Every name in Procession’s guide
208 apps, helpers and parts of macOS you might meet in Activity Monitor, each in plain English with what happens if you close it. These are Procession’s own words, as the app shows them.
Part of macOS 131
-
accountsdApple Account○ Leave it -
airportdWi-Fi○ Leave it -
amfidCode signing checks○ Leave it -
anedMachine learning○ Leave it -
appstoreagentApp Store updates○ Leave it -
appstoredApp Store downloads○ Leave it -
apsdPush notifications○ Leave it -
audioaccessorydAirPods and hearing○ Leave it -
audiomxdAudio routing○ Leave it -
avconferencedCalls and FaceTime○ Leave it -
AXVisualSupportAgentAccessibility visuals○ Leave it -
backupdTime Machine○ Leave it -
biomedActivity history○ Leave it -
birdiCloud Drive○ Leave it -
bluetoothdBluetooth○ Leave it -
calaccessdCalendars and contacts○ Leave it -
cameracapturedCamera○ Leave it -
cfprefsdSettings store○ Leave it -
clouddiCloud sync○ Leave it -
cloudphotodiCloud Photos○ Leave it -
com.apple.appkit.xpc.openAndSavePanelServiceOpen and Save windows○ Leave it -
com.apple.Safari…Safari helper○ Leave it -
com.apple.WebKit.NetworkingWeb helper◐ Close the app instead -
com.apple.WebKit.WebContent…Web page◐ Close the app instead -
configdNetwork settings○ Leave it -
ControlCenterControl Centre○ Leave it -
coreaudiodSound○ Leave it -
corebrightnessdDisplay○ Leave it -
coreservicesdApp launching○ Leave it -
corespotlightdSpotlight for apps○ Leave it -
cronScheduled housekeeping○ Leave it -
cupsdPrinting○ Leave it -
CVMServerGraphics compiler○ Leave it -
dasdBackground scheduler○ Leave it -
deletedStorage clean-up○ Leave it -
DictationIMSpeech and dictation○ Leave it -
diskarbitrationdDisks○ Leave it -
distnotedSystem messages○ Leave it -
DockThe Dock○ Leave it -
dynamic_pagerSwap manager○ Leave it -
endpointsecuritydSecurity tool support○ Leave it -
fileproviderdCloud files○ Leave it -
FinderFinder○ Leave it -
findmy…Find My○ Leave it -
fontdFonts○ Leave it -
fseventsdFile change tracker○ Leave it -
gamedGames○ Leave it -
hiddKeyboard and trackpad○ Leave it -
identityservicesdMessages and FaceTime○ Leave it -
installdApp installer○ Leave it -
intelligenceflowdApple Intelligence○ Leave it -
intelligenceplatformdApple Intelligence○ Leave it -
kernel_taskThe core of macOS○ Leave it -
kernelmanagerdSystem extensions○ Leave it -
launchdThe process starter○ Leave it -
locationdLocation○ Leave it -
lockdownmodedLockdown Mode○ Leave it -
logdSystem log○ Leave it -
loginwindowYour login session○ Leave it -
maildMail in the background○ Leave it -
mdbulkimportSpotlight importer○ Leave it -
mdmclientDevice management○ Leave it -
mDNSResponderNetwork names○ Leave it -
mdsSpotlight○ Leave it -
mds_storesSpotlight store○ Leave it -
mdworker_sharedSpotlight indexer○ Leave it -
mediaanalysisdMedia analysis○ Leave it -
mediaremotedNow Playing○ Leave it -
mobileassetdSystem downloads○ Leave it -
MTLCompilerServiceGraphics compiler○ Leave it -
musicdMusic and device sync○ Leave it -
naturallanguagedLanguage and translation○ Leave it -
NotificationCenterNotification Centre○ Leave it -
nsurlsessiondBackground downloads○ Leave it -
oahdRosetta○ Leave it -
ocspdCertificate checks○ Leave it -
opendirectorydUser accounts○ Leave it -
parentalcontrolsdFamily controls○ Leave it -
pboardClipboard○ Leave it -
photoanalysisdPhoto analysis○ Leave it -
photolibrarydPhotos library○ Leave it -
PIPAgentPicture in Picture○ Leave it -
powerdPower and battery○ Leave it -
privatecloudcomputedPrivate Cloud Compute○ Leave it -
quicklookdQuick Look○ Leave it -
QuickLookUIServiceQuick Look○ Leave it -
rapportdNearby devices○ Leave it -
replaydScreen recording○ Leave it -
ReportCrashCrash reports○ Leave it -
ReportMemoryExceptionProblem reports○ Leave it -
runningboarddApp lifecycle○ Leave it -
screencaptureuiScreenshots○ Leave it -
screensharingdScreen Sharing○ Leave it -
ScreenTime…Screen Time○ Leave it -
securitydKeychain and security○ Leave it -
sharingdAirDrop and sharing○ Leave it -
siri…Siri○ Leave it -
smbdFile Sharing○ Leave it -
socketfilterfwFirewall○ Leave it -
softwareupdatedSoftware Update○ Leave it -
SoftwareUpdateNotificationManagerUpdate reminders○ Leave it -
spindumpHang reporter○ Leave it -
SpotlightSpotlight search window○ Leave it -
spotlightknowledged…Spotlight knowledge○ Leave it -
ssh-agentSSH keys○ Leave it -
sshd…Remote Login○ Leave it -
suggestdSuggestions○ Leave it -
symptomsd…Network health○ Leave it -
sysmondSystem statistics○ Leave it -
syspolicydGatekeeper○ Leave it -
SystemUIServerMenu bar items○ Leave it -
tccdPrivacy permissions○ Leave it -
TextInputMenuAgentKeyboard and typing○ Leave it -
textunderstandingdText understanding○ Leave it -
thermalmonitordTemperature○ Leave it -
