Frequently Asked Questions

Common setup and troubleshooting answers for Helm.

Hosts changes do not take effect

1. Make sure the file is active in Helm.
2. Press Save (Command + S) to write merged content to system hosts.
3. Reopen the target app/browser or use a clean session.
4. In Chrome, you can also open chrome://net-internals/#sockets and click Flush socket pools.

Helm says it does not have permission

Run one of the permission commands in Terminal (recommended first):

sudo /bin/chmod +a 'user:YourUserName:allow write' /private/etc/hosts

Then run Helm’s in-app Authorize flow and select /private/etc/hosts.

Why is an IP underlined in red?

The line contains an invalid hosts token (for example, an invalid IPv4 segment like 256). Fix the highlighted segment, then save again.

Remote file does not update

• Verify the subscription URL is reachable.
• Use Update Now in the file context menu.
• Check Sync settings and interval in Preferences.
• If the file is active, Helm reapplies merged hosts after sync.

Where are Helm files stored?

Helm stores app data in its Library directory:

• App Store build (sandboxed): ~/Library/Containers/com.w3cmm.Helm/Data/Library/Helm/

This includes your folders, .helm files, and snapshot history.