What is fseventsd on Mac?
By Junaid, maker of Taskglass · Last reviewed
Records which folders have changed so apps like Spotlight and Time Machine can react.
fseventsd keeps a log of file system changes: when files are created, changed or deleted, it records which folders were affected. Spotlight, Time Machine, cloud sync apps and developer tools use this to find what changed without scanning everything. Its activity rises with how much file activity is going on.
- Category
- macOS system
- Made by
- Apple
- Safe to quit:
- No
Shown in Activity Monitor as fseventsd
Why is fseventsd using so much CPU or memory?
- Lots of files being created or changed (downloads, builds, unzipping archives)
- Cloud sync or backup apps processing many changes
- Developer tools watching big project folders
What to do
- 1Wait for big copies, downloads or builds to finish
- 2Pause sync apps temporarily to compare
- 3Restart your Mac
Safe to quit? No.
Don't quit it: Spotlight, backups and sync apps rely on it to notice changes.
Related processes
Part of the Taskglass Process Library