What is findmybeaconingd?

findmybeaconingd (sometimes shown as findmy.findmybeaconingd) is part of Apple's Find My network.

What is findmybeaconingd?

findmybeaconingd turns your Mac into a Bluetooth beacon for the Find My network. Even when your Mac is asleep or offline, it sends out small encrypted Bluetooth signals. Nearby Apple devices can pick up these signals and pass the location to Apple's servers. This is how Find My can track your Mac even when it has no internet connection.

How does the Find My network work?

The Find My network uses other people's Apple devices to help find yours:

1. Your lost Mac sends an encrypted Bluetooth signal through findmybeaconingd
2. Nearby Apple devices (belonging to anyone) pick up the signal
3. Those devices send the location to Apple without knowing whose Mac it is
4. You see your Mac's location in the Find My app

Everything is encrypted from end to end. The helper devices never know whose Mac they found, and Apple cannot read the location data.

Does it work when my Mac is off?

On Apple Silicon Macs, Find My can work even when the Mac is shut down or the battery is flat (for a short time). A low-power Bluetooth chip keeps running. findmybeaconingd sets up the beacon before the Mac shuts down.

Does it drain the battery?

The Bluetooth signals use very little power. The effect on battery life is tiny.

Can you turn it off?

You can switch off Find My Mac in System Settings, then your name, then iCloud, then Find My Mac. But doing so means you lose the ability to find, lock, or wipe your Mac from afar if it is lost or stolen.

Should you worry?

No. It is a security and theft-recovery feature. The Bluetooth signals are encrypted and cannot be used to track you by anyone except you through the Find My app.

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