If you don't currently own Helix Native, skip this step.

IMPORTANT! The following procedure will COMPLETELY ERASE ALL OF YOUR CUSTOM PRESETS! If you want to keep them, make sure you back them up first! (See "STEP 1a—Backing Up Helix/HX Hardware" above.)

IMPORTANT! If you run into an issue during the update process such as the update procedure not completing or if you receive an error message, we strongly recommend trying a different USB port and/or USB cable. USB 2.0 or greater ports and cables are highly recommended. For Windows computers, USB ports on the back of desktop PCs (closest to the power connector) have proven to be the most reliable.

STEP 3—Updating Helix/HX Firmware to 2.82 (DO NOT DO THIS UNTIL AFTER YOU'VE UPDATED HX EDIT TO 2.82!)

STEP 2—Updating HX Edit to 2.82 (YOU MUST DO THIS BEFORE UPDATING YOUR HELIX/HX FIRMWARE!)

If you don't currently own Helix Native, skip this step.

IMPORTANT! The following instructions are only for those who've already successfully updated their Helix/HX Hardware to 2.80. If you're running 2.71 or earlier, skip down to "Updating to 2.81 from 2.71 or Earlier (READ ME!)".

Updating to 2.82 from 2.80 or 2.81 (READ ME!)

Updating to 2.82 from 2.71 or Earlier (READ ME!)

IMPORTANT! The following instructions are only for those who have not yet updated their Helix/HX Hardware to 2.80. If you're already at 2.80, jump up to the section "Updating to 2.81 from 2.80 or 2.81 (READ ME!)"

Helix Floor, Helix Rack, Helix LT, HX Effects, HX Stomp

STEP 1a—Backing Up Helix/HX Hardware

Connect your Helix/HX processor to a Mac or PC via USB and turn it on. Do not use any sort of USB hub. Open YOUR CURRENT VERSION of HX Edit (NOT the new HX Edit 2.82). From the top File menu, select "Create Backup..." Click "Create Backup."

TIP: If you want to load the 2.8X factory presets and hotkey templates, it's better to manually back up individual setlists, so you can later import them into empty setlists. To do this, from the preset library along the left side, select the setlist you want to back up and click "Export." Choose a destination folder and click "Save." Repeat for any other setlists you want to back up.

STEP 1b—Backing Up Helix Native

If you don't currently own Helix Native, skip this step.

Open any instance of YOUR CURRENT VERSION of Helix Native (NOT the new Helix Native 1.82) within your DAW and click the "My Account" button in the lower left corner to open the Preferences window. From the General tab, click "Export Bundle." Choose the destination folder and click "Save."

TIP: If you want to load the 2.8X factory presets, it's better to manually back up individual setlists, so you can later import them into empty setlists. To do this, from the preset library along the left side, select the setlist you want to back up and click the small yellow "Export." Choose a destination folder and click "Save." Repeat for any other setlists you want to back up.

STEP 2—Updating HX Edit to 2.82 (YOU MUST DO THIS BEFORE UPDATING YOUR HELIX/HX FIRMWARE!)

Turn off or disconnect any connected Helix or HX hardware. Log onto line6.com . Once logged in, download the latest version of HX Edit, available here: HX Edit 2.82 for Max OS X

HX Edit 2.82 for Windows 7, 8, or 10 Read the Software License Agreement (hahaahaaa!) and click "Accept and Download." Once the software has downloaded, double-click the installer and follow the prompts.

NOTE: Installing HX Edit 2.82 automatically installs the latest version of Line 6 Updater, which is required to update the firmware.

STEP 3a—Updating Helix Floor/Rack/LT to 2.82 (DO NOT DO THIS UNTIL AFTER YOU'VE UPDATED HX EDIT TO 2.82!)

If you have HX Effects or HX Stomp, skip to STEP 3b below instead.

