What is security.agent.login?

security.agent.login is the process behind the login screen on your Mac.

What is security.agent.login?

It is the security agent that runs the login window. When your Mac shows the screen asking for your password (or Touch ID), this agent handles the whole process.

What does it do?

• Shows the login window
• Checks your password or fingerprint
• Unlocks your login keychain
• Starts your user session after you log in
• Handles fast user switching between accounts

Is it the same as password prompts in apps?

No. security.agent.login only handles the system login screen. The password prompts you see when installing software or changing system settings come from a separate process called security.authhost.

Does it use many resources?

No. It is busy during login, then sits quietly in the background. It wakes up again if you lock your screen or switch users.

Should you worry?

No. It is a core macOS process. Without it, you could not log in to your Mac.

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