system processes on Mac explained
Browse plain-English explanations of system processes on Mac — the kind of names that show up in Activity Monitor when you ask “what is this process?”
1421 process explanations · sample view
system process entries
Accessibility permission prompt
Shows the system prompt when apps request Accessibility access.
Accessibility UI Server
Draws accessibility UI overlays used by assistive technologies.
Aerial wallpaper extension
Renders Apple’s Aerial video wallpapers on desktop and lock screen.
AppKit theme widget view service
Draws system-themed widget controls out of process for apps.
Apple Account Settings
System Settings pane for Apple Account sign-in, security, and payment.
Aqua Appearance Helper
Applies Light and Dark Mode appearance transitions across the UI.
Audiovisual Quick Look thumbnails
Generates Finder/Quick Look thumbnails for audio and video files.
Audiovisual Quick Look thumbnails
Generates Finder/Quick Look thumbnails for audio and video files.
csh (C shell)
Legacy C shell for accounts and scripts listed in /etc/shells.
Dock
Shows pinned apps, running apps, and stacks on the desktop edge.
Dock Helper
XPC helper inside Dock.app that runs Dock work out of process.
grep (pattern search)
Searches files for lines matching a regular expression or pattern.
Hardened Audio Converter service
Sandboxed AudioToolbox service that converts audio formats.
login
Starts a user login session after authentication.
Office Quick Look thumbnails
Generates Finder/Quick Look thumbnails for Office-format documents.
Open and Save Panel Service
AppKit XPC service that runs Open and Save file dialogs for apps.
Problem Reporter
Shows the crash/diagnostic dialog after an app or process fails.
ReportCrash
Collects and writes crash reports when processes terminate abnormally.
sh (POSIX shell)
System POSIX script interpreter used by scripts and tooling.
Software Update Notification Manager
Shows notifications about available macOS software updates.
Software Update Notification Manager
Shows notifications about available macOS software updates.
tee
POSIX utility that copies stdin to stdout and optional files.
Text thumbnail extension
Generates Finder and Open-panel thumbnails for text documents.
VideoToolbox encoder service
Encodes video via VideoToolbox for FaceTime, Photos, and other apps.
ViewBridge auxiliary service
Relays events for system views AppKit hosts outside sandboxed apps.
VPN Settings
System Settings extension for viewing and editing VPN configurations.