timemachinehelperTime Machine○ Leave it -
TouchBarServerTouch Bar○ Leave it -
trialdFeature settings○ Leave it -
trustdCertificate checks○ Leave it -
universalaccessdAccessibility○ Leave it -
UniversalControlUniversal Control○ Leave it -
useractivitydHandoff○ Leave it -
usernotedNotification delivery○ Leave it -
VirtualisationVirtualisation○ Leave it -
VoiceOverAccessibility○ Leave it -
VTDecoderXPCServiceVideo decoding○ Leave it -
Wallpaper…Wallpaper○ Leave it -
weatherdApple app service○ Leave it -
WindowManagerStage Manager○ Leave it -
WindowServerScreen drawing○ Leave it -
XProtect…Malware protection○ Leave it
In the background 29
-
AdobeCRDaemonAdobe background service● Safe to close -
com.apple.Virtualization.VirtualMachineLinux virtual machine◐ Close the app instead -
Creative CloudAdobe Creative Cloud◐ Close the app instead -
figma_agentFigma font helper● Safe to close -
GoogleUpdater…Google Updater● Safe to close -
IPNExtensionTailscale◐ Close the app instead -
jamfJamf○ Leave it -
limactlLima controller◐ Close the app instead -
logioptionsplus_agent…Logi Options+ agent● Safe to close -
LogiPluginService…Logi plug-in service● Safe to close -
LogiRightSight…Logitech camera framing● Safe to close -
Microsoft AutoUpdate…Microsoft AutoUpdate● Safe to close -
Microsoft Update Assistant…Microsoft Update Assistant● Safe to close -
nodeNode.js tool◐ Close the app instead -
npm toolnpm tool◐ Close the app instead -
postgresDeveloper database or server◐ Close the app instead -
Python programPython program◐ Close the app instead -
QEMULauncherUTM virtual machine◐ Close the app instead -
RTProtectionDaemonMalwarebytes○ Leave it -
Simulator serviceSimulator service◐ Close the app instead -
sshSecure connection◐ Close the app instead -
Teams agentTeams agent● Safe to close -
Teams audio driverTeams audio driver○ Leave it -
vmware-vmxVMware Fusion machine◐ Close the app instead -
watchmanFolder watcher● Safe to close -
wdavdaemonMicrosoft Defender○ Leave it -
Xcode device serviceXcode device service○ Leave it -
ZoomAutoUpdaterZoom updater● Safe to close -
zshTerminal shell◐ Close the app instead
Parts of apps 11
-
Claude Code sessionClaude Code session◐ Close the app instead -
Claude Helper…Claude window◐ Close the app instead -
com.docker.…Docker service◐ Close the app instead -
CptHostZoom screen sharing◐ Close the app instead -
fsnotifierJetBrains file watcher◐ Close the app instead -
Google Chrome HelperChrome service◐ Close the app instead -
Google Chrome Helper (GPU)Chrome graphics◐ Close the app instead -
Google Chrome Helper (Renderer)Chrome tab◐ Close the app instead -
Microsoft Teams WebView…Teams web view◐ Close the app instead -
plugin-containerFirefox tab group◐ Close the app instead -
SourceKitServiceXcode build tools◐ Close the app instead
Apps 37
-
1Password…1Password● Safe to close -
Activity MonitorActivity Monitor● Safe to close -
ArcArc● Safe to close -
BraveBrave● Safe to close -
ClaudeClaude● Safe to close -
CursorCursor● Safe to close -
DiscordDiscord● Safe to close -
Docker DesktopDocker Desktop◐ Close the app instead -
Dropbox…Dropbox● Safe to close -
FigmaFigma● Safe to close -
FirefoxFirefox● Safe to close -
GitHub DesktopGitHub Desktop● Safe to close -
Google ChromeGoogle Chrome● Safe to close -
Google DriveGoogle Drive● Safe to close -
ideaJetBrains IDE● Safe to close -
LauncherLauncher● Safe to close -
Microsoft EdgeMicrosoft Edge● Safe to close -
Microsoft Office appMicrosoft Office app● Safe to close -
Microsoft TeamsMicrosoft Teams● Safe to close -
NotionNotion● Safe to close -
OneDrive…OneDrive● Safe to close -
OrbStackOrbStack◐ Close the app instead -
PostmanPostman● Safe to close -
prl_client_appParallels Desktop◐ Close the app instead -
ProcessionProcession● Safe to close -
SafariSafari● Safe to close -
SignalSignal● Safe to close -
SimulatorSimulator● Safe to close -
SlackSlack● Safe to close -
SpotifySpotify● Safe to close -
steam_osxSteam● Safe to close -
TelegramTelegram● Safe to close -
TextEditTextEdit● Safe to close -
Visual Studio CodeVisual Studio Code● Safe to close -
WhatsAppWhatsApp● Safe to close -
XcodeXcode● Safe to close -
zoom.usZoom● Safe to close
Nothing in the guide matches that name. Procession still shows anything it doesn’t know, with what it can tell from where it lives.
The four verdicts
- ● Safe to closeAn app you can quit with ⌘Q. Save your work first if it asks.
- ◐ Close the app insteadA part of an app. Closing it alone breaks something, so close its app.
- ○ Leave itPart of macOS, or something that starts again by itself. You never need to close these.
- ◇ Busy for a reasonWorking hard for a known reason, like Spotlight indexing or a video call. It settles by itself.