Since Windows 3.1, Microsoft included the Windows Help program or WinHlp32.exe with new releases. WinHlp32.exe is used to view 32-bit Help files that have the .hlp file name extension.
Please note that Microsoft deprecated the old .hlp format over 10 years ago because of security risks. The company has always urged Windows users to be very careful when opening “.hlp” attachments. The warning follows the release of exploit code for a possible new zero-day bug in the Microsoft Help subsystem, which is used to display files with the .hlp extension.
Now .hlp files are very old Help files and Microsoft has not supported or updated them for years. Modern Help files are .chm files.
How to open Windows Help .hlp files
Starting with the release of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, Microsoft has decided to no longer include WinHlp32.exe as a component of the Windows operating system. Microsoft made this decision because WinHlp32.exe has not had a major update for many years, and it felt that it did not meet their standards for all new Microsoft programs.
When you try to read such help files, with Windows Help (WinHlp32.exe) program, you may receive the following message:
The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which was used in previous versions of Windows, and it is not supported.
Or
The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which depends on a feature that isn’t included in this version of Windows. However, you can download a program that will allow you to view Help created in the Windows Help format.
Or
The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which depends on a feature that isn’t included in this version of Windows. For more information, go to the Microsoft Help and Support website.
Microsoft realizes that this may cause some problems for customers who still rely on 32-bit .hlp files. Therefore, Microsoft made WinHlp32.exe available as a stand-alone download.
Now, Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista, too, do not include the Windows Help program as a feature of Windows.
If you want to view 32-bit .hlp files, you must download and install the program WinHlp32.exe from the Microsoft Download Center.
Using Help Program or WinHlp32.exe
You can download and use WinHlp32.exe for Windows 8.1. It is not available for Windows 11/10 but you can use the one for Windows 8.1. You will be offered KB917607 for 32-bit or 64-bit, depending on your system configuration.
The process to use it is a bit complicated, and I would recommend you use one of the following tools or browser extensions to do it. Avoid downloading patched WinHlp32.exe programs from media sharing websites too.
Use hlp4win11 to enable legacy HLP file support for Windows 11
A tool called hlp4win11 is available at GitHub that will enable legacy HLP file support for Windows 11. You can download and use it.
Read: How to Get Help in Windows.
Convert HLP to CHM file
There are tools like HelpNDoc or HelpMaker that are free for personal use which help you convert HLP to CHM files.
There are websites online that will convert the hlp files to chm files for you. There is also a CHM, HLP Viewer and Extractor browser extension that you can use on Chrome and Edge.
See this post if you face problems when you download and open WinHlp32.exe update.
I love articles like this! Thank you! Not so much for me, though, ’cause I always know where to find this stuff…
…but others, who aren’t in IT, occasionally have these needs, and it can sometimes be tough to find such as the WinHelp file, or all of the various VisualBasic runtimes, etc. So it’s nice when someone just puts it out there where to find such things. Again, thanks!
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Gregg L. DesElms
Napa, California USA
gregg at greggdeselms dot com
how do you download a new program in windows 8
Click on the link, mentioned towards the end of this post. Download it from the link given at the Microsoft website. Then run the downloaded installer. It will get added.
You are welcome Gregg! :)
Hi
Sorry, but I can’t make this work. Firstly, it isn’t clear which file to download, x64 or x86. So I assume it’s the x64 since I run 64 bit W8.1. It says to click “Run”. There is no “Run” option, so I assume that you mean “Open”. I do that and I get ” Windows Update Standalone Installer” – “The update is not applicable to your computer”
Help?
Yes I get the same problem – running win 8.1 32 and 64 bit systems (different computers) get the error message “The update is not applicable to your computer”. Would be nice if Microsoft could at some stage write decent software that works with their operating system. I suspect that it may be that I have located certain directories of the user on another drive and Microsoft is not smart enough to realise that people do this. Other software does not seem to that this problem that Microsoft continually does have (I am not a Microsoft basher I actually like Microsoft compared to the other companies)
It says there on the website that there are multiple files available for this download. Once you click on the “Download” button, you will be prompted to select the files (32 or 64 bit) you need. Does its still not work even when you download the file for your version?
It makes no difference which version, same message appears.
I also struggled to get the update installed. For some awkward reason, it turns up that English-US language pack has to be installed on the computer (open the charm bar – settings – pc settings – language). After I did it, everything went smooth.
Note: You just need to install the language and language pack. You don´t need to make it your primary language. You can even delete it after installation (I didn’t – it may be useful to have it next time I need to make another update).
i want to delets this fucking file
I can confirm installing the US language pack resolves the isntall problem.