Fix installd high CPU and memory usage in macOS

What is installd on Mac?

Most Mac users never see installd until something goes sideways. One moment your Mac is quiet, the next the fans roar, everything lags, and Activity Monitor shows installd chewing through CPU and memory for no obvious reason.

At a technical level, installd is the macOS software installation daemon. It’s part of Apple’s PackageKit framework and is responsible for installing and updating software — from Mac App Store apps to system components and many third-party package installers.

Whenever you:

• install a new app from the Mac App Store;
• update existing apps;
• apply macOS updates; or
• run a .pkg or .mpkg installer,

macOS quietly asks installd to do the heavy lifting in the background. It verifies signatures, unpacks payloads, writes files to their destinations, and updates internal receipts so the system knows what’s installed and which version.

In other words, installd is legitimate and expected. Short CPU spikes while apps or updates are installing are completely normal. The problem starts when installd stays at the top of Activity Monitor after the install should be over, or when the daemon keeps re-appearing and monopolizing resources without any visible installer window in sight.

What makes installd start hogging CPU and memory?

Under normal conditions, installd is a short-lived worker: it spins up, completes an installation task, and exits. When it refuses to settle down, something is keeping it busy behind the scenes. Common triggers include:

• Ongoing macOS or app updates
  Large OS updates, Xcode, pro apps, and big games can keep installd busy for a while. Over slow or unstable connections, this can feel like an eternity.
  
• Stuck App Store downloads or pending updates
  If the App Store gets wedged in a half-downloaded state, installd may loop trying to validate or resume damaged payloads over and over again.
  
• Corrupt installer caches or receipts
  Broken PackageKit metadata, damaged App Store caches, or partial installers in /Library/Updates can make installd believe there’s still something to finish, so it never really stops.
  
• Disk or filesystem issues
  Failing storage or a very full disk can cause install operations to stall or repeatedly retry, which in turn keeps installd pinned to the CPU.
  
• Third-party security or management tools
  Some endpoint protection suites and MDM agents hook into the install pipeline to scan each new file or enforce policies. If they misbehave, installd ends up throttled by constant callbacks.
  
• Adware or PUA re-install loops
  In a less obvious twist, some potentially unwanted apps abuse launch agents and background tasks to reinstall components on every login. That constant churn can drag installd into the picture far more often than it should.
  

From a broader perspective, the daemon itself is rarely “broken”. It’s usually reacting to a loop, a corrupt state, or an aggressive third-party tool. The good news is that most of these scenarios are fixable without drastic measures.

Quick checks before diving deeper

Before you start killing processes or wiping caches, it’s worth confirming whether installd is doing something genuinely useful:

1. Ask yourself what changed recently
   • Did you just trigger a macOS update?
   • Are apps updating from the Mac App Store?
   • Did you run a .pkg installer a few minutes ago?
2. Glance at the App Store and Software Update
   • Open App Store → Updates and see if anything is still downloading or installing.
   • Go to System Settings → General → Software Update and check for pending OS updates in progress.
3. Give it a few minutes
   • When installd is unpacking or verifying a huge payload, a temporary CPU spike is normal. If it drops back down and stays low, you’re probably fine.

If installd sits near the top of the CPU list for extended periods with no visible installs in progress, or your Mac is almost unusable, it’s time for more decisive steps.

How to fix installd high CPU and memory usage on Mac

If installd keeps bogging down your Mac, work through the following steps in order. In many cases, you’ll find relief long before you reach the more advanced ones.

Step 1. Confirm installd in Activity Monitor

1. Open Finder → Applications → Utilities → Activity Monitor.
2. On the CPU tab, click the % CPU column header to sort processes by usage.
3. Look for installd near the top of the list.
4. Switch to the Memory tab and check whether it’s also consuming an outsized amount of RAM.

If installd only spikes sporadically and quickly drops, it may just be handling background updates. Persistent high CPU (e.g., 80–150% on a multi-core system) with nothing obviously installing is your red flag.

Step 2. Let legitimate installs finish or cancel what’s stuck

Sometimes the “fix” is simply to stop fighting a normal update or to unstick one that got wedged.

1. Open the App Store and go to the Updates section.
2. If you see apps listed as Installing… or Waiting… for an unusually long time:
   • Click the small stop or x icon next to them to cancel.
   • Quit and relaunch the App Store, then try the update again later.
3. Go to System Settings → General → Software Update.
   • If a macOS update is clearly in progress (e.g., “Preparing…” or “Installing…”), give it reasonable time to complete.
   • If it appears stuck for hours with no progress, restart your Mac and check again.

Misbehaving background updates are one of the most common reasons installd keeps hammering the CPU.

Step 3. Restart installd and related services

If nothing appears to be installing but installd still won’t calm down, you can give the daemon a gentle nudge.