If you have Helix Rack/Control, turn off Helix Control. Also, shut down all Line 6 software or any programs that use audio, like DAWs, iTunes, Spotify, video games, etc. Connect Helix to a Mac or PC via USB (do not use any sort of USB hub) and turn it on. Launch Line 6 Updater. The latest version was automatically installed when you installed HX Edit 2.82 in "STEP 2—Updating HX Edit to 2.82" above. Enter your Line 6 Username and Password and click "Sign In." A big green box appears with a picture of your Helix product. Click the big green box and then click "Update" next to Version: 2.82. Carefully read the instructions (HEY! DID YOU BACK UP FIRST?), click "Continue," and then "Accept." A warning dialog appears, telling you that Helix will be reset twice. Think "Hmm, maybe I should've backed up first? Nah, I insist on subverting the dominant paradigm," and click "OK." Helix begins updating. As wholly expected, because we warned you... because you always read the instructions... halfway through the update process, Line 6 Updater displays a second dialog and Helix's LCD reads "Boot Failure. Entered Update Mode!" THIS IS NORMAL. DO NOT FREAK OUT, TAKE A PHOTO, AND THEN POST IT ONLINE BECAUSE EVERYONE WILL MAKE FUN OF YOU FOR NOT READING THESE INSTRUCTIONS. Click "OK" again. When finished, Helix restarts automatically and begins rebuilding your presets. Let it finish. IMPORTANT! This may take some time. If Helix appears to not respond for many minutes, see the message directly below step 8. If you have Helix Rack/Control, turn on Helix Control. Helix Rack reads "Helix Control must be updated to work properly. Update now?" Press Knob 6 (OK) to update Helix Control.

IMPORTANT! If you run into an issue during the update process such as the update procedure not completing or if you receive an error message, we strongly recommend trying a different USB port and/or USB cable. USB 2.0 or greater ports and cables are highly recommended. For Windows computers, USB ports on the back of desktop PCs (closest to the power connector) have proven to be the most reliable.

NOTE: Updating the firmware does not automatically load any new presets. See "STEP 4—Loading the 2.8X Factory Presets/Templates" below.

STEP 3b—Updating HX Effects/HX Stomp to 2.82 (DO NOT DO THIS UNTIL AFTER YOU'VE UPDATED HX EDIT TO 2.82!)

If you have Helix Floor, Helix Rack/Control, or Helix LT, follow STEP 3a above instead.

Shut down all Line 6 software or any programs that use audio, like DAWs, iTunes, Spotify, video games, etc. Connect your HX processor to a Mac or PC via USB (do not use any sort of USB hub) and turn it on. Launch Line 6 Updater. The latest version was automatically installed when you installed HX Edit 2.82 in "STEP 2—Updating HX Edit to 2.82" above. Enter your Line 6 Username and Password and click "Sign In." A big green box appears with a picture of your HX product. Click the big green box and then click "Update" next to Version: 2.82. Carefully read the instructions (HEY! DID YOU BACK UP FIRST?), click "Continue," and then "Accept." When finished, your HX device restarts automatically.

NOTE: Updating the firmware does not automatically load any new presets. See "STEP 4—Loading the 2.8X Factory Presets/Templates" below.

STEP 4—OPTIONAL: Loading the 2.8X Factory Presets/Templates

IMPORTANT! The following procedure will COMPLETELY ERASE ALL OF YOUR CUSTOM PRESETS! If you want to keep them, make sure you back them up first! (See "STEP 1a—Backing Up Helix/HX Hardware" above.)

Turn off your Helix/HX processor. Depending on your type of Helix/HX product, follow the procedure below: Helix Floor/LT— While holding footswitches 7 and 8 (two left-most switches on the bottom row), turn on Helix/Helix LT. Wait for "Will restore stock Presets and Setlists..." and let go

Helix Rack/Control— While holding knobs 3 and 4 below the screen, turn on Helix Rack. Wait for "Will reset Presets..." and let go

HX Effects— While holding footswitches 5 and 6 (middle two switches on the bottom row), turn on HX Effects. Wait for "Will reset Presets..." and let go

HX Stomp— While holding footswitches 1 and 2, turn on HX Stomp. Wait for "Will reset Presets..." to appear on the screen and let go

Helix Native—Click the gear icon in the lower left corner to open the Preferences window. From the Presets/IRs tab, click "Restore Factory Setlists"

STEP 5a—OPTIONAL: Restoring Helix/HX Presets, IRs, and Global Settings from a Backup

Connect your Helix/HX processor to a Mac or PC via USB (do not use any sort of USB hub) and turn it on. Open the NEW VERSION OF HX Edit 2.81 you installed in "STEP 2—Updating HX Edit to 2.81" above. From the top File menu, select "Restore from Backup." Browse to the backup file and click "Open."

