How do I fix Background Items Loop in macOS Sequoia 15.x?

Follow the steps in The Fix section. Each step lists the exact System Settings path or Terminal command.

Is this fix confirmed for macOS Sequoia 15.x?

Yes — verified on macOS Sequoia 15.x. Article is updated when Apple ships a point release that changes the symptom or fix.

How to Fix Background Items Loop in macOS Sequoia 15.x

macOS Sequoia keeps telling you "Background Items Added"? You're not alone. This is a known bug where the background item daemon gets stuck in a notification loop.

TL;DR fix

The full fix is in The Fix section below. Verified on macOS Sequoia 15.x.

Recommended Troubleshooting Tool

Before proceeding with manual fixes, we recommend using CleanMyMac X. Quickly identify high CPU apps and optimize system memory with one click.

The Symptom

Every time you log in or wake your Mac, a notification (or several) appears saying a background item has been added, even if you haven't installed anything new.

The Fix

Reset the Background Items Database

Open Terminal and run this command to reset the Service Management database:

sbrun reset

*(Note: You may need to use sudo for certain background processes if prompted.)*

Clean up Login Items

Go to System Settings > General > Login Items. Under "Allow in the Background," toggle everything OFF and then back ON. This forces macOS to re-register the background helpers.

Clear the Background Items Cache

In Terminal, run:

rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.backgroundtaskmanagementagent/*

Restart your Mac immediately after.

Pro Tip

If the notification mentions a specific app you no longer use, search for that app's leftovers in /Library/LaunchAgents and ~/Library/LaunchAgents.

Tested and documented by the MacDebug team — about MacDebug. See also Photoshop & Adobe Apps Crashing on macOS Tahoe, Fix macOS "No AirPlay Found", or browse all guides on macdebug.