fseventsd on Mac

What is fseventsd on Mac

fseventsd on Mac is a background process that tracks changes in the file system on your device. It helps Finder, Time Machine, and Spotlight stay updated by monitoring modifications to files and directories. While essential for system functionality, excessive resource consumption can cause performance issues too.

Common issues with fseventsd

fseventsd can overuse system resources, leading to high CPU and memory usage that results in slow performance due to:

1. High CPU usage. fseventsd may consume excessive CPU power.
2. High memory usage. Unoptimized memory allocation can cause fseventsd to use excessive RAM.
3. System slowdowns. Heavy background activity from fseventsd can overload resources.

1.High CPU usage

We’ve seen that macOS fseventsd can unexpectedly consume excessive CPU power, causing overheating, reduced battery life, and leading to sluggish performance. If you notice these symptoms, learning how to check Mac CPU usage can help identify excessive resource consumption. This often happens due to continuous file system monitoring, especially when Spotlight indexing or Time Machine backups run in the background.

2. High memory usage

Our team has found that this process may use more RAM than necessary, leading to high memory consumption that slows down other applications. When too many file changes co-occur, the process can become overwhelmed, over-consuming system resources. Freeing up storage and clearing your cache can help optimize memory usage and improve overall performance.

3. System slowdowns

Knowing how to check MacBook performance may save you a ton of time. If your device becomes unresponsive, background file tracking might be overloading system resources. This often occurs when external drives aren’t ejected properly or when Spotlight gets stuck reindexing files. To improve performance, we recommend restarting your Mac and removing excess system data to free up memory.

Why does fseventsd cause issues on Mac

Based on our experience, fseventsd issues often stem from excessive file system activity, frequent external drive usage, or macOS bugs. Continuous indexing, corrupted system files, or improper disk ejections can overload resources, leading to high CPU and memory usage.

A note from our experts: 

 

Unnecessary background processes can overload system resources, making fseventsd consume excessive CPU and memory. MacKeeper’s Memory Cleaner helps eliminate redundant tasks, frees up memory, and improves Mac performance.

 

Follow these steps to optimize your system:

1. Open MacKeeper, select Memory Cleaner from the sidebar, and click Open.
2. Hit Clean Memory to detect memory-heavy processes.
3. Review the list and choose any unnecessary tasks you want to remove.

How to fix fseventsd issues on Mac

Restart your device, clear cache on Mac, eject external drives properly, and update your macOS. If the issue persists, use MacKeeper’s Memory Cleaner to free RAM and remove redundant background processes.

1. Rebooting your Mac

We’ve found that rebooting is the quickest way to resolve fseventsd issues, as it refreshes system processes and clears temporary glitches. If your Mac slows down due to excessive background activity, a simple restart can help restore normal performance.

Steps to reboot your Mac:

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner.
2. Select Restart and confirm the action.
3. If unresponsive, press and hold the Power button until your Mac shuts down.
4. Wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.

2. Disconnect external drives

Our team has noticed that improperly ejected external drives can keep fseventsd running in the background, consuming unnecessary system resources. Removing them safely prevents indexing loops and reduces CPU load.

The essential steps to properly disconnect external drives:

1. Open Finder and locate your external drive in the sidebar.
2. Click the Eject icon next to the drive’s name.
3. Wait for macOS to confirm ejection.
4. Physically unplug your Mac’s drive.

3. Clearing cache files

We recommend clearing cache files to prevent fseventsd from getting stuck processing outdated system data. Over time, cached files pile up, leading to increased background activity and slowdowns.

Steps to clear cache files:

1. Open Finder and click Go > Go to Folder.
2. Type ~/Library/Caches/ and press Enter.
3. Select unnecessary files and move them to Trash.
4. Empty Trash and restart your Mac.

4. Repairing disk permissions and running Disk Utility

Running Disk Utility helps resolve fseventsd issues caused by corrupted disk permissions or file system errors. We’ve also noticed that Google Chrome Helper renderer uses a high CPU on Mac in some cases, further straining system resources, so check it out as well.

Steps to repair disk permissions and run Disk Utility:

1. Open Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
2. Select Macintosh HD from the sidebar.
3. Click First Aid, then Run to start the repair process.
4. Wait for Disk Utility to complete the check and restart your Mac.

5. Disabling or configuring fseventsd

We don’t recommend disabling fseventsd entirely, as it’s essential for file tracking, but configuring it can reduce excessive resource usage. Adjusting Spotlight indexing or excluding unnecessary directories prevents the process from suffering system overload.

Steps to configure fseventsd:

1. Open System Settings and go to Spotlight.
2. Click Search Privacy and add folders you don’t need indexing.
3. Close the window and restart your Mac.
4. If issues persist, try temporarily disabling Time Machine backups.

6. Check for malware or external interference

Our team has seen cases where malware or rogue applications force fseventsd into excessive background activity. Checking for security threats ensures hidden processes aren’t draining your Mac.

Steps to check for malware:

1. Open Activity Monitor by typing it in the Spotlight bar.
2. Look for unknown or suspicious processes consuming high CPU.
3. Use MacKeeper’s Antivirus to scan for malware.
4. Remove detected threats and restart your Mac.

7. Update macOS

Outdated macOS versions can cause fseventsd issues due to system bugs. Keeping your Mac updated ensures you have the latest optimizations and fixes to keep your device safe and secure.

Follow our instructions to update macOS:

1. Open System Settings > General > Software Update.
2. Wait for macOS to check for updates.
3. If an update is available, click Upgrade Now.
4. Restart your Mac after installation is complete.

Risks of disabling or modifying fseventsd

Disabling or modifying fseventsd can cause unexpected issues, leading to system instability and reduced functionality. Below are the potential risks:

• Finder issues. File updates may not instantly appear, causing missing or outdated file information.
• Spotlight search failures. Disabling fseventsd can make file searches unreliable or non-functional.
• Time Machine backup errors. Modified files may not be tracked correctly, leading to incomplete backups.
• Cloud storage disruptions. Services like iCloud and Dropbox rely on fseventsd to sync files properly.
• Security software malfunctions. Some antivirus and monitoring tools depend on fseventsd to detect system changes.
• System instability. Unintended modifications can force macOS into errors, requiring a complete reinstallation.

Instead of disabling fseventsd, adjusting system settings and optimizing resource usage might be a safer approach.

Conclusion

fseventsd on Mac is a critical background process that tracks Finder, Spotlight, and Time Machine file changes. While essential, it can sometimes cause high CPU and memory usage, leading to slowdowns and overheating. Issues often arise from excessive indexing, external drives, or macOS bugs. Restarting your Mac, clearing cache files, ejecting drives properly, and updating macOS can help resolve performance problems effectively.

Remember to regularly maintain your system to prevent fseventsd from consuming excessive resources. MacKeeper’s Memory Cleaner helps free up RAM by removing redundant background processes and improving performance and responsiveness. If you pay attention to optimizing system memory, you can certainly reduce unnecessary strain on your device.