macOS processes › Menu bar and interface
What is Notification Center on Mac?
Notification Center, the NotificationCenter process, shows your notifications and widgets, both in the panel that slides in from the right and on the desktop. It's safe to quit, and macOS restarts it.
What it does
It draws notification banners and alerts, the Notification Center panel, and widgets you've placed on the desktop or in the panel. The content of each widget comes from that app's widget extension; NotificationCenter displays it.
Why it gets busy
- Many widgets, especially ones that refresh often, like stocks, weather or calendars.
- iPhone widgets on the Mac, which update from your phone.
- A flood of notifications from one app.
- Memory growth over a long uptime, which restarting the process resets.
Why is Notification Center using so much CPU?
Notification Center is drawing notifications and widgets. Lots of frequently refreshing widgets or a flood of notifications keeps it busy, so remove widgets you don't need.
Is it safe to quit?
macOS restarts it at once. Notifications and widgets reappear.
How to calm it down
- Remove widgets you don't use: Control-click the desktop and choose Edit Widgets.
- If you don't use iPhone widgets on your Mac, turn them off in System Settings › Desktop & Dock.
- Turn off notifications from chatty apps in System Settings › Notifications.
- Quit it in Activity Monitor if its memory has grown. It comes back fresh.
In SystemWatch
SystemWatch knows Notification Center's usual memory use and points out when it's well above that, a good sign that a quick restart will help.
