A number of Mac users who have upgraded to macOS Ventura have noticed an active login item named “OSMessageTracer,” which appears labeled as coming from an “unidentified developer.”

Considering that the OSMessageTracer task is permitted to run in the background on your Mac and shows up as being from an unknown source, it's easy to see why some users may feel uneasy upon finding it in System Settings. So what exactly is OSMessageTracer? Is it important, and should it remain enabled as a Login Item?

What is OSMessageTracer / com.apple.installer.osmessagetracing.plist?

You might be wondering why this OSMessageTracer appears from an unidentified developer, and why it's running in the background as a Login Item.

By clicking the (i) icon next to OSMessageTracer, you'll find it opens the Finder directory for LaunchDaemons, highlighting a file titled “com.apple.installer.osmessagetracing.plist.”

If you inspect the com.apple.installer.osmessagetracing.plist file using Quick Look or any text editor, you’ll quickly realize that it actually belongs to Apple — not an unidentified developer — which raises questions about why Apple would label one of its own system files this way, leading to user confusion. (Incidentally, you can verify app signatures via the command line if you're curious.)

This plist file is associated with the following program:

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/OSInstaller.framework/Resources/OSMessageTracer

However, trying to locate this file using Command Shift G or searching through System Files will reveal that it no longer exists within macOS Ventura.

In addition, the com.apple.installer.osmessagetracing.plist also refers to:

/var/db/.AppleDiagnosticsSetupDone

That file does exist, although — at least on the systems we tested — it’s just an empty zero-byte placeholder file.

Based on these filenames and connections, it seems logical to assume that OSMessageTracer has something to do with system software installation and could now be outdated, deprecated, or tied to something that’s no longer in use.

Can I Disable OSMessageTracer in MacOS Ventura Login Items?

I’ve personally disabled OSMessageTracer on my macOS Ventura system without noticing any negative effects on performance or system behavior.

Turning it off doesn't seem to cause any issues, probably because the related process it was meant to trigger no longer exists.

Feel free to disable OSMessageTracer in Login Items if you prefer; it likely won’t impact your system. And if something unexpected happens — though unlikely due to the missing linked process — you can always re-enable it.

Do you have more information regarding OSMessageTracer, OSMessageTracing, or com.apple.installer.osmessagetracing.plist? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

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