Interfaces with launchd to load, unload daemons/agents and generally control launchd. launchctl supports taking subcommands on the command line, interactively or even redirected from standard input.
You can remove login items one at a time and start up your Mac after each removal to see if the problem is gone. To do so, go to System Preferences Users & Groups and click your name on the left. If your Mac is running with OS X El Capitan, macOS Sierra, High Sierra, or Mojave, you won't see the two buttons, instead, just click First Aid and it will tell you whether disk repair is needed or not. Press and hold the power icon for five seconds, then replace the battery or power cord and power on your computer. For newer MacBooks without removable batteries, press and hold Ctrl + Option + Shift, then press and hold the power button for ten seconds.
Files
After your Mac shuts down, press Shift + Control + Option on the left side of the built-in keyboard, then press the Power button at the same time. Hold these keys and the power button for ten seconds. Plug the power cable back in or replace the battery if you removed it.
~/Library/LaunchAgents Per-user agents provided by the user.
/Library/LaunchAgents Per-user agents provided by the administrator.
/Library/LaunchDaemons System wide daemons provided by the administrator.
/System/Library/LaunchAgents macOS Per-user agents.
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons macOS System wide daemons.
launchd no longer loads configuration files from the network
Exit Codes
launchctl will exit with status 0 if the subcommand succeeded.
Otherwise, it will exit with an error code that can be given to the error subcommand to be decoded into human-readable form.
The syntax for launchctl changed in macOS 10.10 (Yosemite) the examples below show both the old and new syntax for starting and stopping launch scripts (services). The new syntax generally does not require sudo.
Examples
Display the launch scripts for all users that are currently loaded/running (legacy syntax):
$ sudo launchctl list
Display the launch scripts that are currently loaded for user ID 504 (new syntax):
$ launchctl print gui/504
Display the launch scripts that are currently loaded/running for root:
$ launchctl print system
Unload the Amazon Music App daemon:
$ launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.amazon.music.plist
To make this permanent edit that .plist file and change KEEP ALIVE and LAUNCH AT LOAD to FALSE. Then lock the file. This will prevent the Amazon app from running at all.
Enable remote SSH login (legacy syntax):
$ sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh.plist
Mac Sierra Sudden Frease Then Manual Can Not See In The Dark
Enable remote SSH login for login 504 (new syntax):
$ launchctl bootstrap gui/504 /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh.plist
Disable remote SSH login (legacy syntax):
$ sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh.plist
You can remove login items one at a time and start up your Mac after each removal to see if the problem is gone. To do so, go to System Preferences Users & Groups and click your name on the left. If your Mac is running with OS X El Capitan, macOS Sierra, High Sierra, or Mojave, you won't see the two buttons, instead, just click First Aid and it will tell you whether disk repair is needed or not. Press and hold the power icon for five seconds, then replace the battery or power cord and power on your computer. For newer MacBooks without removable batteries, press and hold Ctrl + Option + Shift, then press and hold the power button for ten seconds.
Files
After your Mac shuts down, press Shift + Control + Option on the left side of the built-in keyboard, then press the Power button at the same time. Hold these keys and the power button for ten seconds. Plug the power cable back in or replace the battery if you removed it.
~/Library/LaunchAgents Per-user agents provided by the user.
/Library/LaunchAgents Per-user agents provided by the administrator.
/Library/LaunchDaemons System wide daemons provided by the administrator.
/System/Library/LaunchAgents macOS Per-user agents.
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons macOS System wide daemons.
launchd no longer loads configuration files from the network
Exit Codes
launchctl will exit with status 0 if the subcommand succeeded.
Otherwise, it will exit with an error code that can be given to the error subcommand to be decoded into human-readable form.
The syntax for launchctl changed in macOS 10.10 (Yosemite) the examples below show both the old and new syntax for starting and stopping launch scripts (services). The new syntax generally does not require sudo.
Examples
Display the launch scripts for all users that are currently loaded/running (legacy syntax):
$ sudo launchctl list
Display the launch scripts that are currently loaded for user ID 504 (new syntax):
$ launchctl print gui/504
Display the launch scripts that are currently loaded/running for root:
$ launchctl print system
Unload the Amazon Music App daemon:
$ launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.amazon.music.plist
To make this permanent edit that .plist file and change KEEP ALIVE and LAUNCH AT LOAD to FALSE. Then lock the file. This will prevent the Amazon app from running at all.
Enable remote SSH login (legacy syntax):
$ sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh.plist
Mac Sierra Sudden Frease Then Manual Can Not See In The Dark
Enable remote SSH login for login 504 (new syntax):
$ launchctl bootstrap gui/504 /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh.plist
Disable remote SSH login (legacy syntax):
$ sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh.plist
Disable remote SSH login for login 504 (new syntax):
$ launchctl bootout gui/504 /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh.plist
Disable the macOS Notification Centre (legacy syntax):
$ launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.notificationcenterui.plist
$ killall NotificationCenter
Disable the macOS Notification Centre for login 504 (new syntax):
$ launchctl bootout gui/504 /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.notificationcenterui.plist
$ killall NotificationCenter
An alternative is to turn on the Notification 'Do Not Disturb' from the Menu Bar of macOS which lasts for 1 day.
Re-enable the macOS Notification Centre (legacy syntax):
$ launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.notificationcenterui.plist
Then double-click '/System/Library/CoreServices/Notification Center' to launch it again.
Mac Sierra Sudden Frease Then Manual Can Not Seem
Re-enable the macOS Notification Centre for login 504 (new syntax):
$ launchctl bootstrap gui/504 /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.notificationcenterui.plist
Then double-click '/System/Library/CoreServices/Notification Center' to launch it again.
'A good rule for rocket experimenters to follow is this: always assume that it will explode' ~ 'Astronautics,' issue 38, October 1937
Related macOS commands:
The macOS equivalent of Windows services is Launchd.
The macOS equivalent of services.msc on Windows is launchctl.
Launchd.info - Description of launchd, agents and daemons.
The daemons managed by launchd can be on demand or can be triggered periodically (this is configurable in launchd.plist).
launchd.plist(5), launchd.conf(5), launchd(8).
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