Helperbird Subscription Not Activating - How to Fix

Troubleshoot when your Helperbird subscription shows as Free or No active subscription even though you have a valid license. Learn how to reset and resync your subscription.

Is your Helperbird subscription showing as "Free" or "No active subscription" even though you have a valid subscription key or license? This can happen when the subscription data gets stuck during an update. Here's how to fix it.


Step 1: Check Subscription

First, try resyncing your subscription by clicking the Check subscription button.

  1. Open Helperbird by clicking the Helperbird icon in the browser.
  2. Click the Settings icon (the gear icon in the top left corner).
  3. In the Options menu, click Check subscription.

This will resync your subscription with the server. If it shows as active after that, you're all set!


Step 2: Check for Firewall Issues

If checking the subscription didn't work, make sure your network isn't blocking Helperbird's servers.

Visit https://engine.helperbird.app/firewall/ in the browser where Helperbird is installed.

If it says you're blocked, your school or organization's firewall may be preventing Helperbird from activating. Ask your IT admin to allowlist engine.helperbird.app. You can also share our firewall troubleshooting guide with them.

If it says you're not blocked, move on to the next step.


Step 3: Try Entering Your Subscription Key

If you're using email login, try switching to a subscription key instead.

  1. Open Helperbird Settings.
  2. Find the subscription key field.
  3. Enter your subscription key and click Apply.

If you don't know your subscription key, ask your school admin or email us at [email protected].


Step 4: Reset All Data

If the subscription is still stuck, a full reset will clear any corrupted data and give Helperbird a fresh start.

  1. Open Helperbird and click the Settings icon (gear icon in the top left).
  2. In the Options menu, click Settings.
  3. Scroll down to the Data & Storage section.
  4. Click the Reset all data button.
  5. Close Chrome completely and reopen it.

After the reset, enter your subscription key or log in again. Your subscription should now activate correctly.

Note: Resetting all data will clear your personalized Helperbird settings, so you will need to set up your preferences again.


Step 5: Use a JSON Policy for School Deployments

If you're a school admin deploying Helperbird to many students, you can set the subscription key automatically using a JSON policy. This way students don't need to enter a key at all.

Learn how to set a Helperbird JSON policy for your user group.


Video Tutorial

Coming soon


Need Additional Help?

Still having trouble activating your subscription? Reach out to our Helperbird support team and we'll get you sorted!

What People Are Saying

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I am getting such great support from Robert. I enjoy working with him. He answers my questions very quickly. Thanks so much for your great support and a great product.

Terry Martin

Terry Martin

Assistive technology specialist

It an extension that makes reading easy while surfing the internet.

Mohammad F.

Mohammad F.

IT intern

Thank you!! Love the tint feature.

A Google User

A Google User

Helperbird user

You can bookmark the websites or pages for future reading. Font Sizes can be increased or decreased to our own satisfaction. You can translate the page or website using Google Translator.

Noopur A.

Noopur A.

Director Product

Amazing in eliminating embarrassing mistakes. Am one happy kid here!

Brian Borland

Brian Borland

Helperbird user

Helperbird helps enhance my studying and research efforts by allowing me to add sticky notes and highlight important stuff on websites, or e-books. I can also easily remember to read articles later.

Jared B.

Jared B.

Marketing Director

Helperbird logo: Stylized owl with large yellow eyes and a beige face, against a green background.

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