Apple services

What is apsd?

apsd keeps one connection open to the Apple Push Notification service (APNs). Apps, iMessage, FaceTime and iCloud use it to get notifications and wake-ups, so it is online whenever the Mac is.

Process: apsdMade by AppleApplies to: macOS 14 Sonoma and later. Checked on macOS 27.2.Checked: 1 November 2026

Short answer

Part of macOS. It keeps one connection open to Apple's push notification service, so apps and iCloud can tell the Mac that something changed.

Don’t block

Don't block it. Notifications, iMessage, FaceTime calls and iCloud updates all arrive through it.

Path
/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/ApplePushService.framework/apsd
launchd label
com.apple.apsd
Signing identifier
com.apple.apsd

What it is

The man page calls apsd the “Apple Push Notification service daemon”. It is part of the ApplePushService framework, and launchd starts it for the system as com.apple.apsd.

Apps don't hold their own connection for notifications. Apple's developer documentation says that apps register with APNs and get a device token. The server then sends to that token through APNs.

Apple Platform Security says that iMessage messages and phone call relay notifications are delivered through APNs, over a forward-secret TLS channel.

Why it uses the network

  • A connection that stays open. Apple says that devices use TCP port 5223 for APNs. Port 443 is the fallback when 5223 is blocked. Apple also lists port 2197.
  • Notifications. Messages, mail, calendar changes and app notifications arrive through it.
  • Wake-ups for sync. iCloud and apps use push to tell the Mac that new data is waiting. The data itself then comes through other processes.

How much is normal

A steady, small connection is how push notifications work. Its traffic is usually small.

It reconnects after the network changes, after sleep and when you switch Wi-Fi networks.

Repeated reconnections can mean that a firewall or proxy blocks port 5223.

When it uses a lot, and why

  • Many notifications. Busy group chats and apps that push often add many small messages. Each is limited in size.
  • A network that blocks port 5223. The connection falls back and reconnects more often. Apple's article explains the ports that a network must allow.

Is it safe to block?

Don’t block

Don't block it. Notifications, iMessage, FaceTime calls and iCloud updates all arrive through it.

What breaks if you block it

  • Notifications from apps stop arriving.
  • iMessage and FaceTime can't receive messages or calls, and phone calls on the Mac stop ringing.
  • iCloud services that wait for a push, such as new mail or calendar changes, update late or not at all.

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. Turn off notifications for apps that you don't need. Choose Apple menu › System Settings › Notifications.

  2. If you manage a network, allow TCP port 5223 to Apple. Apple lists the hosts and ports in its enterprise network article.

  3. Don't quit apsd in Activity Monitor. Notifications stop until macOS starts it again.

See how much it uses

  1. Open Activity Monitor from Applications › Utilities. Click Network.

  2. Type apsd in the search field. The Sent Bytes and Rcvd Bytes columns show what it moved since it started.

  3. In Terminal, watch only this process. Press d to show the change per second, and q to quit.

    nettop -p 'apsd' -P

With Kilobat

  1. In the Kilobat app list, search for apsd. 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 'apsd'

  4. Show its traffic over one day.

    kilobat bandwidth 'apsd' 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, Protection and the hotspot data saver.

Hosts it contacts

Apple and the maker document these hosts for this feature. A process can also contact others; Kilobat’s Connections tab shows what it actually opens on your Mac.

*.push.apple.comThe Apple Push Notification service (APNs). The Mac keeps one connection to it, so notifications, iMessage, FaceTime calls and iCloud changes can arrive.Apple →

Questions

Why don't I get notifications on a company network?

Apple says that devices need TCP port 5223 to Apple's network. Some company firewalls block it.

Does a proxy break push notifications?

Apple says that devices can reach APNs through an HTTP proxy, including one set with a proxy auto-config (PAC) file.

Why is apsd always connected?

Push notifications need one open connection, so that Apple's servers can reach the Mac at any time.

Sources

Checked on 1 November 2026.