No. identityservicesd is part of iMessage, FaceTime and Continuity.
When you send an iMessage, identityservicesd looks up the recipient's devices and their public keys so the message can be end-to-end encrypted to each one. It also keeps your own devices registered for Handoff and Universal Clipboard. Its traffic is small; spikes come with first sign-in or new devices.
Facts
- Owner
- Apple (part of macOS)
- Network-related
- Yes
- Typical ports
- 443
- Block it?
- Don’t block it
What it connects to
| Host | Country | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Apple identity and messaging servers | Various | Device registration and key lookups |
| Your other Apple devices | LAN | Continuity |
Should you worry?
No. identityservicesd is part of iMessage, FaceTime and Continuity. High CPU often points to a stuck iMessage sync; signing out of Messages and back in usually fixes it.
Frequently asked questions
What is identityservicesd?
Apple's Identity Services daemon. It manages device registration and encryption keys for iMessage, FaceTime and Continuity.
Why is identityservicesd using CPU?
Usually a Messages or FaceTime sync. Signing out of Messages and back in often resolves a stuck sync.
Is identityservicesd safe?
Yes. It's an Apple system process that runs under your user account.