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What is distnoted on Mac? Why it uses so much CPU, and how to fix it

Updated · 2 min read · by

Quick answer

distnoted is the background messenger that lets apps and macOS services notify each other. High CPU means some app is sending far too many messages. Short spikes are normal. If it stays high, something is keeping it busy, and the steps below find and fix it.

What is distnoted?

distnoted delivers internal notifications between processes, small messages like "the theme changed" or "a file was updated". These aren't the notifications you see on screen; they're how apps and services keep each other informed.

There's usually one for the system and one for your user account. It should use almost no CPU.

Why is distnoted using so much CPU?

How to fix high distnoted CPU usage

  1. Confirm it in Activity Monitor. Press ⌘ Space, type Activity Monitor, open the CPU tab and sort by % CPU. Watch distnoted for a minute: short spikes are normal, only steady high usage needs fixing.
  2. Quit apps one at a time, starting with recently installed ones, menu bar utilities and sync tools, and watch distnoted in Activity Monitor. When it drops, you've found the app.
  3. Update or remove that app.
  4. Log out and back in, or restart, to reset it.

More help: How to check CPU usage on a Mac

Questions people ask

What is distnoted on a Mac?

distnoted is the background messenger that lets apps and macOS services notify each other. High CPU means some app is sending far too many messages.

Can I quit distnoted?

macOS restarts it automatically, so quitting it only helps briefly. Stop the app that's flooding it.

Is distnoted a virus?

Yes. distnoted is part of macOS. High usage points to another app misbehaving.