What are gamecontrollerd and gamepolicyd?

gamecontrollerd and gamepolicyd are processes for gaming on your Mac.

What is gamecontrollerd?

gamecontrollerd manages game controllers plugged into or paired with your Mac. It detects controllers, handles their setup, and sends their inputs to games.

What controllers does it support?

• Xbox Wireless controllers
• PlayStation DualShock 4 and DualSense controllers
• Nintendo Switch Pro and Joy-Con controllers
• MFi (Made for iPhone) game controllers
• Standard Bluetooth and USB game controllers

Controllers can connect by Bluetooth or USB. gamecontrollerd translates the different controller signals so games see the same inputs no matter which controller you use.

What is gamepolicyd?

gamepolicyd manages game-related rules on macOS, such as Game Mode. Game Mode (added in macOS Sonoma) gives the active game more processor and graphics power, and cuts delay for Bluetooth controllers and AirPods.

When do they run?

gamecontrollerd starts when a game controller is connected. gamepolicyd runs when game rules need checking, mainly when Game Mode turns on.

Should you worry?

No. They are normal macOS processes for gaming support. If you do not play games on your Mac, they stay quiet.

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