--- title: "Installing and Using the Intercom Messenger App" description: "The Intercom Messenger App lets your team add a multilingual searchable widget, send interactive article cards, and share articles in campaigns." url: "https://support.helpdocs.io/article/jzmynla8fb-using-the-intercom-messenger-app" category: "Intercom Integration" updated_at: "2026-09-14T18:08:51Z" --- # Installing and Using the Intercom Messenger App With the [HelpDocs Intercom Messenger app](https://www.intercom.com/app-store/?app_package_code=helpdocs) installed your customers and your support team can harness powerful self-service capabilities right inside the Messenger. You can also use HelpDocs as a content source for Intercom's AI Agent. Learn more [over here](/article/khspi2jzrs-using-help-docs-as-a-fin-ai-agent-content-source) 🤖 ![Customer support interface for Intercom Messenger.](https://files.helpdocs.io/Ytt2uahFxY/articles/jzmynla8fb/1743775896320/intercom-messenger-4.png) For Your Customers 🤝 For Your Support Team 🎫 - Search your Knowledge Base in **multiple languages** 🇯🇵🇪🇸 - Read article [short versions](https://support.helpdocs.io/article/ej5mlYWIut-editing-article-slugs-and-metadata) or full articles - **Add** article cards to the Messenger home screen - **Send** article cards to customers from inside the composer - **Insert** article cards into auto messages - **Use Fin** to provide Knowledge Base answers automatically ### Installing the HelpDocs Intercom Messenger App Before adding searchable cards on the Home screen or sending article cards to customers you'll need to install the HelpDocs app from the app store. It's super easy and shouldn't take more than a few minutes. **You can connect 1 HelpDocs account to 1 Intercom account and vice versa.** You *aren't* able to connect 1 HelpDocs account to many Intercom accounts or 1 Intercom account to many HelpDocs accounts. 1. Head to the [**Intercom App Store**](https://www.intercom.com/app-store) and search for HelpDocs 2. Click **Install Now** 3. Click **Connect** to grant permissions then follow the instructions to connect to HelpDocs 4. Head to **Settings** in the left navigation 5. Under **Channels** click **Messenger** 1. Click **Customize Home with apps** 2. Scroll down and click **Add an app** 3. Click **HelpDocs** and choose which type of card you'd like to add 1. [Add a Searchable Card to the Messenger Home](https://support.helpdocs.io/article/jzmynla8fb-using-the-intercom-messenger-app#add_a_searchable_card_to_the_messenger_home) 2. [Add a Specific Article Card to the Messenger](https://support.helpdocs.io/article/jzmynla8fb-using-the-intercom-messenger-app#add_a_specific_article_card_to_the_messenger_home) ### Add a Searchable Card to the Messenger Home Empower customers to help themselves before they get in touch with your support team. With the searchable card customers can search your HelpDocs Knowledge Base without leaving the Intercom widget. [Embedded iframe](https://player.vimeo.com/video/1072530482) 1. Head to **Messenger** in the left navigation 2. Click **Add Messenger home apps** 3. Click **+ Add an app** 1. Select HelpDocs from the list 2. Click **Add a searchable widget** 4. Hit **Save and set live** ### Add a Specific Article Card to the Messenger Home Point visitors or customers to specific articles that might help them succeed with your product. [Embedded iframe](https://player.vimeo.com/video/1072550665) 1. Head to **Messenger** in the left navigation 2. Click **Add Messenger home apps** 3. Click **Add an app** 1. Select HelpDocs from the list 2. Search for the article 3. Click the article you want 4. Hit **Save and set live** ### Share Articles to Customers from the Composer Helping out a customer but need to point them towards a specific article? We've got good news—you can search for it and send it to them in a lovely little card. It'll include [the short version](/article/ej5mlYWIut-editing-article-slugs-and-metadata) and a button to the article. Fill in short versions of your articles for even quicker instructions for customers 🐇 [Embedded iframe](https://player.vimeo.com/video/1073138757) Within the composer click the **Add a Messenger App** button 1. Select HelpDocs 2. Search for the article you want to send 3. Select it and hit Send when you're ready 🤩 This is how customers will be able to interact with the article card: ### Insert Article Cards into Outbound Messages You can insert lovely little article cards into your auto messages—great for campaigns to educate customers on using your software. [Embedded iframe](https://player.vimeo.com/video/1073137796) When in the text editor click the **+** button to add a new element 1. Select **Insert App** 2. Choose HelpDocs 3. Search for an article 4. Select the article you want to include ### Customize Strings Inside the App There are four strings of text within the HelpDocs Intercom Messenger app. They're all customizable based on your i18n strings. Here's more information about where you can find the matching strings: Searchable widget card 1. **i18n** -> **Welcome** 2. **i18n** -> **Help me with...** 3. **i18n** -> **No articles found** ![Knowledge Base search box.](https://files.helpdocs.io/Ytt2uahFxY/articles/jzmynla8fb/1743774961820/intercom-messenger-1.png) Individual article card 4. **i18n** -> **Custom 2** ![A pop-up describes how to manage users by heading to Settings > User Management.](https://files.helpdocs.io/Ytt2uahFxY/articles/jzmynla8fb/1743775591643/intercom-messenger-2.png) ### Showing Extra Content to Agents and Logged In Users This is only available if you have [Permissioning](/article/9qsypn7zsx-understanding-permissioning) on your plan. By default users in the Intercom Messenger App only have access to public articles. That's articles that are [Published](/article/oJI0ylcwEC-understanding-article-statuses) and aren't assigned to *any* [permission groups](/article/zcf0rx726v-managing-permission-groups). If you use Permissioning to show different articles to [logged in users](https://support.helpdocs.io/article/YClKB8p02e-restricting-your-docs-to-logged-in-users) of your app you can use that with the Intercom Messenger App too. These extra articles will be available when users are identified (i.e. logged in) to your Intercom Messenger rather than anonymous users or leads. They'll also be available to your support team who can send them individually to any customer. [Embedded iframe](https://player.vimeo.com/video/1073140927) Head to **Settings** > [Integrations](https://my.helpdocs.io/app/settings/?tab=integrations) 1. Find **Intercom Messenger App** and click **More** > **Configure** 2. Select any user groups you'd like to be available to your logged in users from the **Logged In User Permission Groups** dropdown 3. Hit **Save Changes** ### Best Practices for Intercom Messenger App | Practice | Why It Matters | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Create [short versions](/article/ej5mlYWIut-editing-article-slugs-and-metadata) for all articles | Provides quick, scannable information for customers in the messenger without requiring them to click through | | Add searchable cards to high-traffic pages | Helps customers find answers before reaching out, reducing support volume | | Customize welcome messages | Creates brand consistency and improves user experience | | Target specific article cards by user segment | Delivers relevant content based on user behavior or characteristics | | Regularly update permissions | Ensures the right content is accessible to the right users | | Use Fin AI with your most common questions | Automates responses to frequent inquiries, freeing up support resources | | Monitor analytics for most-viewed articles | Helps identify knowledge gaps and improve content strategy | Remember to always test your Messenger setup from a customer's perspective to ensure everything works as expected and provides a seamless experience!