What is fileproviderd?
fileproviderd sits between Finder and cloud storage apps that use Apple's File Provider system. That includes iCloud Drive and recent versions of popular cloud drives such as Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive. It tracks which files are on your Mac and which are only in the cloud, and handles downloading them when you open them.
It works hardest when a cloud folder is first set up, or when many files change at once.
Why is fileproviderd using so much CPU?
- Setting up a cloud drive or signing in again, when it builds its picture of every file.
- Large syncs in any connected cloud app.
- Several cloud apps syncing at once.
- Folders that change constantly inside a synced location.
How to fix high fileproviderd CPU usage
- Confirm it in Activity Monitor. Press ⌘ Space, type Activity Monitor, open the CPU tab and sort by % CPU. Watch
fileproviderdfor a minute: short spikes are normal, only steady high usage needs fixing. - Let the first sync finish while plugged in and online.
- Check each cloud app's status in its menu bar icon; one of them is usually mid-sync.
- Pause syncing in the busy cloud app if you need the speed right now.
- Update the cloud apps and macOS, then restart if it stays busy.
More help: How to check CPU usage on a Mac