macOS processes › Core system
What is distnoted on Mac?
distnoted delivers distributed notifications, short messages that apps and system services broadcast to each other, for example when a setting changes or a device connects. These aren't the alerts you see on screen.
What it does
When an app posts a distributed notification, distnoted passes it to every process that asked to hear about it. A separate copy runs for each account that needs one, including the hidden accounts macOS uses for its own services, so seeing a dozen or more copies is normal. On-screen notifications are handled by usernoted instead.
Why it gets busy
- An app posting notifications in a tight loop, often because of a bug.
- Many apps listening for the same frequent notification.
- An app that leaks registrations over a long uptime, which makes distnoted's memory grow.
Why is distnoted using so much CPU?
distnoted is only as busy as the apps using it. If it's high, one app is broadcasting or listening far too often, and quitting apps one at a time will reveal it.
Is it safe to quit?
macOS restarts it, but apps lose their notification registrations and can behave oddly until you log out and back in.
How to calm it down
- Quit open apps one at a time and watch distnoted's CPU in Activity Monitor. The app whose quit makes it drop is the cause.
- Update that app, or remove it if it's no longer maintained.
- Log out and back in to reset your copy of distnoted cleanly.
In SystemWatch
SystemWatch combines every distnoted copy into one row, and its History lets you compare that row with each app over the same hours to find the noisy one.
