Best way to disable system services permanently?

[mivoc]

What is the best way to disable system services (on Monterey)? As an example I'd like to completely remove bluetoothd (among others).

Usually you use launchctl but afaik this does not work on system services. Another approach is to move the plist file. I tried that and it works in general after following the procedure here: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/649832 (last post)
But this does not seem to be perfect, some processes consume much CPU after reboot like launchd, airplay stuff etc
So maybe they require bluetoothd or just moving the plist is the wrong approach because it does not care about dependencies.

Is there some way to remove also dependencies e.g. with launchctl? The changes should be persistent after reboot.

 

[bogdanw]

With SIP disabled (csrutil disable from Terminal in Recovery) you can disable system services with launchctl disable.
Take a look here https://gist.github.com/b0gdanw/40d000342dd1ba4d892ad0bdf03ae6ea
If you want to move/delete plists, here is a way https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...riteable.2332937/?post=30822017#post-30822017
But they will show up again after every update.

 

[mivoc]

Ahh I already came across this useful gist and already used that script. The problem currently is not to get rid of the services but that afterwards launchd and others hog the CPU (at least in case of removing bluetoothd). Some other services, in particular those in the gist I could remove without issues.

 

[posguy99]

I always ask why the Linuxers think they need to disable random parts of the OS.

 

[mivoc]

I always ask the macOSers why they never question what is running on their systems. btw it is not random parts but parts I don't need. Even if you don't use icloud, facetime, siri you still find related processes running in the back.

 

[bogdanw]

MacRumors - Some macOS 12.2 Users Experiencing Bluetooth-Related Battery Drain Issue During Sleep Mode
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/01/30/macos-12-2-bluetooth-battery-drain/
Apple made some significant changes to Bluetooth in Monterey https://github.com/dortania/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher/issues/364
Apple even added to Monterey a tool previously found only in iOS /usr/sbin/BlueTool
Be sure to disable all related launch agents/daemons
/System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.bluetoothUIServer.plist
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.bluetoothuiservice.plist
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.BlueTool.plist
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.bluetoothd.plist

 

[sgtaylor5]

Case in Point; I'm running a 2017 MBA. According to this chart on Eclectic Light, my system isn't supported for these features: Low Power Mode, Universal Control, FaceTime spatial audio and mike modes, Object Capture, FaceTime Portrait Mode, Maps interactive globe, city experiences. They are still running on my system, especially Universal Control. Those are the types of processes I'd want to stop. Why Apple doesn't disable those unsupported (on my laptop) system processes is a mystery.

I'd run Mojave, but stopping the system upgrade notification banners in the upper right is a daunting task. I don't think anyone's figured how to stop them yet.

 

[rpmurray]

I'd run Mojave, but stopping the system upgrade notification banners in the upper right is a daunting task. I don't think anyone's figured how to stop them yet.

I thought I read somewhere that if you download the installer into the Applications folder (but don't actually use it) then that would end the nags. May just be a false memory (I'm getting to that age).

 

[sgtaylor5]

I thought I read somewhere that if you download the installer into the Applications folder (but don't actually use it) then that would end the nags. May just be a false memory (I'm getting to that age).

I have a blank file named "Install macOS Monterey.app" in the Applications folder, and it's set uchg so no one can touch it. Mixed results. I only have a 128 GB drive, and really don't want 12.3 GB of unusable space.