While you can manually fix high CPU usage caused by fileproviderd, using a dedicated RAM optimization tool is more effective. MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup can help you increase free storage space and unleash faster device running.
Fileproviderd is a service on Mac devices that is responsible for managing the file operations between cloud storage services like iCloud Drive and Dropbox. It makes sure all device files stay updated and easily accessible when shared across various devices.
Why does fileproviderd Mac use so much CPU
Fileproviderd can cause high CPU usage on your Mac when it struggles to sync files from your cloud apps. When these issues occur, they’re likely a result of authentication errors, permission problems, or weak network connections—each of them leading to excessive resource consumption.
A note from our experts:
After reducing fileprovided Mac CPU usage, improve your Mac’s performance. Use MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup to remove cache, log and language files, mail attachments, etc. Now enjoy your optimized Mac.
Open the app, and in the left sidebar, click Safe Cleanup > Start Scan.
See the results and select what you want to remove.
Click Clean Junk Files.
Step 1. MacKeeper > Safe Cleanup > Start ScanStep 2. Select the files you want to delete > Clean Junk FilesStep 3. Select Remove
How to fix fileproviderd high CPU usage
To stop fileproviderd from causing high CPU usage on your Mac, we recommend first checking your cloud syncing is working correctly and reducing any unnecessary processes. Then, do this:
Update macOS
Close the storage service application and restart it
Delete unnecessary file provider extensions
Turn iCloud Drive sync off and on again
Reset OneDrive
Stop Spotlight from indexing the app
Remove the FileProvider folder
Reinstall cloud storage apps
Scan your Mac for malware
1. Update macOS
One of the most effective ways to keep your Mac optimized is by updating your macOS regularly for bug fixes. Here’s how to check and update macOS:
Go to System Settings after opening your Apple’s menu.
Navigate to General > Software Update.
If an update is available, click Update Now and follow the on-screen instructions.
In Settings, click on General > Software Update and press Update Now if a new OS is available
A piece of help from us:
If you need more support to install the latest macOS update, our relevant blog article can walk you through it step-by-step.
2. Close the storage service application and restart it
The Fileproviderd Mac high CPU issue happens when your cloud storage apps are not syncing correctly. We advise closing your storage apps and restarting them.
Here’s how to safely close and restart your cloud storage application:
Click on the Apple menu.
Select Force Quit and select your cloud storage app.
Press the Force Quit button.
Open Finder and re-launch the app.
Step 1. Open the Force Quit pop-up menu and select your cloud storage appStep 2. Highlight it and then press the Force Quit buttonStep 3. Reopen the app
3. Delete unnecessary file provider extensions
Unneeded or outdated file provider extensions can burden your system, causing your Mac to struggle with demanding processes. Here’s how you can remove unnecessary extension files:
Open Finder, click on Go To Folder, and go to your Library/Containers directory.
Highlight unnecessary folders or files and Move to Bin.
Step 1. Open Finder and go to the Library/Containers directoryStep 2. Look for any files or folders, relating to file provider extensions you want to delete
4. Turn iCloud Drive sync off and on again
When technology is a nuisance, simply turning it on and off again can do the trick. Thus, turning off your iCloud Drive sync and then on again could be all it takes.
Here’s how to turn iCloud Drive sync off and on again:
Open System Settings and click on Apple ID.
Scroll and uncheck iCloud Drive to turn it off.
Wait before turning it back on.
Step 1. In System Settings, click on Apple ID > iCloudStep 2. Next to iCloud Drive, toggle the off/on button next to Sync the Mac
5. Reset OneDrive
Another solution that could resolve fileproviderd Mac high CPU issues is to reset your OneDrive. This can help fix cloud syncing issues and stop demanding processes from slowing your Mac.
Here’s how to reset OneDrive:
Quit OneDrive.
Open Finder > Applications and look for OneDrive.
Right-click the icon and choose Show Package Contents.
Go to Contents > Resources folder and control-click: ResetOneDriveApp.command
Restart OneDrive to finalize the process.
Step 1. With OneDrive closed, go to Finder and locate the app in your Applications folderStep 2. Right-click on the app icon and press Show Package ContentsStep 3. Go to Content > resoruces and control-click: ResetOneDriveApp.command
6. Stop Spotlight from indexing the app
Too many background processes is another culprit behind a slow Mac. Preventing Spotlight from indexing unnecessary apps can help to improve performance and speed.
To stop Spotlight from indexing, follow these steps:
Open System Settings > Spotlight and click on Search Privacy.
Drag the cloud storage folder onto the window and click Done.
In Settings, click on Spotlight > Search Privacy and press + to add cloud apps to the Spotlight list
7. Remove the FileProvider folder
If you’re still facing slowness, or your CPU level is still red, it might be time to remove the FileProvider folder to stop excessive resource consumption affecting your activity.
Here’s how we recommend removing the FileProvider folder:
Open Finder > Go and click on Go to Folder.
Type in ~/Library, then in the search bar type in FileProvider.
Right-click the folder and Move to Bin.
Restart your device to finalize.
Step 1. In Finder, click on Go> Go to FolderStep 2. Type in the path ~/Library, then use the search bar to find FileProviderStep 3. Look for the FileProvider folder and once located right-click and choose Move to Bin
Advice from our team:
Removing old folders can help free space and improve speed, but other methods can be more time-efficient. Our supporting blog piece has over 20 better ways to show you how to speed up Mac—go and read them to find the efficient solution to your Mac’s CPU optimization.
8. Reinstall cloud storage apps
In case resetting and re-syncing your cloud storage apps didn’t work, then it might be time to re-installing them completely.
Here’s how to reinstall your cloud storage apps:
In your Applications Folder, look for the cloud storage app you use.
Control-click and choose Move to Bin.
Then go to the app’s official website and download the latest version.
Follow the on-screen instructions to finalize the installation.
Step 1. In your Applications folder, look for cloud appsStep 2. Right-click and Move to BinStep 3. Go to the App Store or official app website to redownload the latest version
9. Scan your Mac for malware
Removing the remnants of fileproviderd isn’t always easy, and neglecting it could even expose your Mac to malware. We suggest installing an antivirus tool to automatically detect and remove possible threats.
Here’s how MacKeeper’s Antivirus tool can keep your Mac safe from malware:
Enable real-time protection and Allow full-disk access.
Press Start scan.
If any threats are found, follow the on-screen instructions to Quarantine them.
In the MacKeeper app click on Antivirus and press Start Scan to detect any malicious activity
An extra hint from our experts:
Still not sure how to detect malware on Mac? Our dedicated article will show you all the ways to find and remove hidden threats to help keep your Mac safe, so go on reading it.
Boosting your performance with MacKeeper’s help
Handling your CPU usage is vital to preserving your Mac’s performance. With effective cloud storage management and support from MacKeeper, reducing resource usage becomes easier. Our Memory Cleaner will do the job for you to minimize your Mac’s RAM usage and boost system efficiency.
Here's a reminder on how to use our memory optimization tool:
Open MacKeeper and choose the Memory Cleaner tool.
Select Open.
After the scan, choose Memory.
Step 1. In the MacKeeper app, choose Memory Cleaner and click Open to run a performance scanStep 2-3. See the scan results and choose the Clean Memory option
In addition, If you’d like to know how to see how much space you have on Mac, our other blog article can show all the ways to check your available RAM and disk space.
Overall, by following the solutions above and leveraging MacKeeper's tools, you can get your Mac running smoothly again with fewer interruptions caused by fileproviderd.
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