Nearby devices

What is sharingd?

sharingd runs AirDrop, Handoff, Instant Hotspot and the shared computers in the Finder. AirDrop transfers can show under it. They go straight between the devices, not over the internet.

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

Short answer

Part of macOS. It runs AirDrop, Handoff, Instant Hotspot discovery and the shared computers in the Finder. AirDrop transfers can show under it.

Block with care

Blocking it is safe for your internet data, but AirDrop, Handoff and Instant Hotspot discovery may stop working.

Path
/usr/libexec/sharingd
launchd label
com.apple.sharingd
Signing identifier
com.apple.sharingd

What it is

The man page says that the Finder uses sharingd for AirDrop, Handoff, Instant Hotspot discovery, shared computers and Remote Disc.

It first appeared in Mac OS X 10.9. The program is /usr/libexec/sharingd, and launchd starts it for each user as com.apple.sharingd.

Apple Platform Security says that AirDrop uses Bluetooth Low Energy and Apple's peer-to-peer Wi-Fi. The devices talk directly, without an internet connection or a Wi-Fi access point, and the connection is encrypted with TLS.

Why it uses the network

  • AirDrop. AirDrop sends files directly between devices over a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi link.
  • Discovery. It finds nearby devices for AirDrop, Handoff and Instant Hotspot.
  • Shared computers. The Finder sidebar lists other computers on the network, and sharingd helps find them.

How much is normal

Traffic during an AirDrop transfer is usual. It is about as large as the files you send or receive.

It doesn't use your internet connection for AirDrop. Kilobat shows AirDrop traffic apart from internet traffic.

Between transfers, its traffic is small.

When it uses a lot, and why

  • An AirDrop transfer. Sending a video or a folder over AirDrop moves the whole file. The link is direct, so it is fast and local.
  • Receiving from a nearby device. Files someone sends to this Mac over AirDrop arrive the same way, in full, over the direct link.

Is it safe to block?

Block with care

Blocking it is safe for your internet data, but AirDrop, Handoff and Instant Hotspot discovery may stop working.

What breaks if you block it

  • AirDrop can't find devices or send files.
  • Handoff and Instant Hotspot discovery may stop.
  • Shared computers in the Finder sidebar may not appear.

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. Open Control Center and click AirDrop. Choose Contacts Only, or turn AirDrop off.

  2. For the other settings, choose Apple menu › System Settings › General › AirDrop & Continuity.

  3. If AirDrop causes latency spikes in calls or games, read AirDrop, AWDL and latency spikes in games and calls.

  4. Don't quit sharingd in Activity Monitor. macOS starts it again.

See how much it uses

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

  2. Type sharingd 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 'sharingd' -P

With Kilobat

  1. Kilobat shows AirDrop and other nearby-device traffic apart from internet traffic. It doesn't count toward data budgets.

  2. The Wi-Fi menu shows whether the AirDrop link is active and AirDrop's visibility. One click pauses it.

  3. In Connections, click ⓘ on one of its rows. The popover shows this answer without going online.

  4. Ask the same question in Terminal.

    kilobat explain sharingd

  5. Through MCP, an AI agent asks explain_connection, or reads the AirDrop state with get_nearby_radios.

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.

Questions

Does AirDrop use my internet data?

No. Apple says that AirDrop sends files directly between the devices without an internet connection. Kilobat shows it apart from internet traffic.

What does Contacts Only change?

Apple Platform Security says that in Contacts Only mode, a Mac answers an AirDrop request only when the sender is in its Contacts. Otherwise it doesn't respond.

Why does sharingd ask for incoming connections?

Nearby devices connect to it for AirDrop and Handoff. Allow it if you use those features.

Sources

Checked on 1 November 2026.