Help & setup

Everything you need to install Helix, unlock it, activate a license, and stay invisible. Read the safety sections before you rely on it.

Install

Helix installs discreetly and gives nothing away on the surface.

Android

  1. Get your build + key after purchasing a license.
  2. Verify the SHA-256 against the checksum provided with your build.
  3. Allow install from your browser/file manager, then open it and follow the first-run prompts.

Windows

  1. Download helix-windows.zip and verify its checksum.
  2. Unzip anywhere (it is portable) and run the executable. The FFI library ships beside it.
Nothing about the installed app should look unusual to anyone who picks up your device.

Unlocking Helix

Helix has no obvious login screen and no "wrong password" message. On first run you set a private unlock secret; only that secret reveals the real app. To anyone else the device gives nothing away. The exact mechanism is documented inside the app, once you're in — we don't publish it.

  • Set your own unlock secret the first time you open the real side.
  • Pick something you would never enter by accident but can recall.
  • If you're ever forced to "open" the device, there's nothing to show.
There is no recovery for your unlock secret. It is not stored anywhere we can read. Forget it and the data behind it is gone. That is by design.

Activate a license

After your crypto payment confirms, the checkout shows your license key (format HELIX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX). Save it like a seed phrase.

  1. Unlock Helix and go to Account → Activate.
  2. Enter the license key. The device claims either the mobile or the desktop seat automatically.
  3. Repeat on your other device to claim the second seat.
We do not keep an account for you. No email, no reset link. If you lose the key, it cannot be re-issued. Back it up offline.

New device / rollover

Each license holds one mobile seat and one desktop seat. Activating the same license on a new device of the same class rolls the seat over: the new device becomes active and the old device is deactivated automatically — you do not need the old phone to do it.

  • Lost or seized phone? Just activate on the replacement; the old token stops working.
  • The desktop seat is independent of the mobile seat — activating one never disturbs the other.

Wallet & backups

The built-in wallet (BTC, ETH, USDT) is self-custody. Your keys are generated and sealed on the device behind your unlock; they never leave it and we never see them. We are not a custodian and cannot move, freeze, or recover funds.

Back up your seed

  • Write the recovery phrase down on paper, offline. Never photograph or cloud-sync it.
  • For inheritance-grade recovery, use the Shamir split: break the seed into N shares where any M rebuild it, and give shares to trusted people/places. No single share reveals anything.
Burning the app destroys the on-device keys. If your seed is not backed up elsewhere, the funds are gone forever. See Burn an account.

VPN & onion network

Helix routes its own traffic — not your whole device — through an encrypted tunnel that fires before any connection is made. If the tunnel is not up, nothing connects; traffic never falls back to your real IP (fail-closed kill-switch).

  • Pick an exit country in the in-app browser. Exits are outside surveillance-heavy jurisdictions.
  • Messages and calls can also ride our own three-hop onion network — each relay sees only the next hop, never both ends. This is our network, not Tor.
  • The in-app browser keeps no history and blocks WebRTC and remote-content leaks.
Onion routing defeats normal, regional, and relay-operator adversaries — not a global observer watching the entire internet at once. Absolute untraceability is an unsolved problem and we do not claim it.

Disposable mail

Create throwaway or longer-lived inboxes. Mail is fetched through the tunnel and stored only on your device — it never touches our servers or IPs. Remote content (tracking pixels) is blocked, and there are file-size limits to keep things tight.

Verify downloads

Always check the checksum before running a build. Compare the output against the SHA256SUMS value provided with your build.

# Windows (PowerShell)
Get-FileHash .\helix-windows.zip -Algorithm SHA256

# macOS / Linux
shasum -a 256 helix-android.apk

If a hash does not match, do not run the file. Re-download or ask before proceeding.

Burn an account

One action wipes the vault, wallet, identity, and keys from the device, leaving nothing behind.

Burning is permanent and irreversible. It destroys the wallet keys. If your seed phrase is not backed up elsewhere, any crypto in the wallet is lost. Confirm your backup first.

