No. Several mdworker processes mean Spotlight is indexing files.
macOS starts several at once while indexing. They aren't network-related.
mdworker processes are short-lived helpers: each reads files of certain types and hands the metadata to mds_stores. Many of them at once after an update or migration is normal. If one keeps crashing or using CPU on the same file, excluding that folder from Spotlight helps.
Facts
- Owner
- Apple (part of macOS)
- Network-related
- No
- Block it?
- Don’t block it
Should you worry?
No. Several mdworker processes mean Spotlight is indexing files. They exit when done.
Frequently asked questions
What is mdworker?
A Spotlight helper that reads files and extracts metadata and text for searching.
Why are there so many mdworker processes?
macOS runs several in parallel during indexing. They exit when indexing is done.
Does mdworker use the internet?
No. It only reads local files.