Photolibraryd on Mac

What is photolibraryd on Mac

Photolibraryd is a macOS process designed to manage and organize the content stored in the Photos app on your Mac. Despite its complicated name, it’s not malware, but rather a system agent.

This process operates in the background to handle requests related to your computer’s photo library. It’s responsible for storing all metadata for the photos and videos on your Mac. It also organizes content into folders, generates thumbnails, recognizes faces in photos, and synchronizes your media with iCloud.

How photolibraryd affects your Mac’s performance

The photolibraryd process is responsible for managing the photo library on your Mac. As such, it can consume a significant amount of CPU and RAM resources. This heavy usage may lead to a decline in your Mac’s performance, especially if it exceeds what your device’s components can handle.

A note from our experts:

 

If you notice that your Mac is running slower than usual, your first instinct might be to delete photos and other important files to release storage space. However, a more effective solution might be to free up RAM, especially with tools like MacKeeper’s Memory Cleaner available to assist you in this process.

 

Here’s a step-by-step process to use MacKeeper’s Memory Cleaner:

1. Install and launch MacKeeper on your Mac.
2. From the left sidebar, select Memory Cleaner under Performance.
3. Click Open.
4. Click the Clean Memory blue button.
5. Check how much memory you’ve just released.
6. Repeat the process every time you need to free up RAM.

Are you still concerned about how this might affect your computer’s speed? Take a look at more tips on how to test the performance of your MacBook.

Below, we’ll discuss how photolibraryd can impact your Mac’s performance in more detail:

• High CPU usage by photolibraryd
• Impact on battery life

1. High CPU usage by photolibraryd

If you have a substantial number of images and videos stored on your computer, the photo library of the Photos app on your Mac is likely consuming a significant amount of CPU resources. This usage will increase with the size and complexity of your stored media content. As a result, you may experience performance issues, such as a slower Mac or overheating.

Performance spikes can also occur when you import many photos at once or sync a considerable amount of content with iCloud. If you want to understand why this happens, we suggest checking more on macOS CPU information.

2. Impact on battery life

The heavy resource usage mentioned above can also negatively affect your Mac’s battery life. The more resources your Mac uses, the faster the battery will drain. Over time, if you’re not cautious, this can even impact the battery’s overall health, leading to shorter usage periods before needing a recharge.

How to fix photolibraryd issues on Mac

The issues related to photolibraryd can lead to several repercussions, including excessive CPU and battery usage. While there are short-term fixes, such as closing open apps or resetting your Mac, you should consider repairing your photo library for a more permanent fix.

Here are our preferred solutions for addressing problems associated with photolibraryd:

1. Quit photolibraryd in Activity Monitor.
2. Stop iCloud syncing.
3. Boot your Mac into Safe Mode.
4. Delete offending files.
5. Disable Memories in Photos app.
6. Repair or rebuild Photos Library.

1. Quit photolibraryd in Activity Monitor

A short-term solution that we find interesting is to force quit the photolibraryd process from Activity Monitor. This action won’t permanently disable the system agent, but it’ll temporarily close it, which may help reduce your CPU load.

Follow our step-by-step guide to quit photolibraryd:

1. Go to Finder, then open the Utilities folder from Applications.
2. Launch Activity Monitor.
3. Find and select the photolibraryd processor.
4. Click the X button.
5. In the new window, click Quit or Force Quit.

2. Stop iCloud syncing

One reason your Mac’s photolibraryd may be consuming excessive resources is that you have iCloud Photos syncing enabled. Although this isn’t an ideal permanent fix, we recommend disabling it as a temporary measure to alleviate high CPU usage.

To turn off iCloud syncing on your Mac, follow our instructions below:

1. Launch the Photos app on your Mac.
2. Go to Photos in the menu bar, then click Settings.
3. Select the iCloud tab.
4. Uncheck the box next to iCloud Photos.
5. In the new window, click Turn Off.

