com.apple.mediaanalysisd Files on Mac: Definition and Solutions

Since updating my Mac Mini M1 to macOS 15.1 on 28th October, my computer has been creating a 67.9 MB file roughly every hour when the computer is not in use in the following location: ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mediaanalysisd/Data/Library/Caches/com.apple.mediaanalysisd/com.apple.e5rt.e5bundlecache/24B83/9CBD0F43A800584A3C4CABAFAE15CF754A6CC75117BE0645B8F09A3EF4974D11. The files are in the following format, e.g. the latest one is BF43FD565F5326E554005345F8EE2E2C0271B9C0A9695FACB868D079B6B64D88.tmp.1443.bundle. As these are cache files, I deleted the Caches folder on the 5th. November, when it had grown to 17.1 GB, since then, the newly-created Caches folder has grown to 3.16 GB. I have rebuilt the Photos library, and also run Disk Utility over the drive. Note that this issue did not occur in macOS 15.0.1. Has anyone else experienced a similar issue, and possibly found a resolution? I have submitted a bug report to Apple.

So many users experienced the issue of a newly-coming file called com.apple.mediaanalysisd after updating to macOS Sequoia, besides, this file size grows decades of GBs even users delete it from Mac.

Take it easy, this post is gonna guide you to explore what this com.apple.mediaanalysisd file is and how to release the huge space size occupied by it. Let's get started then!

What is com.apple.mediaanalysisd file on Mac?

Users who love taking photos must be familiar with the Photos and Photos Library on Mac, and the mediaanalysisd file is a part of the Photos Library. In general, mediaanalysisd and photolibraryd are background processes that go through and analyze a new or updated Photos library when the Mac is otherwise idling.

The more photos you store on the Mac machine, the bigger the Photos Library is, consequently, the huger space is occupied by the com.apple.mediaanalysisd. On top of that, this gradually growing com.apple.mediaanalysisd file even makes your machine warm and slows down the performance of the hardware.

Even though leaving no damage to your Mac, for more available space and faster performance, it's still recommended to deal with this com.apple.mediaanalysisd progress on your machine.

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How to fix the com.apple.mediaanalysisd on Mac?

It's not a wonderful experience to witness disk space and RAM run out by the com.apple.mediaanalysisd gradually, and what accompanies this case is a slow Mac. To get your workstation back to a normal working state, it cannot be too hustle to address the com.apple.mediaanalysisd file.

Try the following solutions as you like and move to the next one directly if you find the one you're working with in vain.

Solution 1: Update macOS to the latest version

Base our study on this issue, com.apple.mediaanalysisd file taking huge space commonly happens on the first iterations of macOS Sequoia. As we all know, the newly-updated operating system always runs into trouble for the imperfection and instability. With more iterations and updates being released, bugs and glitches are ruled out one by one.

Therefore, when you encounter the com.apple.mediaanalysisd progress on Mac, check the updates, and update the available ones. Here is how: Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update > Update Now.

Solution 2: Leave Mac awake until the Photos Library is built

As mentioned earlier, the mediaanalysisd is a progress that analyzes the newly added photos or updated Photos Library. When a large number of photos are added to Mac or a big change happens in the Photos Library, the mediaanalysisd keeps working until this process is done.

Having Mac asleep slows down the process, so if you want to accelerate this period, don't let Mac go to sleep yet just turn off the screen and leave it to deal with the mission.

Solution 3: Move the Photos Library to external storage

Another troubleshooting way is to move the Photos Library to external storage, which not only fixes the expanded mediaanalysisd file but also frees up more available space on Macintosh.

Here are how to perform that task:

If all mentioned solutions fail to address the mediaanalysisd file, the final way you can try is to reinstall macOS. A reinstall always takes all possible culprits away from your Mac and gets a new OS for the following operation. When you are trapped in a case that you cannot deal with, give macOS reinstallation a shot!