What is bluetoothd on Mac?
By Junaid, maker of Taskglass · Last reviewed
Runs Bluetooth: connects headphones, keyboards, mice and helps nearby Apple devices find each other.
bluetoothd is the Bluetooth daemon. It manages pairing and connections for AirPods, headphones, keyboards, mice, game controllers and more. BTLEServer handles Bluetooth Low Energy, which Continuity features like Handoff and Unlock with Apple Watch also use. Some activity is constant because the Mac listens for nearby devices.
- Category
- macOS system
- Made by
- Apple
- Safe to quit:
- With care
Shown in Activity Monitor as bluetoothd, BTLEServer
Why is bluetoothd using so much CPU or memory?
- Many Bluetooth devices connected, or audio streaming to headphones
- A device repeatedly connecting and disconnecting
- Continuity features (Handoff, AirDrop, Universal Control) searching for nearby devices
- Interference or a failing device
What to do
- 1Disconnect Bluetooth devices you aren't using
- 2Remove and re-pair a device that keeps dropping
- 3Turn Bluetooth off and on in Control Center
- 4Restart your Mac
Safe to quit? With care.
macOS relaunches it, but all Bluetooth devices disconnect, including a Bluetooth keyboard or mouse.
Typical usage
Rough ranges on Apple Silicon Macs. Yours will vary.
- CPU
- 0–3%
- Memory
- 10–60 MB
Related processes
- sharingdPowers AirDrop, Handoff, Instant Hotspot and other sharing features.
- rapportdLets your Apple devices talk to each other for Continuity features like call handoff.
- hiddProcesses input from keyboards, mice, trackpads and other human interface devices.
- coreaudiodHandles all sound on your Mac: playback, microphones, and audio devices.
Part of the Taskglass Process Library