks for two things:
- Access to the file you have open, and no other file.
- Permission to show the Helperbird sidebar inside the editor.
It cannot open, read or change anything else in your Google account.
How to Open the Helperbird Sidebar
- Click Extensions in the top menu.
- Choose Helperbird.
- Choose Open Helperbird.
The Helperbird sidebar opens beside your file, with a tile for each tool.
What you get inside depends on the file. See what the Google Docs sidebar does, what the Google Slides sidebar does and what the Google Sheets sidebar does.
There is no account to sign in to. If you have a subscription key, open the Pro tile, paste your key into the Subscription key box and click Save.
What the Add-on Does Not Do
- It does not open PDFs. PDFs in Drive, Classroom or Gmail need a different route.
- There is no separate Google Drive add-on. See what works with the files in your Google Drive.
- Your add-on settings do not carry over to the Helperbird browser extension.
- It is not the same as the Helperbird browser extension, and installing one does not install the other. Administrators deploying both should read how to deploy the Google add-on to your domain.
Video Tutorial
Need Additional Help?
Having trouble installing the add-on? Reach out to our Helperbird support team and we'll help you get set up!
Printed from the Helperbird Help Center · Updated August 12th, 2026
Questions? We are happy to help — helperbird.com/support