"Background Items Added" in Ventura 13.1

The notifications will disappear over time but will post again when software is updated.

texter_101 wrote:

You can manage this in Login Items Settings.

Apple's dialog box isn't being very truthful on this part.

I tried to delete the background item in /Iaunchdaemons and /launchagents.

Don't do that.

then I turn the launch agent off

Don't do that either.

it still shows me this notification. Sometimes, I get this notification 8+ times in a row.

I recommend uninstalling Microsoft Edge until Microsoft is able to update it to work properly with Ventura. I haven't noticed any problems with Microsoft Office, but perhaps Edge doesn't quite have the same expertise and the more high-profile Office team.

Unfortunately, I have no idea how to uninstall Microsoft Edge. I can't find any information on the web site. The Microsoft support forums direct people to a non-Microsoft site. That site says to drag the Microsoft Edge app to the trash. I don't know if that will work, but it can't hurt. If you continue to get these notifications, then there are some other tools that can be used to find out what Microsoft has installed and where.

It may be necessary for you to reattempt to do what I advised you not to do above. If you've already tried to delete those Microsoft files in LaunchDaemons and LaunchAgents, then you know where to find them. There is probably also a LaunchAgents folder in the Library folder in your home directory. I normally don't like to recommend that people do that. This is a good example. If you have Microsoft Office installed, deleting those files could break your Office installation.

You might also try to disable these Microsoft tasks using Settings > Login Items. The same caution applies. This new user interface in Ventura is unusual. It is designed specifically, and solely, to break the installation of 3rd party software. So if you use it and Office break, well then I guess it worked.

But the key thing here is that if you try to delete the files in LaunchDaemons and LaunchAgents, and disable those same tasks in Settings > Login Items, and then restart, then that should stop the notifications as long as you never again launch any Microsoft app for the rest of your life. Chances are, if you run any Microsoft app, it will attempt to correct the damage that you've caused (as well it should). But hopefully by then Microsoft Edge will work better with Ventura and that will resolve the problem.

Easy, eh?

Why do you think this is a problem with just Microsoft?

Why do you think he said it was a problem with just Microsoft. The app causing the problem in this case was Edge. He suggested removing it because it is causing the problem.

He also noted that he has no problems with Microsoft Office, but doesn’t have Edge installed. So he specifically said some Microsoft apps do not exhibit the problem.

ChurchWash wrote:

Why do you think this is a problem with just Microsoft?

Doh!

Why are you posting the same canned response if you don't even know how to uninstall a program?

There's the rub. Each program is different and has a different uninstallation method. Sometimes you can drag it to the trash. Sometimes you can use an "app zapper". Sometimes you can use an uninstaller. Sometimes all methods will fail. And that is the fundamental problem with all of these similar-sounding reports. Each one is, in fact, a unique problem that has a unique solution. These threads get longer and longer with "me too" responses. One person hacks up their system and manages to stop the notifications, no realizing that they've also perhaps damaged their computer, and they post their "solution". 16 people try that solution and they all fail. Repeat the process forever with more and more people getting frustrated.

But there are other people who are quietly posting their own questions with detailed information. Nobody notices those because they get their problem fixed and everybody gets on with their lives.

I am getting this for EPSON Event Manager (long ago deleted, I have no Epson hardware), Spotify (not on my machine - I don't use). Also a bunch from Adobe, but I find it hard to figure out how to control Adobe and which of the many pieces I can discard.

There should be one uninstall method.

There is, with two options.

If you used an installer where you entered an admin password, or entered your admin password on “first run,” then you need to use the developer’s uninstaller. Otherwise, you can just trash the app.

jkr98116 wrote:

I am getting this for EPSON Event Manager (long ago deleted, I have no Epson hardware), Spotify (not on my machine - I don't use). Also a bunch from Adobe, but I find it hard to figure out how to control Adobe and which of the many pieces I can discard.

Unfortunately, many apps install software in various hidden folders across your system. You can't even easily search for them because they are considered "system folders" and are excluded by default.

The best thing to do is start your own question for your specific problem. Any screenshots you can provide will be helpful. Then someone can tell you exactly which files you can delete to fix this problem. Otherwise, there is a lot of bad advice in circulation.

