Written by
Yvonne Feng
Summary: This post from iBoysoft tells you what the error of Failed to create TrAPI is, and you can also get several methods to stop it from showing up on Mac.
Just had to buy a new Mac and uploaded from my old Mac's Time Machine. Now getting 'Failed to create TrAPI' as a repeat message? How do I stop this? - Apple Community
"Failed to create TrAPI" is an error message. It's not a standard macOS alert; it usually comes from a third-party app or background process that failed to start a service or interface called TrAPI.
This error often occurs after you've restored your system from a Time Machine backup on a new Mac. Whatever you know where it's coming from, this article will explain what causes it and how to stop it from popping up constantly.
Why does the “Failed to create TrAPI” error appear on Mac
When you see the error “Failed to create TrAPI” on your Mac, it usually means that some app or background service is trying to create or load a component called TrAPI, but it fails. Here are the most common reasons why this happens:
- Leftover settings from Time Machine. Restoring from Time Machine may carry over old system services, like TrAPI-related daemons. If the main app wasn't properly transferred or is incompatible, macOS can't load it and shows the error.
- Incomplete app uninstallation. If you've used antivirus or VPN tools (e.g., McAfee, JAMF, CheckPoint) and didn't fully remove them, macOS may still try to load their background services. Missing files will trigger the “Failed to create TrAPI” error.
- Permission or security restrictions. Since macOS Catalina, system permissions have become stricter. If TrAPI needs special access, a system update or changed security settings might block it from running.
- Incompatible software. Old apps might not work on newer macOS versions. If TrAPI were part of such apps and hadn't been updated, the system could fail to load it properly.
- System errors or broken permissions. File system issues or damaged permissions can prevent TrAPI services from loading. Forced migrations or cleanup tools may have accidentally removed necessary files.
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How to fix the “Failed to create TrAPI” error on Mac
When you repeatedly see this error, it means the system is trying to start a background service that is either outdated or missing. However, sometimes this error might be temporary, possibly caused by an issue with the order in which background services start.
Therefore, it's recommended to restart your Mac to see if that resolves the issue. If the "Failed to create TrAPI" error continues after restarting, try the following methods.
Method 1: Check Login Items and Launch Agents
Sometimes, even after you've uninstalled an app, its login items, launch agents, or daemon configuration files may remain on your system. These files aren't removed automatically, so you need to manually check for and clean up these leftover items.
- Go to System Settings > General > Login Items, and remove unknown or suspicious startup apps.
- Open Finder > press Command + Shift + G, then go to:
~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons - Look for TrAPI-related or old software files (e.g., com.checkpoint.trapi.plist). You can move those files to the Desktop as backup, then delete them from the original folder.
Method 2: Use Terminal to Remove Daemon Services
Many Daemons and LaunchAgents are not directly displayed in "System Settings" or "Finder". They are usually located in hidden folders of the system. So you need to go to the Terminal to delete them.
- Open Terminal and run the following command:sudo launchctl list
- Look for entries related to TrAPI or security software. If found, you can type the following command to disable them.sudo launchctl bootout system /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.checkpoint.trapi.plist
- Use the command below to delete the file:sudo rm /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.checkpoint.trapi.plist
Method 3: Create a New User Account for Testing
If the error only appears under your current user, it's likely caused by a user-specific configuration issue. Creating a new user account can help determine if that's the case.
- Go to System Settings > Users & Groups.
- Add a new user (make sure it's an admin account).
- Log out of your current user and log in to the new one. Check if the “Failed to create TrAPI” error still appears.
If the error doesn't appear in the new account, the issue is likely tied to user-specific settings or leftover login items in your original profile.
Could you share the above three methods to help more people fix the problem?
