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How do I DISABLE a Legacy System Extension? I don't want it and I don't want the warning message

How can I get rid of system extensions that load automatically upon startup but do NOT show up under "Login Items" in Users&Groups System Preferences? I keep getting a warning message about several "Legacy" extensions, which I do not WANT anymore, but seem not to be able to get rid off.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jul 2, 2020 9:43 AM

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Posted on Jul 2, 2020 9:49 AM

The next major release of macOS will not allow third party kernel extensions. It's just warning that any third party software you're using that installs such extensions will not work in macOS 11.


All vendors who now user kernel extensions will have to use a different method to load items at startup.


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210999


The message should have mentioned the name of the vendor the extension is from. But in short, all third party extensions are in the following location, along with ten default extensions installed with the OS.


/Library/Extensions


For now, you don't need to do anything.


Something you installed uses a kernel extension. So unless you remove that software, then no, you can't get rid of the message.

6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 2, 2020 9:49 AM in response to Sebastian Kuhn

The next major release of macOS will not allow third party kernel extensions. It's just warning that any third party software you're using that installs such extensions will not work in macOS 11.


All vendors who now user kernel extensions will have to use a different method to load items at startup.


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210999


The message should have mentioned the name of the vendor the extension is from. But in short, all third party extensions are in the following location, along with ten default extensions installed with the OS.


/Library/Extensions


For now, you don't need to do anything.


Something you installed uses a kernel extension. So unless you remove that software, then no, you can't get rid of the message.

Jul 2, 2020 10:03 AM in response to Kurt Lang

Thanks - I realize that the extension won't work in the future, but I want to get RID of it NOW. It's somehow left over from some software that I have long since removed - so it is definitely NOT required by anything I'm trying to do with my Mac. I looked in the place you mentioned, and found 12 extensions. Unfortunately, there names are pure gobbledygook and don't identify the vendor (which is clearly identified in the warning message). So which ones can I delete without affecting Mac system software performance?

Jul 2, 2020 2:22 PM in response to Sebastian Kuhn

You are on Catalina now, and the operating system (including the /System hierarchy) is on a read-only filesystem, so removing any content that is there now, will not be possible. One can only hope that should you upgrade to Big Sur, that in the course of its installation, it detects, and removes these Legacy System Extensions for you.

Jul 3, 2020 2:25 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Hi, thanks for that list. I do have only 2 additional system extensions which seem to come from Canon and hence are likely related to my printer/scanner. I don't get any error messages for those, but we'll see how they fare once the upgrade to Big Sur comes.

However, after I removed the suspicious items in "/Library/LaunchDaemons", I haven't had any problems - so far. Let's hope...

How do I DISABLE a Legacy System Extension? I don't want it and I don't want the warning message

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