Imagine this: You update your Mac, restart it, and suddenly Little Snitch isn’t working. No popups. No alerts. Nothing. Your trusty network gatekeeper has gone silent. What happened? And how do you fix it?

TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read 😅)

After a macOS update, Little Snitch may stop working properly. This is often due to a corrupted or missing LaunchDaemon that helps it track network connections. Restarting or reinstalling doesn’t always help. Fixing the LaunchDaemon manually can bring it back to life.

What Is Little Snitch?

Little Snitch is like a traffic cop for your Mac. It watches where your apps are sending data. If an app tries to connect to a server, Little Snitch will ask for your permission. You can allow or block traffic based on rules you set.

It’s super handy. Especially if you care about privacy or just want to know what your apps are doing behind the scenes.

Normally, it works great. But sometimes, especially after system updates, it needs a little help.

The Problem: No More Network Monitoring

After a recent macOS update (let’s say Ventura or Sonoma), many users found that Little Snitch just stopped tracking network activity. The app opens. No error message. But there’s no network data showing up.

Weird, right?

You might even try restarting your Mac, reinstalling Little Snitch, or updating the app — and still, nothing works.

Why Does This Happen?

Little Snitch relies on background system services to monitor your network. One of the most important is a LaunchDaemon. Think of this as a tiny helper that starts the network monitoring backend when your Mac boots up.

During macOS updates, it’s common for LaunchDaemons to get disrupted. They may be:

  • Deleted
  • Disabled
  • Assigned incorrect permissions
  • Broken due to new macOS security policies

If Little Snitch’s LaunchDaemon can’t run properly, the app looks like it’s working—but it’s blind. No connection tracking. No alerts. Nada.

How To Know If the LaunchDaemon Is Broken

The signs are subtle but clear:

  • Little Snitch opens, but shows zero network activity
  • No popups when an app attempts to connect online
  • Connection history is empty
  • System logs show references to missing or failed launch agents

You can check system logs by launching the Console app and searching for “Little Snitch” or “com.obdev.littlesnitch”.

Enter the Hero: Repairing the LaunchDaemon

This is where the fix comes in. You’ll need to repair (or sometimes replace) the LaunchDaemon associated with Little Snitch. Don’t worry — it’s easier than it sounds!

Steps to Repair the LaunchDaemon:

  1. Open Terminal

    2. You’ll find it in Applications > Utilities.

  2. Navigate to the LaunchDaemons folder
    3. cd /Library/LaunchDaemons
  3. Look for Little Snitch’s daemon file
    4. ls -l | grep littlesnitch
  4. If it’s missing: Reinstall Little Snitch from the official site.
    If it’s there, continue to the next step.
  5. Check permissions
    6. ls -l com.obdev.littlesnitchd.plist

    Make sure it’s owned by root:wheel and has proper read permissions.

  6. Unload and reload the daemon
    7. sudo launchctl bootout system /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.obdev.littlesnitchd.plist
    sudo launchctl bootstrap system /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.obdev.littlesnitchd.plist
  7. Reboot your Mac

    8. Yep — the old “turn it off and on again” still works wonders.

Still Not Working?

If the above steps didn’t help, here are a few more ideas:

  • Reinstall Little Snitch completely
  • Reset permissions and rebuild LaunchServices 
    sudo diskutil resetUserPermissions / `id -u`
  • Check for System Integrity Protection (SIP) issues
  • Contact Objective Development support — they’re super helpful

Why This Keeps Happening

macOS is always tightening security. Every update adds more locks and more rules. This is good for safety but tricky for tools like Little Snitch, which run deep in the system.

LaunchDaemons have to play by new rules. Apple’s System Integrity Protection (SIP) and new read-only system volumes make it harder for third-party tools to operate freely — and updates often reset or nullify existing permissions.

So every new update is a potential headache for apps like Little Snitch.

Good News: You’re Not Alone

This issue affects lots of users — especially after system updates. Forums like MacRumors and Reddit are full of people sharing the same story. The good news? The fix almost always comes down to that one little file: the LaunchDaemon plist.

Once it’s correctly in place and registered with the system, Little Snitch jumps back to life — blinking lights, dancing arrows, and all.

Pro Tip: Back Up Your Settings

Before updates, take a few steps to protect your setup:

  • Export your Little Snitch rule set
  • Take a Time Machine backup
  • Snapshot your system if using APFS

This way, if something goes wrong, you can quickly roll back or restore your saved rules.

Final Thoughts

It’s frustrating when tools like Little Snitch stop working after a system update. But the cause is usually something simple — like a LaunchDaemon getting out of sync.

Now that you’re armed with the knowledge, you can fix it yourself! Repairing the daemon is quick, safe, and can bring your favorite network monitor back to life.

Stay nerdy, stay secure — and always trust your Snitch 🕵️‍♂️

Did this guide help you?

If so, go ahead and share it with a friend or fellow Mac lover. And hey — maybe now’s a good time to finally learn what all your apps are really talking to online. 😄