What each tier unlocks

  • Core (from CHF 199/yr) — full messaging, calls, mail and wallet on the shared onion + exit pool. One mobile + one desktop seat.
  • Operator (from CHF 999/yr) — adds a dedicated rotating exit IP, priority relays, and higher file/mail limits.
  • Sovereign (from CHF 2,499/yr) — adds your own self-hosted relay pack, multiple isolated realms, and maximum limits.

Annual is the best value; 3- and 6-month terms are available at checkout, and renewing stacks onto whatever time you have left. Pricing is fixed and published on the pricing page — there is no custom pricing.

Platforms & the hardened phone

Helix runs on Windows, macOS and any Linux computer, plus iOS, Android and GrapheneOS. Bring your own device, or buy the Helix Hardened Phone — a Pixel running GrapheneOS that we lock down with Helix pre-installed, built to resist Pegasus-class spyware and shipped worldwide. The phone is a one-time hardware purchase; a license is still required and bought separately.

FAQ

What exactly is Helix?

A closed, end-to-end encrypted communications tool — messaging, voice, global video calling, secure file storage and private groups — for people who genuinely cannot afford to be intercepted. It runs on its own protocols and its own encryption, not off-the-shelf parts.

Who is it for?

Lawyers and legal teams, executives, boards and family offices, journalists and their sources, and privacy-savvy individuals who want maximum operational security every day.

Is it really safe against Pegasus and Pegasus-class spyware?

It is built specifically for that threat. Helix uses its own protocols and encryption (nothing off-the-shelf for an exploit to target), runs as a closed app-to-app network behind a fail-closed tunnel, blocks screenshots and recording, and offers a hardened GrapheneOS phone for when the device itself is the risk. No tool can promise immunity against an attacker who already fully controls your hardware — which is exactly why we also sell the hardened phone.

Can I message someone who doesn't have Helix?

No. Helix is a closed network. Everyone you talk to runs Helix too, so outsiders cannot message, call or reach you. You add your clients, team and advisers and create groups; no one else gets in.

How is this different from Signal or other "encrypted" apps?

Mainstream apps use shared, off-the-shelf cryptography, lean on third-party servers, and leak metadata. Helix is built from the ground up: its own layered, post-quantum encryption, its own decentralized multi-hop network, no third parties anywhere in the stack, plausible deniability and a one-tap burn. It is an operational-security tool, not a consumer chat app.

What does post-quantum mean for me?

Anything captured today stays unreadable even against future quantum computers. It defeats "harvest now, decrypt later" — a real concern for anyone whose conversations matter for years.

Is my data scanned by AI?

Never. No telemetry, no machine-learning SDKs, no cloud scanning. No model ever sees your messages, voice, video or files.

What platforms does it run on?

Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and GrapheneOS. Bring your own device, or buy the hardened GrapheneOS phone.

Can lawyers use this with clients and co-counsel?

Yes — that's a core use case. Create a group per matter, add clients, co-counsel, experts and staff, and share filings and evidence without anything touching a third-party server.

How do groups and advisers work?

You create a group and add verified Helix users — your team, clients or advisers. Only group members can see the conversation or files; no one outside can.

Where are my files stored?

Encrypted, on devices you control. Helix never holds your files on a server. Dangerous file types are gated for safety.

Do I need an email or phone number?

No. There are no accounts. A license key is the only thing tied to your purchase, and it is shown once at checkout.

How do I pay?

Crypto only — BTC, ETH or USDT — settled non-custodially. No card, no bank, no personal details.

How does renewal work, and will I know when it's due?

Yes. The app shows a live countdown of the days remaining on your license and reminds you to rebuy as it gets close. To renew, buy again (annual is best value; 3- and 6-month terms exist), then enter your new key under Account → Activate. Your access continues without a gap.

What if I lose my license key?

It cannot be recovered or re-issued. Treat it like a seed phrase and store it offline.

What happens if my device is lost or seized?

There's nothing obvious to find, screenshots and recording are blocked, and you can trigger a one-tap burn that wipes the vault, identity, files and keys. Activate your license on a replacement device and the lost one deactivates itself.

Can you read my messages or recover my wallet?

No. Messages are end-to-end encrypted and wallet keys never leave your device. We hold nothing that could decrypt your data or move your funds.

Is there a technical write-up I can review?

Yes — read the Helix white paper. It explains the architecture and threat model and is published openly for peer review.