AMPDevicesAgent is the macOS agent behind syncing an iPhone or iPad with your Mac in the Finder, the job iTunes did before macOS Catalina; it's part of macOS and starts only when it's needed. A spike while a device is connected is normal, and if it stays busy with no device attached, quit Music and restart the Mac.
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/PrivateFrameworks/AMPDevices.framework/Versions/A/Support/AMPDevicesAgent |
|---|---|
| Runs as | your user account (it's a launch agent) |
| Signed by | Apple (Software Signing), identifier com.apple.AMPDevicesAgent |
| Note | Not running at capture time: no iPhone or iPad was connected. Its launch agent, com.apple.AMPDevicesAgent, starts it when needed. |
AMPDevicesAgent is a macOS agent that manages communication between your Mac and connected iPhones, iPads and iPods for syncing in the Finder and in Apple's media apps. Since macOS Catalina, device syncing that used to happen in iTunes happens in the Finder. It's a launch agent, so it runs for your user account and starts when it's needed.
High CPU usage when an iOS device is connected and syncing media
Process continues running at elevated levels even after disconnecting a device
Excessive memory usage when managing large music or photo libraries during sync
Repeated crashes when connecting older iOS devices or accessories
Unplug any connected iPhone, iPad, or iPod from your Mac, wait 10 seconds, then reconnect. This forces AMPDevicesAgent to re-establish the connection and often resolves stuck sync states or high CPU loops.
Run 'killall AMPDevicesAgent' in Terminal. The system will restart it automatically when needed (such as when you open Apple Music or connect a device). This clears any stuck internal state.
Quit Apple Music, then run 'rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Music/' in Terminal. Reopen Apple Music. Corrupted cache files can cause AMPDevicesAgent to work overtime re-processing device sync data.
Go to System Settings > General > Software Update and ensure macOS is up to date. Also update your connected iOS devices. Version mismatches between macOS and iOS can cause AMPDevicesAgent communication issues.
AMPDevicesAgent spiking briefly when you connect an iPhone or open Apple Music is perfectly normal. Be concerned if it keeps using more than 30% CPU for a long stretch with no device connected and Music closed. Persistent high resource usage without an obvious trigger may indicate a corrupted media database.
coreaudiod is the central audio management daemon on macOS. It handles all audio input and output routing, manages audio...
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....
No. AMPDevicesAgent is a legitimate Apple process that is part of the Apple Music and media device management framework built into macOS. It is code-signed by Apple and handles communication with connected iPhones and iPads and media syncing. It is completely safe and expected to be running.
AMPDevicesAgent starts when something needs it: a device plugged in or reachable for Wi-Fi syncing, or the Finder or Music asking about devices. On a Mac with macOS 26.5 and no device connected, it wasn't running at all. When it does run idle, it uses very few resources.
You can temporarily stop it by running 'killall AMPDevicesAgent' in Terminal, but macOS will restart it when needed. There is no supported way to permanently disable it without breaking device syncing in the Finder and Music. If it is using excessive resources, focus on resolving the underlying cause.
Starting with macOS Catalina, Apple split iTunes into Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts. Device syncing moved to Finder, and AMPDevicesAgent became the background process managing device communication. It handles the same device sync tasks that iTunes used to manage, but as a dedicated system agent.
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