What is the 'launchd' Process on Mac

Users who explore the 'Activity Monitor' on their Mac may notice a large number of services and processes, which they are not familiar with. One of the most sought after processes is called 'launchd' and users are often asking what its purpose is, and why it appears to be running all the time. The good news is that 'launchd' is a legitimate system component, which is a core part of the operating system. Its purpose is to make sure that other core services are up and running, as well as that all 'Login Items' on your Mac start as soon as the system boots up. You should not try to stop 'launchd' since this may cause all sorts of trouble and, besides, the process will start automatically the next time you restart your system.

Some users report that 'launchd' may ocassionally consume too much resources, especially when it comes to the RAM and CPU. This is not abnormal if you have too many 'Login Items' active simultaneously or if your computer has not been restarted in a few days. Thankfully, the fix for 'launchd' using too much resources is a simple one – all you need to do is to restart your computer.