What is getty?

getty is one of the oldest Unix processes you will find on your Mac.

What is getty?

getty stands for "get teletype". It manages text-based login sessions. In the early days of Unix, getty would run on each physical terminal connected to a computer, waiting for someone to log in.

Why is it on my Mac?

macOS inherited getty from its BSD Unix roots. On a modern Mac, getty is still present but rarely active. The graphical login screen has taken its place. However, getty can still appear in a few situations:

• When using the macOS console through Terminal
• During single-user mode (recovery mode on older Macs)
• When serial console access is set up

Do I need it?

For normal Mac use, no. getty is a leftover that stays for rare situations where a text-based login is needed.

Should you worry?

No. It is a standard Unix process found on every Unix-based system for decades. On a modern Mac, it is mostly dormant.

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