Can't run Companion App on MacOS Monterey

[NCudmore]

I've tried both the .pkg and then the .dmg, but Monterey blocks the pkg install saying it needs updating and attempting to open after copying the to applications from the .dmg also results in it being blocked: -

“net.downloadhelper.coapp” cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified.

macOS cannot verify that this app is free from malware."

then I can either Move to bin or cancel.

[jcv...@gmail.com]

hi,

You just need to download the app and open it manually and force the opening (not using the launcher). Please read this: https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/mh40616/mac

jerome

[AG]

Unfortunately this doesn't work. I have tried both dmg and pkg files, but when I return to Firefox it says the companion app isn't installed. So I cannot input my license key. I have tried multiple installations, and restarting Firefox.

I have also confirmed that the companion app is in the Applications directory after the install. I clicked Open and followed the instructions in the linked article. Still doesn't work.

I am running Monterey 12.0.1 on an M1 16" MacBook Pro. 

Please advise. 

[mig]

The Mac versions of companion app, both .pkg and .dmg have been compiled for an Intel processor, while your MacBook run an Apple chip, so it won't run just "as is".

VDH users reported success using Rosetta 2 on this type of machine. Did you try it ?

[AG]

Thank you for the suggestion. I installed Rosetta 2, and then reinstalled the Companion App.

However this did not work. VDH still says "Companion App Not Installed" and I also rechecked several times.

I hope the developer can speak to how to make this work on an M1 Mac?

[AG]

Still cannot run the software that I paid for.

Would someone from the development team please address this problem with Monterey?

[jc vdh]

hi,

sorry about that but it's complicated as the dev has no M1 mac to test.

jerome

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[AG]

It appears this is a security issue maybe not anything related to M1, rather a Monterey issue.

Specifically Firefox doesn't recognize that the Companion App is installed. Even if I go into Finder to override the security setting, and click Open, and then go back to Firefox it still thinks the Companion App isn't installed.

Is there a way to permanently override the security issue so that Firefox can "see" the app is installed?

I cannot believe I am the only person having this problem.

Thanks :)

[jcv...@gmail.com]

just to be sure, isn't it linked to this issue : https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mh40616/mac

jerome

[j...@jim-online.com]

No. That doesn't work either.

[AG]

I can also confirm that the security workaround has no effect. The Firefox extension still doesn't show the companion app is installed, even after going through all those steps.

[jcv...@gmail.com]

We are following this discussion, but we are a bit confused as we don't have a Monterey configuration yet.
A few users report some issues but we guess there should be much more if that was specific to Monterey.

Could you tell us a bit more like info about your configurations, your installs. M1 processor ? Did you use PKG or DMG ? If you used DMG did you run the extra step, and in that case did you see error message in the terminal ?...

jerome

[AG]

Installed both PKG and DMG, it made no difference.

Installed the latest version of Monterey (12.1) , and Rosetta 2.

Went through the security steps to get Mac OS to permit the companion app to be opened.

Also tested Chrome to make sure it wasn't a Firefox issue and Chrome has the same problem.

I have done everything suggested, and have gotten nowhere. This is a Monterey and/or Apple Silicon issue because none of these problems existed on the Intel Mac with previous Mac OS.

I hope this catastrophic error for paying users will be resolved soon please.

[jcv...@gmail.com]

thanks for the feedback.

jerome

[AG]

I deleted everything and tried the PKG install again. This time it worked.

Unfortunately I have no idea why this time was different, after many previous install attempts. Anyway I wanted to let you know the issue is resolved. Thank you. 

[jcv...@gmail.com]

That's good news, thanks for the feedback.

jerome

[Shelley]

My MacBook Pro is warning that this program cannot run, and it's blocking the companion helper.  So that blocks the entire download helper from helping me download videos, even though I've paid the $29.  Messages from Apple say to send a message to the developer.  Something about the switch from 32 to 64 bits, and worries about malicious software.  This forum seems the closest I can get to sending the developer a message.

[anxiolydiot]

I'm currently running Monterey on an M1 Mac Mini but also have the companion helper app running without issues on a Macbook Pro (2014) running Sierra.

