Bird Process on Mac

The Bird process on Mac is a background process that syncs your iCloud files. When it uses too much CPU, it might fail to sync large or corrupted data, which makes the process inevitably blocked or stuck. If you need to stop the Bird process, Activity Monitor can come to your rescue by force-quitting system processes. You can also delete the iCloud cache to see if that will improve syncing.

What is the bird process on Mac?

On your Mac, the Bird process works in the background to manage all of your iCloud Drive syncing. It keeps your desktop, documents, and app data updated across your Apple devices. If the Bird process starts demanding too much CPU, it usually means iCloud is stuck syncing data and needs troubleshooting.

When does the bird process become a problem on Mac?

When you notice persistent iCloud syncing issues or glitches on your MacBook, that’s when you know there’s a problem with the Bird process. Overbearing files or processing corrupted data will drain your resources and demand high CPU power to function, resulting in painful slowness, overheating, and unresponsiveness to commands.

A note from our experts: 

 

In case you can hear the fans working overtime or iCloud syncing keeps stalling, it’s likely an issue with Bird processes. But don’t fret, as MacKeeper’s Memory Cleaner can come to your rescue, offering a safe way for you to delete redundant processes and regain control of your Mac.

 

Here’s how MacKeeper’s Memory Cleaner can help:

1. Download and open MacKeeper.
2. Go to Memory Clean.
3. Click Open.
4. Review your Apps & Processes and press Clean Memory.

How to fix high CPU usage by the bird process on Mac?

To fix high CPU usage, MacBook slowdowns, or iCloud syncing issues, we recommend identifying the Bird-related processes on your Mac and addressing them directly, as persistent glitches or corrupted files are often caused by overbearing processes.

Troubleshooting can be tricky; that’s why we’ll guide you through reliable methods, each designed to help restore normal iCloud syncing.

Below are the solutions we recommend in this situation:

• Force quit Bird process
• Pause and resume iCloud drive
• Reboot your Mac
• Delete Bird cache files
• Remove or back up iCloud account cache
• Re-enable iCloud Drive
• Reset NVRAM/PRAM

A hint before getting started: 

 

From our experience, we encourage you to acquaint yourself with how to see what’s running on a Mac before you start quitting processes. In our blog, we’ll show you how to find the culprit that's behind your system issues.  

1. Force quit Bird process

When the Bird process consumes too much CPU, one of the fastest ways to regain control is to Force Quit Bird directly in Activity Monitor.

Here’s how to Force Quit processes in Activity Monitor:

1. Open Activity Monitor.
2. In the search box, type in Bird.
3. Select the process, click X, and choose Force Quit.

Extra advice from us: 

 

In case you want to keep an eye on your CPU, we suggest an Activity Monitor on Mac shortcut. For help on creating shortcuts, our guide will walk you through step-by-step.

2. Pause and resume iCloud Drive

Another way you can help resolve iCloud syncing issues and reduce high CPU usage caused by the Bird process is by temporarily pausing and restarting your cloud drive.

Let us show you how to pause and restart your iCloud safety:

1. In Settings, click on Apple ID > iCloud.
2. Uncheck Sync this Mac.
3. Confirm by pressing Remove from Mac.
4. After a few minutes, switch it back on.

3. Reboot your Mac

Believe it or not, a simple reboot can help resolve your CPU issues as it stops and refreshes all processes in one go.

Here’s a reminder of how to reboot your Mac:

1. Click on the Apple icon.
2. Press Restart.

Not sure if rebooting did anything? In case it didn’t work, read back through our earlier steps on how to kill background processes in Mac Activity Monitor.

4. Delete Bird cache files

Still having no luck? Try deleting the Bird cache to see if that’ll help.

Here’s how to remove cache:

1. Open Finder, and click on Go > Go to Folder.
2. Type in ~/Library/Caches/.
3. Look for cache titled Bird and Move to Bin.  

5. Remove or back up iCloud account cache

We now recommend removing your iCloud account cache, as this could also be affecting your processing speed and data syncing.

Here’s how to safely remove iCloud cache from your device:

1. In the Go to Folder type in ~/Library/Application Support/iCloud/Accounts/.
2. Look for files related to iCloud, right-click, and Move to Bin.

6. Re-enable iCloud Drive

You can refresh iCloud Drive by disabling it and then re-enabling it. The steps for this are covered in Section 2: Pause and Resume iCloud Drive, so be sure to review that section to refamiliarize yourself.

7. Reset NVRAM/PRAM

Are you still wondering how to make your MacBook faster and improve the syncing time for iCloud files? If none of our solutions have worked, we advise resetting NVRAM/PRAM.

Here’s how to reset NVRAM to fix issues with Bird processing:

1. Click on the Apple icon and press Shut Down.
2. Turn it back on and press and hold Option + Command + P + R for 20 seconds.

Fixing Bird processing issues on Mac

There’s not much that is more frustrating than a sluggish Mac and fans running nonstop because of the Bird process. Thankfully, by following the right steps, like quitting processes or removing cache, you should be able to stop the issue in its tracks.

For an easier fix, MacKeeper’s Memory Cleaner can do the hard work for you. The macOS-supported tool has been designed by our team of Clario Tech experts to automatically find and delete redundant processes, freeing up valuable memory and CPU power.