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.

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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

Join over 1,000,000 people who use Helperbird every day.

The best in its class - SUPERB - It does everything I need for my aging eyes.

Jen Ridge

Jen Ridge

Helperbird user

Very easy to use.

Mokakoto

Mokakoto

Helperbird user

Where to start! Firstly, I'd like to thank Robert (the developer) for his generosity - the app is extremely cheap as apps go. It is very apparent that this app is a labour of love - Robert is constantly working on it and improving things, adding new features, etc. As someone with ADHD and ASD, I have always had to piece-meal together the features I need to help me study effectively - half a dozen different apps / extensions, and even then they don't quite meet my expectations. Helperbird, however, offers SO MUCH more, and all in one place - you can finetune your experience to your heart's desire. The features I particularly love are summarise, simplify, sticky notes, highlighting, and the amazing immersive reader with TTS. I can't sing Helperbird's praises enough. Thank you, Robert, for such a thoughtful - and genuinely helpful - app. You are empowering the neurodivergent everywhere.

Firefox user

Firefox user

Helperbird user

love it! I want it on Word and on all my applications now...

Vernon Dickey

Vernon Dickey

Helperbird user

Talking to the Helperbird support team during their live stream was a great experience. They gave me a preview of what's coming to Helperbird for Firefox, and I'm really excited about it. I'd give a 5/5 rating for the current features and the sneak peek.

Herchel Pur

Herchel Pur

Firefox user

I got this tool as an extension to try out first of all. I was amazed at what it can do in terms of accessibility. I have shown my friends and brother who suffer from dyslexia and they have all downloaded the extension. Great step forward from a company looking to help people!!

Luke Pottinger

Luke Pottinger

Helperbird user

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

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