What is secd on a Mac, and why does it use CPU?
secd manages your keychain and iCloud Keychain sync. It used 5 to 6 MB on our Mac and was idle. Why it spikes, and why its files are not something to clean.
What is secd?
secd is the security daemon for your account. It handles keychain items, passwords, keys and certificates, and syncs them through iCloud Keychain when that is on. It lives at /usr/libexec/secd and runs as you. Ours used 5 to 6 MB and no CPU.
Why is secd using CPU?
- A first iCloud Keychain sync on a new Mac, or after signing in again.
- Importing many passwords at once from a browser or password manager.
- An app saving or reading keychain items in a loop.
It settles once the sync finishes. Your keychain lives in ~/Library/Keychains, 33 MB on our Mac. It is not a cache: do not delete it to save space or to fix secd.
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 identityservicesd and trustd.
Related: WindowServer high CPU and mds_stores high CPU.
Common questions
What is secd on a Mac?
The security daemon that manages your keychain and iCloud Keychain sync.
Why is secd using high CPU?
Usually a first iCloud Keychain sync or a large password import. It settles when done.
Can I delete keychain files to fix secd?
No. They hold your passwords and keys. Wait for the sync to finish instead.