What is kernelmanagerd on Mac?
By Junaid, maker of Taskglass · Last reviewed
Loads kernel extensions and starts driver extensions for the macOS kernel.
kernelmanagerd is the kernel extension server. It handles requests to load kernel extensions (kexts) and launches driver extensions, and it prepares newly installed kexts so they can load after a restart. It's mostly idle except during startup or when drivers are installed or removed.
- Category
- macOS system
- Made by
- Apple
- Safe to quit:
- No
Shown in Activity Monitor as kernelmanagerd
Why is kernelmanagerd using so much CPU or memory?
- Installing or updating software that includes drivers or kernel extensions
- Startup, while drivers are loaded
- A third-party driver being repeatedly loaded
What to do
- 1Let any software installation finish
- 2Restart your Mac if an installer asked you to
- 3Remove third-party drivers you no longer need using their own uninstallers
Safe to quit? No.
Don't quit it: loading drivers depends on it.
Related processes
Part of the Taskglass Process Library