System Preferences > Security & Privacy  > Select Allow apps downloaded from: App Store and identified developers (Screenshot Below).
System Preferences > Security & Privacy  > Privacy tab > Click the little lock Icon and Enter the password you use when you turn your mac on, to login > Press the little plus icon, which opens finder for selection of apps > navigate to the "net.downloadhelper.coapp.app" application and click "open" (screenshot below).

That should allow the companion helper run without issues. If for some reason that doesn't stop the apple freak out message, you can do the following:
Set a Reduced Security Policy. Try this first; I'm not sure what MacBook Pro Model you have, so the method of entering recovery mode when starting up varies (easy to find via google search of <Your Model Here> Recovery Mode).
Temporarily disable System Integrity Protection, install the companion app, and then re-enable it (very important).

Thank you very much for your time, hope the above is helpful.

[jcv...@gmail.com]

Thanks for the feedback !

jerome

[cavenewt]

Well, I'm having the same problem on an Intel Mac running Catalina. I have successfully installed the companion app v 1.6.3, using both methods, and launched it once per instructions. I get no error message when I launch it. But VDH still insists the companion app is not installed.

On Wednesday, November 17, 2021 at 11:52:42 AM UTC-7 mig wrote:

[cavenewt]

I'm using an Intel Mac running Catalina. I successfully installed the companion app, already being familiar with how to open an unidentified-developer application. The companion app is still not recognized. Do I have to buy a VDH license for this to work? But that apparently isn't helping the OP.

[cavenewt]

I don't think it's specific to Monterey or M1 chips. My Intel Mac running Catalina is having exactly the same problem.

On Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at 3:35:52 AM UTC-7 jcv...@gmail.com wrote:

[cavenewt]

Allowing Full Disk Access for the companion app in the Privacy settings of Security and Privacy fixed it for me. Thanks for the reminder.

[jcv...@gmail.com]

Interesting, thanks for the feedback.

jerome

[Blue Moon Studios]

I tried this, and nothing.  I launch the app, it bounces, then disappears.  The extension still tells me I need to download the companion app.  Any advice?

[cavenewt]

Confession, I was embarrassed to discover that though I thought I had installed the .pkg, the actual Installer window was hiding behind something else and I had not followed through on the whole process. So first make sure you've actually installed the thing – is it in your applications folder?

If you could send a screenshot of your Full Disk Access details in Security and Privacy system preference, that might help too.

Installation notes for the companion app mentioned that it must be launched once before it would work. So find it in your Applications folder and double-click on it. If you get the message that it's from an unknown developer, right-click (control-click) on it, and choose Open. This will bypass that particular obstacle. I'm sure the purpose of launching it at least once is to inform the computer that you've given this app permission to run despite the fact that it's from an unknown developer. Don't expect the app to do anything, just launching without an error message it's pretty much all you needed to do. 

Disabling SIP (as recommended in some other comments), even if temporarily, is unnecessarily complex, and if you forget to reenable it…IMO it's not the best workaround, in other words.

If all that is in order, try rebooting (Tech Support Rule #1). And maybe tell us what operating system you're running, and whether it's Intel or M1 (although I'm not actually sure that matters, based on what people have reported here.)

—cavenewt

    a Mac consultant in a previous life

[Akhdan Fadhilah]

I managed to install the app using .pkg and the extension able to connect to the app after I did the essential step given for the .dmg guide. Mine is Macbook Air M1 running Ventura 13.4.1.

For short, run the terminal and go to `/Users/{your-username}/Applications/net.downloadhelper.coapp.app/Contents/MacOS/bin` then run the command `./net.downloadhelper.coapp-mac-64 install --user`

Hope it works on you all.

[Yunus]

I have a MacBook Air M1 running macOS Ventura 13.4. I had trouble installing it using both pkg and dmg files like others here. 

Eventually, the below method worked:

1. Remove all existing Download Helper related files from the Applications and Downloads folders.
2. Download pkg file
3. Force-open it using the method at the link mentioned above.

Hope this helps someone out there!

[Thriving Weedhaven]

I managed to install the app with this method, but the saved video doesn't have sound.  It's a 3 min.clip.  I tried saving it several times, making sure it was set to "sound on."   The video image is great but no sound.  What should I do?

[Thriving Weedhaven]

Using MacOS Montery 12.6.9 and Firefox 118.0.2.

[jcv...@gmail.com]

Hi,

Please read this : no sound : solutions

You can try our last beta : https://www.downloadhelper.net/firefox/betas

jerome