macOS service · Network name service (macOS)
Why mDNSResponder keeps your Mac awake
mDNSResponder handles network names on the Mac, including Bonjour, the way devices find each other on a local network. It takes a MaintenanceWake assertion named “mDNSResponder:maintenance” during the short wakes macOS makes while it sleeps. It doesn’t stop the Mac from going back to sleep.
Checked on macOS 27.2.1 on a MacBook Pro with Apple silicon, 11 November 2026.
What you’ll see
| Type | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
MaintenanceWake | mDNSResponder:maintenance | Network upkeep during a short wake. |
Check it on your Mac
Open Terminal (in Applications › Utilities) and run:
pmset -g log | grep mDNSResponder
Real output from the Mac we checked:
2026-11-11 16:46:45 +0200 Assertions PID 542(mDNSResponder) Created MaintenanceWake "mDNSResponder:maintenance" 00:00:00 id:0x0xd0000a772 [System: PrevIdle DeclUser SysAct IntPrevDisp kDisp]
Activity Monitor shows the same thing without Terminal: open its Energy tab and look at the Preventing Sleep column.
What to do
- Nothing to fix. If you want fewer wakes, see why a Mac wakes up by itself.
See it without Terminal
SleepPilot, a menu bar app, lists every app that is keeping your Mac awake right now by name — audio through coreaudiod is shown under the app that plays it — and warns you when one holds the Mac awake for too long while nobody is using it. Each morning it can show what kept the Mac awake overnight.
Questions
Is it safe to quit mDNSResponder?
No. Without it the Mac can’t look up names on the network.
Is mDNSResponder keeping my Mac awake normal?
Normal.
Does mDNSResponder keep the display on?
A short maintenance wake; the display stays off.