TomMcIn
Level 1 (17 points)
Photos for Mac

Q: Excess memory for IconServicesAgent

On my 16GB MacPro, IconServicesAgent is using 494.7MB or approx 3% of my real memory.  The only bigger users are the kernel_task and EyeTV.  It looks like IconServicesAgent is huge because of support for Retina Display grade icons.  I don't have a Retina Display so how can I just get smaller icon support for a regular display.  The memory would be more useful if used for say File Cache.

Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.3)

Posted on Jun 1, 2014 9:31 PM

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TomMcIn

Q: Excess memory for IconServicesAgent

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  • by benwiggy,

    benwiggy benwiggy Jun 1, 2014 11:18 PM in response to TomMcIn
    Level 4 (1,430 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 1, 2014 11:18 PM in response to TomMcIn

    How much is too much? Are you experiencing any actual problems, like freezes, slowdowns, hangs and spinning wheels?

    If not, then I would just let OS X get on with managing memory by itself.

     

    There are lots of posts here of people complaining that IconServicesAgent is using too much memory for their liking, but no evidence that it's a Bad Thing.

     

    I have one Mac with two IconServicesAgent processes, each of a few hundred MB, and another with only one, using less than 10 MB. I can't tell any difference between the two in user experience. Both have 16 GB.