Apple services

What is assistantd?

assistantd is the Siri daemon. When you use Siri, or dictation that needs Apple's servers, its traffic can show under assistantd. The Siri settings control it.

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

Short answer

Part of macOS. It is the Siri daemon, so Siri requests and dictation that need Apple's servers can show under it.

Safe to block

Safe to block if you don't use Siri, but Siri and server dictation stop. It's cleaner to turn Siri off in System Settings.

Path
/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/AssistantServices.framework/Versions/A/Support/assistantd
launchd label
com.apple.assistantd
Signing identifier
com.apple.assistantd

What it is

The man page calls it the “Siri Daemon” and says that it enables Siri features. It is in the AssistantServices framework of macOS, and launchd starts it for each user as com.apple.assistantd.

Apple lists guzzoni.apple.com for “Siri and dictation requests”, and *.smoot.apple.com for search services including Siri.

Apple doesn't document which Siri requests go to its servers and which stay on the Mac.

Why it uses the network

  • Siri requests. Some answers need information from the internet, for example weather or web results.
  • Dictation. Apple lists the same host for dictation requests as for Siri.
  • Search in Apple apps. Apple lists *.smoot.apple.com for search services, including Siri. Those requests can also show under parsecd.

How much is normal

When you use Siri, small requests are usual. Apple doesn't publish how much data Siri uses.

If you never use Siri, it should be quiet.

Some requests are handled by Apple Intelligence instead. Larger ones can go to Private Cloud Compute through privatecloudcomputed.

When it uses a lot, and why

  • Long dictation. Dictating long text, when it goes to Apple's servers, sends audio for as long as you speak.
  • Many Siri requests. Each request is a separate exchange. Apple doesn't document their size.

Is it safe to block?

Safe to block

Safe to block if you don't use Siri, but Siri and server dictation stop. It's cleaner to turn Siri off in System Settings.

What breaks if you block it

  • Siri can't answer requests that need Apple's servers.
  • Dictation that uses Apple's servers stops.
  • Apple doesn't document which Siri features work offline.

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 › Siri. In older versions, the name is Siri & Spotlight.

  2. Change how Siri listens, or turn Siri off if you don't use it.

  3. Don't quit assistantd in Activity Monitor. macOS starts it again.

See how much it uses

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

  2. Type assistantd 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 'assistantd' -P

With Kilobat

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

  4. Show its traffic over one day.

    kilobat bandwidth 'assistantd' 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.

guzzoni.apple.comApple's host for Siri and dictation requests.Apple →*.smoot.apple.comApple's search services, for suggestions in Siri, Spotlight, Look Up, Safari, News, Messages and Music.Apple →

What isn’t documented

Apple doesn't document which Siri requests stay on the Mac, or what assistantd sends when you aren't using Siri. Measure it with the steps on this page.

Questions

Does assistantd listen all the time?

The Siri settings decide how Siri listens. You can turn off voice activation there.

Is assistantd a virus?

No. It is in the AssistantServices framework of macOS, signed by Apple, and it has a man page. Open it with man assistantd.

Can I ask Siri about my network with Kilobat?

Yes. Say “Why is my internet slow in Kilobat?” and Siri answers from Kilobat's own checks.

Sources

Checked on 1 November 2026.