Where Does Activity Monitor Store Data on Mac?
What Activity Monitor actually stores on Mac, where its preferences sit, and why live data needs no backup.
Last updated
Activity Monitor keeps almost nothing on disk by design. Every tab samples the running system live, so quitting wipes the view by nature. What persists is small: a preferences plist with window layout, columns and update frequency.
Do not hunt for history files; none exist. For records of runaway processes, sample the process or save system diagnostics while it misbehaves. The plist restores your layout and nothing else.
Where Activity Monitor stores this, by platform
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.ActivityMonitor.plist
Window layout and columns in one plist; no history files exist. Delete the plist to reset the view. Sample processes for records, not file copies.
Frequently asked questions
Can I back up Activity Monitor history?
No. The process list, energy and disk tabs read live system state on every launch. Only window layout and column choices persist. Screenshots serve better than file copies for records.
How do I reset Activity Monitor to defaults?
Quit Activity Monitor and delete its preferences plist, then relaunch. Live readings return immediately; only custom columns and window positions reset. No process data is lost because none was stored.
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