accountsd is the macOS daemon that holds the internet accounts you add in System Settings (iCloud, Google, Exchange and others) and lets Mail, Calendar, Contacts and Notes use them; it's part of macOS and safe. High CPU or repeated password prompts usually mean one account can't sign in, so look for a warning in System Settings > Internet Accounts and sign in again.
Last reviewed · 1 source
One Mac, macOS 26.5 (25F71) on Apple silicon, read with ps and codesign on October 29, 2026
| Path | /System/Library/Frameworks/Accounts.framework/Versions/A/Support/accountsd |
|---|---|
| Runs as | your user account |
| Signed by | Apple (Software Signing), identifier com.apple.accountsd |
accountsd is the macOS daemon that manages all internet accounts configured in System Settings, including iCloud, Google, Microsoft Exchange, Yahoo, and other email/calendar/contacts providers. It handles authentication tokens, credential storage, account discovery, and coordinates with apps like Mail, Calendar, Contacts, and Notes to sync data from your configured accounts.
High CPU usage caused by repeated authentication failures with a configured account
Excessive memory consumption when managing many accounts or large mailboxes
Constant network activity from accountsd trying to reconnect to an unreachable server
Keychain authorization prompts appearing repeatedly for the same account
Go to System Settings > Internet Accounts and check each account for warning icons. Click on any account showing an error and re-enter your password. Expired or revoked authentication tokens are the most common cause of accountsd issues.
In System Settings > Internet Accounts, select the account causing issues and click the minus (-) button to remove it. Wait 30 seconds, then add it back with the plus (+) button. This forces accountsd to create fresh authentication tokens and sync state.
Run 'killall accountsd' in Terminal. launchd will restart it immediately. This forces all account connections to be re-established and clears stuck authentication states. It is a safe first step before more invasive troubleshooting.
accountsd running in the background with low resource usage is expected — it maintains connections to your configured accounts. Be concerned if it uses more than 40% CPU for more than 10 minutes, which usually indicates an authentication loop where it is repeatedly trying and failing to authenticate with a server. Check your internet accounts for expired credentials.
cloudd is the background daemon that handles CloudKit operations on macOS. CloudKit is Apple's framework for syncing dat...
nsurlsessiond is the macOS background daemon that handles URL-based download and upload tasks on behalf of applications....
tccd manages the macOS TCC (Transparency, Consent, and Control) framework — the privacy permission system that controls ...
No. accountsd is a legitimate Apple system daemon responsible for managing all internet accounts on your Mac. It handles authentication and credential management for iCloud, Google, Exchange, and other accounts you have configured in System Settings. It is code-signed by Apple and is a core part of macOS.
This usually happens when an authentication token has expired or been revoked. Go to System Settings > Internet Accounts and look for accounts with warning icons. Re-entering your password refreshes the token. If it keeps happening, remove and re-add the account.
High CPU from accountsd almost always indicates an authentication loop — the process is repeatedly trying to connect to an account server and failing. Open Console.app and filter for 'accountsd' to see which account is generating errors. Fix the authentication for that account, or temporarily remove it to stop the loop.
You cannot and should not disable accountsd. It is essential for all internet account functionality on macOS, including iCloud, email, calendar sync, and contacts sync. Without it, Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, and many other apps would lose access to your accounts. If it is causing issues, fix the underlying account problem rather than trying to disable the daemon.
CoreLock's scan of running apps, network, permissions, startup items, AI agents and Downloads is free, with no account.
Apple silicon build 2.0.7 · Intel Mac?
For your Mac, not this phone ·
Count which apps can record your screen, use your mic or camera, or read your files, and get a free 0–100 estimate in your browser.
Estimate your Security ScoreFree · Calculated in your browser