3. Boot your Mac into Safe Mode

Your Mac typically restarts photolibraryd periodically. If you don’t want to wait for this to happen, we suggest restarting your Mac. We often recommend booting into Safe Mode to resolve app-related issues and clear cache files.

Here’s how to boot your Mac into Safe Mode:

1. Select the Apple logo in the menu bar.
2. Click Shut Down from the dropdown menu.
3. Press and hold the power button when your Mac is completely turned off.
4. Choose a boot volume.
5. Next, press and hold the Shift key.
6. Hit Continue in Safe Mode.

4. Delete offending files

If you’re experiencing errors with the photolibraryd process on your Mac, it may be due to specific files that are stuck. Don’t worry, though. Fixing this issue will only take a few minutes.

Here’s our advice on how to remove the offending files:

1. Go to Finder, then open the Utilities folder from Applications.
2. Launch Activity Monitor.
3. Find and select the photolibraryd processor.
4. Click the i button.
5. In the new window, click Open Files and Ports.
6. Scroll down and select the offending items.
7. Click Quit.

If that doesn’t resolve the problem, the underlying issue may be related to the kernel_task, which is often associated with high CPU usage. But what exactly is kernel_task? Get the answer from our related blog article.

5. Disable Memories in Photos app

In our experience, disabling the Memories album often solves issues with photolibraryd. This action reduces background indexing and facial recognition tasks, which can consume a significant amount of CPU resources.

If you would like to try this option, follow these steps:

1. Launch the Photos app on your Mac.
2. Go to Photos in the menu bar, then click Settings.
3. Select the iCloud tab.
4. Uncheck the boxes next to Show Featured Content, Show Holiday Events, Show Memories Notification.
5. In the new window, click Turn Off.

6. Repair or rebuild Photos Library

Our final recommendation is a long-term solution. While it may not be the quickest method, it’s one of the most effective ways to address potential corruption issues. Essentially, you’ll need to rebuild your library using the Photos app’s built-in repair tool.

Here’s our expert advice on how to repair the photo library on your Mac:

1. Go to Finder, then open the Applications folder.
2. Find and select the Photos app.
3. Press the Option and Command keys and double-click on the Photos icon.
4. Click Repair.

Can you quit photolibraryd on Mac

You can force quit the photolibraryd process on your Mac using the Activity Monitor app. This tool allows you to manage all system processes. However, keep in mind that force quitting this process doesn’t disable it permanently. Rather, it’s a temporary measure to shut it down and reclaim CPU resources.

Consider using this trick when you notice your computer running slower than usual, especially if you suspect the photo library is to blame. Yet, remember that the photolibraryd process is restored automatically and is essential for the Photos app to function properly.

How to permanently disable photolibraryd

While we don’t recommend it, it’s technically possible to permanently disable the photolibraryd process:

1. Go to Finder, and open the Utilities folder.
2. Launch Terminal.
3. Type in the following command: launchctl disable user/$UID/com.apple.photoanalysisd, then hit Enter.
4. Next, type in this command: sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.photolibraryd.plist, then hit Enter.
5. Type in your admin password and hit Enter one last time.

Important: Unless you don’t wish to use the Photos and iCloud sync feature, you shouldn’t disable the photolibraryd process on your Mac. This process is crucial for managing your photo library. If you choose to disable it, your photos may become unorganized, and you could lose macOS features such as facial recognition and thumbnail creation.

To address high CPU usage, you don’t need to disable photolibraryd. Another potential cause could be fileproviderd on Mac, and we explain how to fix this in the attached guide.

Answering all questions about the photolibraryd process Mac

The photolibraryd process is crucial for managing your Mac’s photo library, but it can use a significant amount of CPU, RAM, and battery power. While several methods exist to mitigate this, disabling the process should be considered a last resort.

Another way to improve your Mac’s performance is to delete unnecessary processes using MacKeeper’s Memory Cleaner. The advantage of this tool is that it allows you to regain control of your computer with just one click.