If you suspect the file is a disguised threat, run a scan using a reputable Mac security tool like Malwarebytes to ensure your system is clean. How to Fix High CPU Usage or Remove It
Following recent macOS updates, many users notice a notification reading:
Your best defense is . If the process lives inside a folder belonging to a software vendor you trust (Adobe, Epic Games, Autodesk) and has a valid digital certificate, let it run—or disable it if you prefer manual updates. If it’s hiding in a temporary folder or shows no file information, investigate immediately.
Disabling StandaloneUpdaterDaemon is possible, but unless it is causing severe performance issues. standaloneupdaterdaemon
daemon: name: "myapp-updater" interval: "6h" start_delay: "30s" max_failures_before_backoff: 3
ps aux | grep StandaloneUpdaterDaemon
: Code that runs in the background on behalf of the currently logged-in user. If you suspect the file is a disguised
: It might be applying silent updates to system data files like (Apple's built-in malware scanner). Apple Support Community 🚀 Performance Tips
"OneDriveStandaloneUpdater" or "StandaloneUpdaterDaemon" added items that can run in the background. (Unidentified Developer) Why it happens:
Unlike system-critical processes like kernel_task or svchost.exe , standaloneupdaterdaemon is a core Windows, Linux, or macOS component. In 99% of cases, it belongs to a third-party application. Based on extensive community reporting and digital forensics, the most frequent sources are: If it’s hiding in a temporary folder or
Are you seeing this process cause on your machine, or were you just curious about the name?
To stop the daemon from running at startup without deleting it: Unknown app called standaloneupdater on activity monitor
If the daemon consistently crashes or consumes resources, the updater utility itself may be corrupted. Uninstalling the software (like Adobe Creative Cloud) using an official cleanup tool and running a fresh installation will resolve the underlying bug. Should You Disable It?
If an update fails to install correctly or gets corrupted mid-download, the daemon may get trapped in an infinite loop trying to re-download or re-apply the patch.
What Is StandaloneUpdaterDaemon? Background, Issues, and Fixes