Help · Mac apps

Launch agents and daemons, explained.

By Grant and Brad, who make Pangalin's apps · Updated 10 October 2026

Launch agents and daemons are how apps start background jobs on a Mac: an updater that checks every few hours, a helper that runs at login, a service that runs for everyone. Each one is a small settings file (a .plist) telling macOS what to start and when.

Where they live

• ~/Library/LaunchAgents: agents for your user only, started when you log in.
• /Library/LaunchAgents: agents from apps, for every user who logs in.
• /Library/LaunchDaemons: system-wide daemons from apps, started with the Mac, even before anyone logs in.
• /System/Library/LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons: Apple's own. Never touch these; macOS protects them anyway.

Agents run only while you're logged in. Daemons run for the whole Mac, usually with administrator rights, which is why removing them asks for your password.

Work out what one does

• The name usually gives it away: com.company.app.updater.plist belongs to that company's app.
• The contents: select the file and press Space for Quick Look. The Program or ProgramArguments entry shows what it runs. If that file no longer exists, it belongs to an app you've removed.
• System Settings shows most of them by app name under General › Login Items (Login Items & Extensions on newer macOS), in Allow in the Background.

Switch one off or remove it

1. Easiest and reversible: switch it off under Allow in the Background in System Settings.
2. For an app you've removed: move its .plist to the Trash. Files in /Library ask for your password.
3. Restart, or log out and back in, so it stops running.

Only remove items you recognise as belonging to an app you don't want. Removing a security, backup or driver helper can stop that app working. Never remove anything starting com.apple..

For the simpler login-item settings, see how to remove login items.