Folder videosubscriptionsd into /Library/Application Support

Please do not delete files and/or folders when you don't know what they are for. Those are legitimate components for OS X. Furthermore, you should NEVER remove, move, or rename anything found in the /Library/ folder. If you need space for storage then buy an external drive or:

How to Free Up Space on The Hard Drive

1. You can remove data from your Home folder except for the /Home/Library/ folder.
2. Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on freeing up space on your hard drive.
3. Also, see Freeing space on your Mac OS X startup disk.
4. Free up storage space on your Mac.
5. See Where did my Disk Space go?.
6. Be sure to Empty the Trash to recover the space.
7. Replace the drive with a larger one. Check out OWC for drives, tutorials, and toolkits.
8. Use OmniDiskSweeper or GrandPerspective to search your drive for large files and where they are located.

That's all good, however, I don't have any subscriptions to any video services, and no one has yet explained why this process is using up 30 to 60/70% of the CPU? That is not right, and lots of people have been complaining, so simply saying it's part of Apple's system, seems to come up a bit short. That doesn't leave much room for other apps to do their thing. I also see a similar issue with a process called "Isd", which also uses up about the same amount. Any idea why these two mysterious processes are using up so much of the processor, when I'm not even running any videos? Thanks...

This is not that suspicious. Having that folder, with those files, in the following location appears to be entirely normal for macOS 10.12.4:

/Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/videosubscriptionsd/

This is not definitely not malware-related. I can say that for sure... I work for Malwarebytes, and I'm familiar with all known Mac malware, adware and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). This folder is present on systems I own that I know are not infected with anything.

I can't explain what the videosubscriptionsd process does, or why it has data on www.pbs.org in its database - although, the fact that you have visited the site undoubtedly is the explanation, in some form or another.

The videosubscriptionsd process can be found here:

/usr/libexec/videosubscriptionsd

That location is protected by System Integrity Protection (SIP) in macOS 10.12, so that process cannot have been installed or modified without disabling SIP. The only source that could have installed that process in that location, without machine-specific extenuating circumstances, is Apple.

jmrepetti wrote:

UPDATE: I didn't saw the question in context with all the replies. When I clicked to write my message, all the answers unfold.

That's a longstanding bug with this site.

As far as I know the process is required by macOS, presumably for video content subscriptions, and most likely related to either iTunes, to synchronize content with the TV iOS app, or both.

Everything in the /Library/ folder is part of OS X. Also true for the /System/ folder. The /Home/Library/ folder will be invisible.

Four Ways to Make the Home/Library Folder Visible

A. This method will make the folder visible permanently. Open the Terminal application in the Utilities' folder and paste the following red colored command line at the command prompt: chflags nohidden ~/Library then press RETURN.

B. Click on the Desktop, press the Option (⌥) key, select Library from the Finder's Go menu.

C. Select Go To Folder from the Finder's Go menu. Paste the following in the path field: ~/Library and click on the Go button.

D. In Sierra activate the Finder, press COMMAND-J, set Finder display to Icon view if it is in some other view mode, select your Home folder from the sidebar, check the box labeled, "Show Library Folder.

The /Library/Application Support/ folder is typically used for third-party application data. Only a very few things there belong to the system. There is no videosubscriptionsd folder in that location normally, so some third-party app that you have installed has created it there. What that app is I cannot say, but it's not associated with any known malware or adware.

That same folder same contents exist on two fairly new and minimally configured Macs that I purchased within the past month or so. I can only assume it is required by macOS or one of its required components. Don't delete them.

It appears to be related specifically to OS 10.12.4. I upgraded from 10.12.3 around 9:30 this morning, and now, not coincidentally, I have a videosubscriptionsd folder in ~/Library/Application Support with a creation date of today at 9:23 a.m.

phubenthal wrote:

I have a videosubscriptionsd folder in ~/Library/Application Support with a creation date of today at 9:23 a.m.

Yes, I see the same here. That is a very different folder than /Library/Application Support/, though... the tilde makes it a completely different folder. I'd guess that's the folder that Antonio was referring to. If so, that's normal and probably should not be deleted.

I've had high CPU from this too. I just looked at the database with an Sqlite browser. The only info I see is related to www.pbs.org. I don't subscribe to PBS; I don't even live in the US. I have certainly visited the site at times, but I don't see why they would have installed a daemon on a Mac. Very suspicious.

Any update on this topic? No one seems to know what is this process for.

UPDATE: I didn't saw the question in context with all the replies. When I clicked to write my message, all the answers unfold. Sorry. Still, I would like to know what is this process for.

Thanks.

I have this issue also. It is very suspicious and worrisome.