What is bootinstalld?

bootinstalld is a process tied to macOS installation and recovery.

What is bootinstalld?

bootinstalld handles the creation of bootable macOS installers and manages the boot-time installation process. When you install or reinstall macOS, bootinstalld sets up the installation environment that runs before the new system is fully in place.

When does it run?

bootinstalld is active during:

• macOS upgrades (setting up the installer that runs during reboot)
• Creating a bootable macOS installer on a USB drive using createinstallmedia
• macOS Recovery installations
• System updates that need a restart

During normal Mac use, it is not active.

What does it do during a macOS update?

When you install a macOS update that needs a restart:

1. The update is downloaded by softwareupdated
2. bootinstalld sets up the boot-time installation environment
3. Your Mac restarts into the installer
4. The update is applied
5. Your Mac boots into the updated system

Does it use many resources?

Only during the setup phase of an installation. It readies the installer payload and sets up the boot environment, which means writing to disk. This is short-lived.

Should you worry?

No. It is a normal macOS process that handles the nuts and bolts of system installation and updates.

Enjoyed this post?

Well, you could share the post with others, follow me with RSS Feeds and/or send me a comment via email.

Tags