Constantly need to "Add Helper"

[scubabob1 0]

It seems that almost every day I get this stupid pop-up on my Macbook and Macmini (Desktop) telling me that I need to enter my password for my computer so that Evernote can do an update and "Add Helper".  I have attached a screenshot of what I get.  Why do I have to keep Adding the helper?  This is really annoying.

[lost_gweedo 73]

There's an old thread on this, but I had to search to learn about it.  Had never heard of helper before. The forum has a brief page on it, dated early 2019 but the EN help section on it is undated. What version EN are you running?

 

[agsteele 3,055]

In Evernote v10 the Helper is installed alongside the main application.  If you are being invited to install the helper on its own then you may be best uninstalling Evernote and then downloading the application from evernote.com and reinstalling which should fix the problem.

As @lost_gweedo notes, the helper changed between the older v7 of Evernote for MacOS and the current release.  But I think my advice would be the same except that if you wish to remain with the older software you will have to download what is now called Legacy (search for download old version of evernote).

If you go the Legacy route remember that it is an unsupported software and from time to time issues arise that make it less relaible.  I believe that user of MacOS Ventura are experiencing issues with the Legacy software which will not be repaired.

[PinkElephant 8,705]

If I go to the activity monitor on my Mac, I find a number of processes running called "Evernote Helper". AFAIK they have nothing to do with the little EN Helper menu bar function - they are somehow part of the main app.

The message you get indicates that something is amiss with your installation. I think it tries to heal this be asking to install something in addition. I would completely purge the actual installation from my Mac, using the app AppCleaner from the internet. Then restart the Mac, and reinstall the EN app.

 

 

[sdreese 0]

same problem.  i reinstalled evernote but keep getting this message at least 2 or 3 times day.

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,998]

From exactly one year ago, in this same thread:

 

[sdreese 0]

i understand that you are repeating the advice from a year ago--but as i mention, i did uninstall and reinstall, with this result.  any further advice appreciated.

[PinkElephant 8,705]

When you uninstalled, did you use the regular MacOS uninstall process ?

Because this will often not do the job.

Get the app AppCleaner and run it to remove all traces of the prior EN install. After removing all, restart the Mac, and install again.

[sdreese 0]

ok, yes, but i have now uninstalled using the appcleaner, and reinstalled.  same problem!  3 or 4 times a day i receive the same pop-up message.  Argh!

 

"an update is ready to install. Evernote is trying to add a new helper tool."

[PinkElephant 8,705]

Don’t see any of this, on 3 Macs. When the install with admin rights has worked, but pops up again, something is amiss.

On which MacOS version are you running ? Do you use any security software ?

[sdreese 0]

on ventura 13.6.5 but i''ll update and see if that helps.  i do have something called "crashplan" installed by the IT guys at my university.  i'll ask them what all else may be on to allow remote updates, etc.

[PinkElephant 8,705]

It sounds your Mac is under MDM, that is the device management of your university. It is very likely the problems are related to this status - the MDM controls what can be installed, and with which authorizations. It can block the complete install of EN, leading to that repetitive message.

If this is the problem, it can only be solved by the IT of your university unlocking the install. Or use the web client, that doesn’t need to be installed.

[sdreese 0]

thanks a lot. i will consult with them asap.

[lawson-stone 0]

I am having the problem as well and I have no such institutional security software installed. 

[Carlos Saraiva 0]

I have the same problem; it happens every time the system connects to a new network or reconnects to the network from being asleep.

[GCorham 0]

I too have this problem. The Helper installation pop-up comes onto my screen not four or five times per day but 20 to 30.  Have uninstalled the software using AppCleaner, downloaded the App from Evernote and then reinstalled. Same problem. Someone at Evernote has GOT to fix this. Will have to get rid of the software and find some other if it can't be addressed.

 

[FuzzyWuzzy 0]

I've also got this problem (posted about it in another thread). New Mac, no MDM.

)

[PinkElephant 8,705]

You have a bad install, or a security software (maybe your firewall) is blocking part of the installer.

Make a full uninstall using AppCleaner. Restart the Mac, then install fresh from the EN website. Observe if the installation takes a wrong turn at some point.

If everything has worked, leave the client run in the background for quite a while. It will download content from the server while idling.

[Martin Maiers 17]

The helper popup is quite rude.

At minimum the user should be able to opt out of it and end the popup.

If your security/management software doesn't let the helper app install itself that might be a sign that you don't want it.

I don't use the helper app.

Here is one way to disable the popup:

 

1. Edit this file: ~/Library/Application Support/Evernote/config.json

2. Change:
 

"forceUpdateOnStart": true,

to
 

"forceUpdateOnStart": false,

3. and add this line below it

"updateCheckPeriodMs": 8640000000,

4. reboot

[PinkElephant 8,705]

The „Helper“ is not what you think it might be. It is any type of mission critical part of code, that your security software disallows. Your install will be disfunctional if you don’t solve this blocking. If you open the process manager while EN is running, you usually will see one process called evernote, followed by several processes called evernote helper.

It is NOT that neat little icon that you think it would be.

The only alternative is using the web client.

[Martin Maiers 17]

Evernote's mission is not Everyone's mission.

I'm here to get rid of the symptom which is a popup that violates best practices UI design by not having an option to defer what its trying to do.

Either way I am saying no.  I just want to say it once a week or once a month and not once every 15 minutes.

M

[PinkElephant 8,705]

Your OS doesn’t allow the install of a mission critical app component. Either you don’t have admin rights, or your employer nailed it down pretty tight (which is a good idea, BTW), or your security software blocks the install.

No matter what: Your install is defective, not complete. What’s your reaction: Oh, tell me again next week, but let me use the app until then.

That is similar to: My car is missing a wheel, and the brakes are defective - but let me use it until next week, and turn off that red light on my dash.

You have a defective install. And there are 2 ways to solve the problem: Uninstall and stop using the app, or fix the install. Which usually requires local admin rights plus the knowledge of how to do it. But I think we discussed this already.

[Richard Atkins 0]

Hi, I'm facing the same issue. multiple times per day I get a pop up to add the Evernote helper tool on Mac. If I enter the password, nothing happens and the pop up returns, so I just cancel every time. Looks from other posts above that there is no point re-installing, so aside from switching away from Evernote to a new tool, like OneNote, I don't know what to do?

 

[mitchdpg 0]

I am also having this issue which appears to be every time my Mac sleeps and I log in afterwards. I have the same pop up and everything in Evernote appears to be working properly. MacBook Pro running macOS Sonoma 14.5. 

[PinkElephant 8,705]

As already posted I think this points to a defective install. Quit EN, uninstall USING THE APP APPCLEANER, restart the Mac. Reinstall, log in.

Solved ?