# What is syspolicyd on Mac?

> syspolicyd is Gatekeeper: it checks apps the first time you open them. Why syspolicyd uses CPU on your Mac, and why it's busy for developers.

**Quick answer:** syspolicyd is Gatekeeper: it checks apps the first time you open them, to make sure they come from an identified developer and haven't been changed. It's part of macOS and safe; it's busy when you open a new or very large app.

From Bondi's Mac guide, reviewed by Noaman Khalil on October 10, 2026. Web page: https://trybondi.app/guide/syspolicyd/

syspolicyd is **Gatekeeper**: the part of macOS that checks apps the first time you open them, to make sure they come from an identified developer and haven't been tampered with. It's safe.

## Key points

- syspolicyd checks each app the first time it's opened.
- It gets busy when you open a new or very large app, or many at once.
- Leave it running: it's part of your Mac's security.

## What syspolicyd does

When you open an app you've just downloaded, syspolicyd checks its signature and, for apps from outside the App Store, whether Apple has notarized it. That's why a new app can take a moment to open the first time, and why some show a warning before they open.

## Why is syspolicyd using so much CPU?

Opening a new or very large app, or many at once. A big app (an IDE, a game, a creative suite) has a lot to check the first time.

In one reading of a MacBook Pro (M1 Max, 64 GB) on October 10, 2026, syspolicyd was running, but as a system process it can be measured only with administrator permission, which that reading didn't have.

Developers see it often: each freshly built app or command-line tool counts as new, so building and running code repeatedly keeps syspolicyd checking.

## Can I quit syspolicyd?

Leave it running: macOS needs it. It's part of what keeps unknown software from running unchecked.

## How to check it

1. Open **Activity Monitor**: press Command-Space, type "Activity Monitor" and press Return.
2. Type **syspolicyd** in the search field at the top right.
3. Look at **% CPU** and **Memory**.

## Questions

### Is syspolicyd a virus?

No. syspolicyd is part of macOS: it's Gatekeeper, which checks apps the first time you open them.

### Why is syspolicyd using so much CPU?

You've opened a new or very large app, or several at once. If you build software, each new build is checked too. It settles once the checks are done.

### Can I disable syspolicyd?

No, and you wouldn't want to: it's part of the Mac's protection against unsafe apps.

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