--- title: "rapportd: what it is, why it uses the network, and whether to block it · Kilobat" url: "https://kilobat.app/processes/rapportd" description: "rapportd lets a Mac talk to your other Apple devices for Handoff and phone calls. What its traffic is, what is normal, and what breaks if you block it." --- Nearby devices # What is rapportd? `rapportd` lets your Mac talk to your other Apple devices. Its traffic is mostly on the local network, to your iPhone, iPad or other Macs, not to the internet. Process: `rapportd` · 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 connects this Mac to your other Apple devices on the local network for Handoff, phone calls and other Continuity features. Block with care Blocking it is safe for the internet, but Handoff and other features between your Apple devices stop. Path `/usr/libexec/rapportd` launchd label `com.apple.rapportd` Signing identifier `com.apple.rapportd` ## What it is The man page says that `rapportd` enables “Phone Call Handoff and other communication features between Apple devices”. The program is `/usr/libexec/rapportd`. launchd starts it as `com.apple.rapportd`, both for the system and for each user. On a test Mac, `lsof` showed that `rapportd` listens on a TCP port and connects to another Apple device on the same network. That is why firewalls ask about incoming connections for it. ## Why it uses the network - **Your other Apple devices.** It connects to devices that use the same Apple Account, on the local network. - **Continuity features.** Handoff, phone calls on the Mac and other features between your devices use it. Apple's Handoff article says that the devices need Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and the same Apple Account. ## How much is normal Small amounts of local traffic are usual when you have other Apple devices nearby. Apple doesn't document how much data each feature uses. Its connections on the test Mac went to devices on the same network, so they don't count against an internet data plan. An incoming-connection prompt from the macOS firewall or another firewall is expected. It listens for your devices. ## When it uses a lot, and why - **Several devices on one network.** Each of your Macs, iPhones and iPads can talk to the others. More devices mean more small connections. - **Handoff and calls.** Using Handoff or answering phone calls on the Mac makes it talk to the iPhone. ## Is it safe to block? Block with care Blocking it is safe for the internet, but Handoff and other features between your Apple devices stop. What breaks if you block it - Handoff between this Mac and your other devices stops. - Phone call handoff and other Continuity features that need it may stop. - Blocking incoming connections for it in the macOS firewall has the same effect on the features that listen. 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 › General › AirDrop & Continuity. 2. Turn off Allow Handoff if you don't use it. 3. Other Continuity features have their own settings. Turn off only the ones that you don't use. 4. Don't quit `rapportd` in Activity Monitor. macOS starts it again. ## See how much it uses 1. Open Activity Monitor from Applications › Utilities. Click Network, then search for `rapportd`. 2. In Terminal, list its open network connections. The remote addresses show which devices it talks to. ``` lsof -nP -i -a -c rapportd ``` ## With Kilobat 1. In the Kilobat app list, search for `rapportd`. 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 'rapportd' ``` 4. Show its traffic over one day. ``` kilobat bandwidth 'rapportd' 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). ## Questions **Should I allow rapportd in my firewall?** If you use Handoff or calls on the Mac, allow it. It is part of macOS, signed by Apple. **Does rapportd use internet data?** On the test Mac, its connections went to devices on the local network. Apple doesn't document all its connections. ## Sources - rapportd(8), man page installed with macOS 27.2 - launchd property list com.apple.rapportd, macOS 27.2 - lsof(8), man page installed with macOS 27.2 - [Apple Support: Hand off tasks between Apple devices](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/hand-off-tasks-between-devices-mchl732d3c0a/mac) - [Apple Platform Security: Continuity security overview](https://support.apple.com/guide/security/continuity-security-overview-secce267dc10/web) Checked on 1 November 2026. ## Related - [sharingd](https://kilobat.app/processes/sharingd): Part of macOS. It runs AirDrop, Handoff, Instant Hotspot discovery and the shared computers in the Finder. AirDrop transfers can show under it. - [identityservicesd](https://kilobat.app/processes/identityservicesd): Part of macOS. It is the client of the Apple Identity Service, which finds the keys and devices of the people you message or call. - [callservicesd](https://kilobat.app/processes/callservicesd): Part of macOS. callservicesd keeps the state of calls, and CommCenter lets the Mac make and receive phone calls through your iPhone. - [wifip2pd](https://kilobat.app/processes/wifip2pd): Part of macOS. It manages peer-to-peer Wi-Fi, the direct link that AirDrop and other nearby-device features use. - [The macOS firewall blocks incoming connections](https://kilobat.app/guides/macos-firewall-incoming) - [An app cannot find devices on the local network](https://kilobat.app/guides/local-network-permission)