Based on a cut-down browser, Help Viewer, Apple Help in Mac OS X has had its ups and downs, and several internal revisions, the latest of which is the Tips app in Sequoia.
HelpViewer
In Sequoia, the Tips app has shot from being hidden in CoreServices to join Apple’s first league apps in the main Applications folder. Is this real change, or merely cosplay?
All about helpd and HelpViewer, how they index and maintain Help books. And what has gone wrong recently, including an odd difference between Intel and Apple silicon Macs.
In Big Sur and Monterey, if you’ve not opened an app’s Help book, the first time you do it may appear empty, or simply not work. Here’s why and how to fix it.
macOS Help system was last revamped in High Sierra, and has worked well. Until Big Sur has problems finding Help books, and shows some in French. How Help should work.
How to fix custom dictionaries so that they display properly in Dark Mode. Sadly it doesn’t (yet) work for Help books too.
Key improvements in naming of Help books, use of WebCore to render them, and greatly improved performance.
macOS 10.13.4 brought a major overhaul to the Help system, which greatly improves performance and usability. Here are some of its secrets.
No more problems with the ‘wrong’ Help Book: this can now identify and fix those issues. First full release.
It now sorts the popup menu, and reflexively even has its own Help Book – called, as you’d hope, HelpHelp Help.
The Eclectic Light Company 