macOS processes

What is Autoupdate (Sparkle) on Mac?

Autoupdate is part of Sparkle, an open source update framework that many Mac apps use. In most apps, the app itself downloads the update.

Process: AutoupdateProcess: UpdaterProcess: DownloaderApplies to: Apps that use Sparkle, on all current macOS versions. Seen on macOS 27.2.Checked: 29 October 2026

Where you see it

Autoupdate is in the list in Activity Monitor › Network, in nettop or in Kilobat.
A firewall or network monitor asks if Autoupdate can connect.
Its signing identifier starts with Autoupdate or org.sparkle-project.

What it is

Sparkle's documentation says that it checks for updates in the background once every 24 hours by default. The app reads a feed of versions, called an appcast.

Sparkle's installer tools, such as Autoupdate, install the update after the download. Sandboxed apps can use a separate Downloader service.

Why it uses the network

Update checks and downloads. The app checks its appcast and downloads new versions. This traffic usually shows under the app itself.
A Downloader service. Sparkle says that sandboxed apps without network access use a Downloader XPC service.

Is it normal?

Yes. Each app that uses Sparkle checks for its own updates.

See how much it uses

Open Activity Monitor from Applications > Utilities. Click Network.
Type Autoupdate in the search field. The Sent Bytes and Rcvd Bytes columns show what it moved.
In Terminal, watch only this process. Press d to show the change per second, and q to quit.
```
nettop -p Autoupdate -P
```
Look at the app itself in the same list. Most of the update traffic is there.

Reduce or pause it safely

Open the app's settings. Many apps that use Sparkle have options to check for and download updates automatically.
Turn off automatic downloads while you are on a hotspot. Update later on your usual network.

With Kilobat

Open the Kilobat app list and search for Autoupdate. Its row shows the live rate and the bytes it moved.
kilobat updaters lists the apps that update from inside their own process. Kilobat cannot pause those separately.
In Terminal, see the same live list. Press / and type the name to search.
```
kilobat status --watch
```
Show its traffic over one day. Names match kilobat report --summary.
```
kilobat bandwidth Autoupdate day
```
Through MCP, an AI agent gets the same history with get_app_bandwidth and the name Autoupdate.
With Pro and the network filter, Kilobat pauses this updater on metered networks. The app keeps working. See Stop updates from using hotspot data.
```
kilobat updaters
```
The live view is free. History in the app needs Pro. Kilobat records history only while the app runs.

Questions

Is Autoupdate from Apple?

No. It comes from Sparkle, an open source framework. Each app that uses Sparkle includes its own copy.

Sources

Sparkle documentation: Basic setup
Sparkle documentation: Sandboxing
nettop(1), man page installed with macOS 27.2
Kilobat docs: Pausing updaters on metered networks

Sources checked on 29 October 2026. Man pages are the ones installed with macOS; open one with man <name> in Terminal.