What is automountd?

automountd works with autofsd and does the real work of mounting file systems when you need them.

What is automountd?

automountd is the automounter daemon. It mounts network file systems (like NFS or SMB shares) when you try to open them and unmounts them when you stop using them. This "mount on demand" approach means network drives do not have to stay connected all the time.

How does it work?

When you open a path set up for automounting, automountd steps in and mounts the right network share behind the scenes. You see the files as if they were always there. After a spell of no use, the share is unmounted on its own.

On macOS, automounted volumes usually appear under /Network or paths set in the automounter maps.

When is it active?

automountd is always running and listening for file system access to automount paths. On a Mac without any automounter setup, it sits idle.

Where is it set up?

Automounter maps can come from:

• /etc/auto_master, the main settings file
• Directory services (Active Directory, Open Directory)
• Local map files named in auto_master

You can see the current automounter setup with:

automount -vc

Should you worry?

No. It is a standard Unix daemon. On a personal Mac, it usually only handles the /net and /home automount paths, which most people never use.

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