VI Package Manager (VIPM) Could Not Connect to LabVIEW

Issue Details

When using VI Package Manager (VIPM) to install or uninstall a VI Package file or LabVIEW add‑on, VIPM may fail to establish a connection with LabVIEW. As a result, the installation or uninstallation process cannot complete. The operation remains on a wait screen, and after a period of time, one the following error messag is displayed:

VIPM – Batch Process Error

VIPM could not continue. Please fix the error and try again. The following critical error occurred:

VIPM could not connect to LabVIEW xxxx (xx-bit). VIPM requires LabVIEW access as part of the current task execution in progress.

It's possible that LabVIEW xxxx (xx-bit) took longer than 120 seconds to launch. Try increasing the timeout value in your VIPM Options. 

Also, please verify the VI Server: Connection TCP/IP port setting in LabVIEW 2025 (64-bit). Make sure this matches the port configured in the VIPM Options.

Solution

This is a timeout‑related error that occurs when VI Package Manager (VIPM) is unable to establish a connection to LabVIEW’s VI Server over a TCP/IP port. Because VIPM relies on this inter‑process communication to perform install and uninstall operations, it is necessary to ensure that VIPM requests can successfully reach the LabVIEW VI Server.

In most cases, this issue can be resolved by verifying that the LabVIEW VI Server is enabled and correctly configured. Follow the steps below to verify and configure the VI Server connection settings in both LabVIEW and VI Package Manager.

In LabVIEW

1. Open LabVIEW and click Tools » Options... to open the Options dialog box.
2. Select VI Server from the Category section on the left.
3. Place a check-mark in the TCP/IP checkbox in the Protocols section.
4. Note the current port number (the default is 3363). Both LabVIEW and VI Package Manager must be configured to use the same port. If multiple versions of LabVIEW are installed, each may use a different port. The example below shows a correctly configured Protocol section:
   
   

5. There are multiple ways VI Package Manager (VIPM) can reference LabVIEW when attempting to establish a connection. Depending on the system configuration, you may need to specify the machine in different ways.
   
   In the Machine Access section, make sure one of the values below is listed under Machine access list. To add an address, make sure Allow access is selected, click Add and then and enter an address in the Machine name/address field. Test each option to determine whether it allows VIPM to successfully connect to LabVIEW:

Note: In most cases, using the default * is enough, but as this means "allow anyone to access me", and your IT might not like it. Also, depending on the system, it will complain if you use localhost, so this is why we suggest you to try these different settings.

6. Click OK to apply the changes and close the Options dialog.

Note: You may get an Security Warning when trying to remove entries off of your Machine Access list, as shown below:

Warning 1 occured at Security Warning When Modifying VI Server TCP/IP Access

Possible reason(s):

Modifying the machine access list or the user and group access list does not affect VI Server clients that are currently connected to this TCP/IP server.

To disconnect clients currently connected, disable TCP/IP access from the VI Server:Configuration page and click OK.

In VI Package Manager

1. Open VI Package Manager and click Tools » Options to launch the Options dialog box.
2. Click the LabVIEW tab.
3. Confirm the Port number matches the previously configured LabVIEW VI Server port number. Click the edit icon to change the port number if needed.  
4. Click the Verify button.

Refer to the following dialog box for an example of a completed LabVIEW configuration:

VI Package Manager will then restart LabVIEW. When LabVIEW starts back up, the VI Package Manger will establish a connection, and you will be able to install packages.
 

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

If the above steps do not work, you can also try the following:

• Turn off any firewalls or antivirus software you have on your computer. If using Windows, you can do this by opening up the Control Panel and going to System and Security » Windows Defender Firewall » Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall. Verify that LabVIEW 20xx and VI Package Manager are allowed to communicate through the Windows Defender Firewall.
• Disconnect VPNs that are connected in your computer. Restart VIPM before trying again.
• Run the VI Package Manager in Administrator Mode by right-clicking the application shortcut found in the Start menu and selecting Run as Administrator
• Ensure that any updates made to the VI Package Manager have been completed and that VI Package Manager is up to date. Go to VI Package Manager General Options for instructions on how to check for updates every time you launch VI Package Manager.
• If you are using Linux, you can attempt to manually copy the files from a Windows-based machine to your Linux machine. You can review the process mentioned here [External] VIPM could not connect to LabVIEW 2021 (64-bit) - Linux Opensuse Leap 15.2.
• You can also contact JKI's support as another resource, as they are the author of this tool.