What is netbiosd on a Mac?
netbiosd handles Windows style network names for file sharing between Macs and PCs. It sent 156 KB in one sample on our Mac. Why it runs and what it does.
What is netbiosd?
netbiosd handles NetBIOS names, the Windows way of naming computers on a local network, used alongside SMB file sharing. It lets a PC find your Mac by name and your Mac find shared folders on PCs and network drives. It lives at /usr/sbin/netbiosd and runs as _netbios.
| Reading on our Mac | Value |
|---|---|
| Received in one sample | 28 KB |
| Sent | 156 KB |
Why is netbiosd running?
macOS runs it for SMB networking: browsing network shares in Finder, connecting to a network drive, or File Sharing in System Settings, General, Sharing. Small, regular traffic is it announcing and looking up names on the local network.
Can I turn it off?
Turning off File Sharing removes the main reason it runs. If you never use network drives or PCs on your network, it does little either way.
See it live
Free Mac's System tab ranks every process by processor use and energy impact, once a second, and marks the ones macOS will not let you quit as protected. See also mDNSResponder and NAS storage for a Mac.
Related: runningboardd and NotificationCenter high CPU.
Common questions
What is netbiosd on a Mac?
The macOS process for Windows style network names used with SMB file sharing.
Is netbiosd safe?
Yes. It is part of macOS, at /usr/sbin/netbiosd.
How do I stop netbiosd?
Turn off File Sharing in System Settings, General, Sharing, and stop using SMB network drives.