Unloading a Kernel Extension with kextunload Modern versions of Mac OS X also allow kernel extension loading to be completed with the kextutil command, which is a bit more full featured for debugging reasons, but is otherwise the same for loading a kext.

This can be helpful after manually installing a kernel extension into Mac OS X as in some situations it will prevent the need for rebooting the Mac. You can confirm a kernel has been loaded by listing it with kextstat, using grep to search for the given name like so: Sudo kextload -b Įither way, hit return and with the entry of the administrator password the kernel extension will be loaded into Mac OS X. You can also use the bundle identifier (which are frequently the targets of defaults commands) with the -b flag: The syntax is otherwise simple enough, requiring sudo for administrative access to perform the action: To load a kernel extension into Mac OS X, you’ll need to use the command line kextload utility. Loading a Kernel Extension in Mac OS X with kextload Inappropriate modification of kext behavior can render Mac hardware useless or inaccessible, and can also prevent Mac OS X from functioning at all, so do not attempt to change any kernel extension without a compelling reason and understanding of what it’s usage is. Because kernel extensions are often critical components of MacOS, this is only appropriate for users who have a specific reason to be modifying whether a kext is loaded or unloaded into the MacOS X kernel space.

Sometimes, advanced Mac users and systems administrators may need to manually load or unload a kernel extension. Most kexts are part of the core Mac OS X system software, typically hardware device drivers, but some third party apps will install a kext as well. Kernel extensions, called kext for short, are modules of code that are loaded directly into the kernel space of Mac OS X, able to run at a low-level to perform a variety of tasks.

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