Option A: Regular reboot (recommended first)

1. Save your work and close open applications.
2. Click the Apple menu → Restart….
3. After reboot, open Activity Monitor again and check whether installd has settled.

Option B: Kill installd from Terminal (for advanced users)

If a reboot doesn’t help and you’re comfortable with the command line:

1. Open Terminal from Applications → Utilities.
2. Run the following command:
   sudo killall -1 installd
   
3. Enter your admin password when prompted (you won’t see it echoed).

This sends a polite signal to all running installd instances, allowing them to exit and restart cleanly. It’s a commonly used method to clear leftover installd jobs that block new installations.

Important: Avoid interrupting installd in the middle of a clearly active macOS update or critical installer. If you’re not sure what’s going on, a full restart is safer than surgical kills.

Step 4. Clear installer and App Store caches

Corrupted or stale caches can trap installd in a loop where it keeps validating broken payloads. Clearing them forces macOS and the App Store to rebuild a clean state.

1. In Finder, click Go → Go to Folder… (or press Command–Shift–G).
2. One by one, paste the following paths and press Return each time:
   • ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.appstore
   • ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.appstoreagent
   • ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports (to clear old crash logs tied to installers)
3. In each folder:
   • Select the contents (not the folder itself) and move them to the Trash.
4. Empty the Trash.
5. Restart your Mac and monitor installd activity again.

If you often install apps from third-party .pkg files, it can also help to clean up leftover items in /Library/Updates (again, only contents, not the folder). Be cautious and only remove clearly stale or old entries.

Step 5. Check disk health and free space

Long-running install tasks on a nearly full or damaged disk are a surefire way to keep installd busy.

1. Click the Apple menu → About This Mac → More Info → Storage (or open System Settings → General → Storage in newer macOS versions).
2. Make sure you have at least 15–20% free space on your system volume.
   • If space is critically low, delete or offload large files you don’t need immediately (VMs, old Xcode archives, large media).
3. Open Disk Utility from Applications → Utilities.
4. Select your system volume and click First Aid. Run it to check and repair filesystem errors.

If Disk Utility reports persistent problems with your drive, that’s a bigger issue than installd alone and can absolutely cause install loops or failures.

Step 6. Update macOS and apps

Ironically, one of the best ways to stop installd misbehaving is to let it do its job properly. Apple occasionally ships bug fixes that address background daemon issues, including PackageKit-related glitches.

1. Go to System Settings → General → Software Update.
2. Install any available macOS updates.
3. Open the App Store → Updates and bring your installed apps up to date.

If installd was hitting a known bug in your current build, moving to a newer version often solves the problem in one go.

Step 7. Scan your Mac for adware and PUA

While installd itself is not malware, persistent install-like activity can be a symptom of adware or potentially unwanted applications trying to:

• reinstall themselves after removal;
• drop helper tools and browser components; or
• piggyback on software updates to maintain persistence.

It’s worth checking your Mac for shady launch agents, configuration profiles, and login items that might be driving repeated install activity in the background. The manual cleanup section below walks through that process step by step.

How to prevent installd-related performance issues on Mac

You can’t uninstall installd — nor should you — but you can reduce the odds of it spinning out of control again.

• Keep macOS and apps up to date: Apple and app vendors regularly fix bugs that cause background daemons to misbehave. Apply updates promptly, but ideally when you’re plugged in and not in a hurry.
• Avoid sketchy installers and bundles: Steer clear of “free” apps from random sites, download portals, and pirated software. These are classic vehicles for adware and PUA that tamper with installers.
• Leave enough free disk space: Maintain at least 15–20% free on your system volume so updates and installs don’t struggle with space constraints.
• Don’t overload your Mac with overlapping security tools: Running several antivirus or “optimizer” apps side by side can create a tug-of-war around system daemons like installd. Stick with one reputable security solution.
• Check Activity Monitor when things feel off: If your Mac suddenly sounds like a jet engine, make it a habit to glance at Activity Monitor. Catching a resource hog early is half the battle.

The bottom line

Installd isn’t the villain here. It’s a core macOS component that quietly keeps installs and updates on track. But when underlying glitches, bad caches, or dubious third-party software throw a thick spanner in the works, this daemon can end up monopolizing CPU and memory to the point where your Mac becomes barely usable.

If that’s your current reality, don’t panic. Work through the practical steps above: confirm the process, free stuck updates, restart installd cleanly, clear caches, check disk health, and eliminate unwanted background software. In most cases, a mix of these actions will bring your Mac’s performance back to normal without compromising system stability or future updates.

FAQ

1. Is installd a virus or malware?

2. Is it safe to force-quit installd?

3. Why is installd running even when I’m not installing anything?

4. Can I delete the installd file to stop it forever?