What are uarpassetmanagerd, uarpd, and uarphidd?

You might see several processes with "uarp" in their name in Activity Monitor. They all update firmware on connected devices.

What is UARP?

UARP stands for Unified Accessory Restore Protocol. It is Apple's system for updating firmware on accessories and peripherals.

What do the individual processes do?

• uarpd: the core daemon that manages the firmware update protocol and talks to devices
• uarpassetmanagerd: manages firmware files, downloading, storing, and checking them
• uarphidd: handles UARP over HID (Human Interface Device) connections, used for accessories that connect by USB or Bluetooth

What devices does UARP update?

UARP handles firmware updates for many Apple accessories:

• AirPods and AirPods Max
• Beats headphones and earbuds
• Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad
• Apple TV
• HomePod
• Studio Display
• Pro Display XDR
• Third-party accessories that support the protocol

How is this different from accessoryupdaterd?

accessoryupdaterd manages the overall accessory update process. The UARP processes handle the specific update protocol, the low-level work of sending firmware to the device.

Should you worry?

No. These are normal macOS processes that keep your Apple accessories on the latest firmware. Updates happen quietly in the background when devices are connected.

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