macOS Default Daemon Processes

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Default Daemon Processes in macOS

In macOS, daemon processes are background services that run without a user interface, typically starting at boot or on demand. They are managed by launchd, the system’s init and service management framework (PID 1). Daemons differ from agents: daemons run as root/system-wide (before login), while agents run per-user (after login).

Default system daemons are defined in property list (.plist) files located in /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/. There are typically around 300–350 of these on a standard install (e.g., 339 on macOS 10.14 Mojave), covering everything from networking and security to hardware management. User-installed or third-party daemons go in /Library/LaunchDaemons/.

How to View Default Daemons

To list all loaded daemons (and agents) in Terminal:

sudo launchctl list (shows system-wide daemons and agents).
launchctl list (shows user-specific agents only).

For a full directory listing: ls /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ (requires no sudo, but the files are read-only).

These commands output columns like PID, status, and label (e.g., com.apple.timed).

The “timed” Daemon

You specifically mentioned “timed,” which refers to com.apple.timed (the Time Sync Daemon). This is a core system daemon introduced in macOS High Sierra (10.13) to replace the older ntpd process.

Purpose: It automatically synchronizes the Mac’s system clock with NTP (Network Time Protocol) servers for accuracy, querying them every 15 minutes. This ensures precise timekeeping for logs, certificates, and network operations.
How it works: Launched by launchd from /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.timed.plist, it runs as the _timed user (in the _timed and _sntpd groups). It uses the settimeofday syscall to adjust the clock based on server responses. Configuration is in /etc/ntpd.conf (NTP servers) and state is cached in /var/db/timed/com.apple.timed.plist.
Related: Ties into System Settings > General > Date & Time > “Set time and date automatically.” If disabled, timed won’t sync. For advanced setups (e.g., high-precision needs), tools like Chrony can replace it but disable timed.

If your clock drifts, check for network issues or firewall blocks on NTP (UDP port 123).

Other Common Default Daemons (“etc.”)

Here’s a table of some frequently running default system daemons, grouped by function. This isn’t exhaustive (there are hundreds), but covers essentials. Labels are from the .plist filenames.

Category	Daemon Label	Description
Core System	`com.apple.launchd`	The launchd process itself; starts all others.
Time & Sync	`com.apple.timed`	NTP time synchronization (as above).
User Management	`com.apple.opendirectoryd`	Handles user/group accounts and directory services.
User Management	`com.apple.accounts`	Manages user accounts and authentication.
Networking	`com.apple.mDNSResponder`	Bonjour/mDNS for local network discovery (e.g., AirDrop).
Networking	`com.apple.nesessionmanager`	Network extension and VPN management.
Bluetooth/Wireless	`com.apple.bluetoothd`	Bluetooth device handling.
iCloud/Sync	`com.apple.cloudd`	iCloud data syncing and services.
Security	`com.apple.securityd`	Keychain and credential management (often as an agent too).
Updates	`com.apple.softwareupdated`	Handles software updates and catalog downloads.
Hardware	`com.apple.kextd`	Kernel extension loading and management.
Logging	`com.apple.systemnotificationd`	System notifications and logging.
MDM (if enabled)	`com.apple.mdmclient`	Mobile Device Management client for enterprise setups.

These run continuously or on triggers to keep macOS stable. If one misbehaves (e.g., high CPU), you can unload it temporarily with sudo launchctl unload /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.example.plist, but avoid modifying system files.

For a full, current list on your Mac (as of October 2025, likely macOS 15 Sequoia or later), run the commands above—versions evolve slightly with updates.

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