I have the same problem! I had the notification once, then thought I'd solve it by turning off background items for those apps, but this only seems to make it worse. The following apps are causing problems for me:

Steam

Google Updater

Riot Games (League of Legends)

Feels like the problem is caused by the new update. I also have problems with my trackpad after the update (no haptic feedback).

Your note about "system" files reminded me that Apple hides a lot (for mostly good reasons). I ran:

ToggleShowAllFiles.scpt

(don't recall where I acquired that, a couple of years ago)

to unhide everything, then found several offending files from Epson in Library/Launch Agents and removed them, then emptied trash. Could not find the offending file from Spotify. Perhaps they have obscured it, not including their name. Shame on them if so. Apple should police that. After all, they police the App Store.

Afterwards, ran ToggleShowAllFiles.scpt again, to restore normal viewing.

Fingers crossed.

Rebooted, now Epson notification is gone. Others remain - some of which I need (e.g. Citrix). Most, I can't tell whether I need.

I expect most of these items running in the background have been there for ages. What's changed is OSX's notification policy. More transparency about what's running in the background is a good thing. However, it is nothing more that annoying to repeatedly notify about it. Once after any related application software update would be enough. At most, once after an OSX update.

In any case, this is clearly a Ventura flub. I suppose Apple tech support is saying nothing because they don't want to acknowledge the goof. Hopefully, they're quietly fixing it for a subsequent OSX release.

jkr98116 wrote:

to unhide everything, then found several offending files from Epson in Library/Launch Agents and removed them, then emptied trash. Could not find the offending file from Spotify. Perhaps they have obscured it, not including their name. Shame on them if so. Apple should police that. After all, they police the App Store.

Those Epson and Spotify apps are not from the App Store. I think this entire problem actually is Apple's effort to police non-App Store apps. People are deleting the apps that are triggering these notifications. In the App Store, Apple rejects an app that doesn't do the login items properly. For these apps, Apple is having the end user do the rejecting for them.

In any case, this is clearly a Ventura flub. I suppose Apple tech support is saying nothing because they don't want to acknowledge the goof. Hopefully, they're quietly fixing it for a subsequent OSX release.

I agree, but I have less confidence that it will be fixed. One of the problems here is that I simply have no answer to give anyone. I can't even tell people how to properly uninstall these apps since that is now so complicated. A couple of years ago, Apple introduced a new type of system extension that, if not uninstalled properly, requires erasing the hard drive to remove (or some advanced command-line actions that can't even be mentioned in this forum). Apple never fixed that problem. This is over and above all of the "authorizations" that these things now demand. Apple is playing hardball with 3rd party developers and users are stuck in the middle.

I recommend that users stick to Mac App Store apps whenever possible. Otherwise, they will continue to have problems with each new OS release. After all, nobody complains about these problems on iOS, now do they?

I hear what you're saying, but I just can't believe that this is how it's going to be. Maybe I'm just naive, but Apple has to address these issues right? They can't just ignore problems like this and not do anything about them? I bought a 2500 dollar laptop so I don't have to deal with this stuff ;)

Jeroenhe wrote:

I hear what you're saying, but I just can't believe that this is how it's going to be.

It will be better once apps either get updated or go away.

Maybe I'm just naive, but Apple has to address these issues right?

Apple created these issues - on purpose.

They can't just ignore problems like this and not do anything about them?

In 5 months from now Apple will release a beta version of macOS 14 with even more changes.

I bought a 2500 dollar laptop so I don't have to deal with this stuff ;)

In other news, governments around the world are putting increasing pressure on Apple to open up its App Store business so that the 3rd party software experience on the iPhone and iPad is more like the Mac.

What this means is that Apple has develop a framework for installing and using 3rd party software in a way that maintains its focus on the user’s needs and user privacy, while complying with new laws designed to eliminate user privacy. It is logical that Apple will use the Mac as a testbed to develop these strategies for its primary platforms. No one knows what this is going to look like. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Good to know, thanks for sharing! Hopefully it's not going to be so bad, I can keep using 3rd party apps on my Mac without too much trouble. I mean, I still use Steam and League of Legends for the little shred of gaming that's possible on Mac. Hope those keep working while they're renewing the OS.

After an Office update yesterday, I disabled Edge, and later shutdown for the evening (not sleep, shut down).

Startup this morning and the notification sure seems to imply that you cannot "manage this in Login Items Settings"