--- title: "analyticsd: what it is, what it collects, and whether to block it · Kilobat" url: "https://kilobat.app/processes/analyticsd" description: "analyticsd collects diagnostics and usage data on a Mac for people who opted in. What Apple says it does, how to turn sharing off, and what blocking it changes." --- Diagnostics, analytics and ads # What is analyticsd? `analyticsd` collects diagnostics and usage data locally for users who opted in. Turning off Share Mac Analytics stops your Mac from sending it. Process: `analyticsd` · Made by Apple · Applies to: macOS 14 Sonoma and later. Checked on macOS 27.2. · Checked: 1 November 2026 ## Short answer Part of macOS. It collects diagnostics and usage data on the Mac for users who opted in to sharing analytics. Safe to block Safe to block. Apple just stops getting your analytics. Turning off Share Mac Analytics does the same thing cleanly. Path `/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreAnalytics.framework/Support/analyticsd` launchd label `com.apple.analyticsd` Signing identifier `com.apple.analyticsd` ## What it is The man page says that `analyticsd` “is a system daemon that collects diagnostics and usage data locally for users that have opted in”. It has no options, and users should not run it manually. It is in the CoreAnalytics framework. Its launchd property list runs it as the `_analyticsd` user. The man page describes collection on the Mac. Apple's analytics article says what is shared, and that you choose whether to share. ## Why it uses the network - **Collecting, then sharing.** The man page says that it collects data locally. Sharing with Apple happens only if you opted in to Share Mac Analytics. - **Not documented in detail.** The man page doesn't say whether `analyticsd` itself uploads, or hands data to another process such as [`SubmitDiagInfo`](https://kilobat.app/processes/reportcrash). ## How much is normal Little network traffic is usual. Most of its work is local. If you didn't opt in, it shouldn't send analytics to Apple. Analytics shared with Apple are small next to updates and sync. Apple says that personal data is either not logged, protected with techniques such as differential privacy, or removed before reports are sent. ## When it uses a lot, and why - **Not documented as heavy.** Apple documents no large transfers for `analyticsd`. If you see them, check the remote addresses with `lsof`. ## Is it safe to block? Safe to block Safe to block. Apple just stops getting your analytics. Turning off Share Mac Analytics does the same thing cleanly. What breaks if you block it - Apple stops getting your diagnostic and usage data. - Nothing that you use on the Mac depends on sending analytics. Blocking means a firewall rule that refuses its connections. Don’t quit or disable a macOS process to save data: macOS starts it again, and other features depend on it. ## Reduce its use 1. Choose Apple menu › System Settings › Privacy & Security. Click Analytics & Improvements. 2. Turn off Share Mac Analytics. 3. Turn off Share with app developers and the other options there too, if you want. 4. Don't quit `analyticsd` in Activity Monitor. macOS starts it again. ## See how much it uses 1. Open Activity Monitor from Applications › Utilities. Click Network, then search for `analyticsd`. 2. In Terminal, list its open network connections, if any. ``` sudo lsof -nP -i -a -c analyticsd ``` Needs an administrator password. ## With Kilobat 1. In the Kilobat app list, search for `analyticsd`. Its row shows the live rate and what it moved today. 2. In Connections, click the ⓘ button on one of its rows. The popover shows this page’s short answer, without going online. 3. In Terminal, ask the same question. Add `--json` for scripts and agents. ``` kilobat explain 'analyticsd' ``` 4. Show its traffic over one day. ``` kilobat bandwidth 'analyticsd' day ``` 5. Through MCP, an AI agent asks `explain_connection` with the process name. It gets the same facts. The live view and the explanations are free. History in the app needs Kilobat Pro. Blocking needs Pro and the network filter: see the [network filter](https://kilobat.app/docs/blocking#filtering), [Protection](https://kilobat.app/docs/blocking#protection) and the [hotspot data saver](https://kilobat.app/save-hotspot-data). ## What isn’t documented Apple doesn't document which process uploads analytics, or how often. This page describes the man page and the analytics setting. ## Questions **Does analyticsd send my files to Apple?** The man page says that it collects diagnostics and usage data. Apple's analytics article describes what is shared when you opt in. **What does analytics data contain?** Apple says that it contains your Mac's hardware and software specifications, connected devices and the versions of macOS and apps. ## Sources - analyticsd(8), man page installed with macOS 27.2 - launchd property list com.apple.analyticsd, macOS 27.2 - [Apple Support: Share analytics information from your Mac with Apple](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/share-analytics-information-mac-mh27990/mac) Checked on 1 November 2026. ## Related - [SubmitDiagInfo](https://kilobat.app/processes/reportcrash): Part of macOS. ReportCrash saves crash reports on the Mac. SubmitDiagInfo sends diagnostic and usage information to Apple, but only if you opted in. - [adprivacyd](https://kilobat.app/processes/adprivacyd): Part of macOS. It manages advertising privacy for Apple's own ads in the App Store, Apple News and Stocks, including your opt-out from personalized ads. - [symptomsd](https://kilobat.app/processes/symptomsd): Part of macOS, barely documented. Apple says only that it provides services for the Symptom Framework. It runs as the networking user and reacts to network changes.