TIP: If you instead exported individual setlists and loaded the 2.8X factory presets/templates (and want to keep them), from the preset list along the left side, select an empty User setlist and then drag the saved setlist file (from the tip in STEP 1) into the preset list

IMPORTANT! You may notice that after restoring from a backup (or loading in previously stored setlists or individual presets) that preset switching times are slower than normal. Restart Helix/HX, and you'll see the display read "Rebuilding preset [XXX]". Wait for it to rebuild your presets, and they will load faster.

STEP 5b—OPTIONAL: Restoring Helix Native from a Backup

If you don't currently own Helix Native, skip this step.

Open any instance of Helix Native within your DAW and click the gear icon in the lower left corner to open the Preferences window. From the Presets/IRs tab, click "Import Bundle." Browse to the location chosen in STEP 2 above and click "Open."

Bug Fixes in 2.82

When a stomp footswitch is used to toggle a parameter’s min and max values, in some cases the dim/lit state of the LED could become inverted

After importing a preset, certain blocks could appear in HX Edit but may not appear in the hardware

In rare cases, selecting snapshots could result in an error

While in Snapshot footswitch mode, the first press of a Bank Up or Bank Down switch could sometimes function backwards

When Global Settings > Footswitches > Preset Mode Switches is set to "Stomp/Snap," copying snapshots could inadvertently switch to Snapshot mode

When Global Settings > MIDI/Tempo > Tempo Select is set to “Per Snapshot”, tempo-synced effects could respond as Authentic even when set to Transparent

Ptich/Synth > 3 OSC Synth, 3 Note Generator, and 4 OSC Generator models are louder than in 2.71. IMPORTANT! Regrettably, this will affect any presets containing these effects that were made since 2.80

On rare occasions, footswitches could become stuck in Snapshot mode

The Dynamics > LA Studio Comp could sometimes cause a drop in preset volume

Presets created before 2.80 containing 64 controller assignments could be unable to switch snapshots after 2.80

On rare occasions, scribble strips on the top row could duplicate that of the bottom row

When set to “Per Preset”, Variax string volume settings may not be properly recalled

Helix Native—An error message could appear when clicking redo after deleting a block

Helix Native—After cutting or clearing a block, its bypass/controller assignments could be lost

Helix Native—Stepping through presets in order could be redone reliably, but not undone

Helix Native—When changing models, clicking Undo could inadvertently clear automation assignments of common parameters

Helix Native—Could not instantiate in hardened runtime builds of Cubase 10.5

Helix Native—When in Hardware Compatibility Mode for HX Stomp, a direct (dry) signal could be heard

Helix Native—Undo/Redo was limited to 31 steps

Helix Native—In rare cases, clicking Undo or Redo could change a Cab > Dual block into a Cab > Single block

HX Edit—In some cases, an error message would appear when clicking redo after deleting a block

HX Edit—After cutting or clearing a block, its bypass/controller assignments could be lost

HX Edit—Newly created blocks on Path 2A could sometimes appear as None blocks

HX Edit—After creating a Path 1B Input block, on rare occasions, paths could disappear, and blocks could be consistent when changing presets

HX Edit—Importing a setlist could sometimes transmit a preset’s Command Center > Instant messages without loading the preset

HX Edit—If the current preset has not yet been saved, importing a preset/setlist/bundle would not clear the undo history

HX Edit—Undoing certain parameter changes could sometimes not work as expected

HX Edit—Pressing your computer's Return/Enter key while backing up or restoring data could initiate an additional backup/restore

HX Edit—Attempting to undo pasting to an Input or Output block could result in an error

HX Edit—Copying/pasting footswitch assignments in the Command Center would work properly in HX Edit, but not on the hardware

HX Edit—The 'Anderton's Amazing Multiband Presets' setlist on Marketplace could sometimes not import properly on Windows computers

HX Edit—In rare cases, preset and IR files could sometimes not properly drag/drop from Explorer into HX Edit

Many other minor bug fixes

Known Issues in 2.82