launchctl: Load failed: 5: Input/output error macOS Origin: Platform & cloud OSI layer 7 · Application Last updated 5 Nov 2026

macOS: Bootstrap failed: 5: Input/output error / launchctl load: Load failed: 5: Input/output error

launchd couldn't load a LaunchAgent/Daemon plist — it's invalid, already loaded, or has the wrong ownership/permissions.

Exact message you may see Load failed: 5: Input/output errorBootstrap failed: 5: Input/output errorlaunchctl: Load failed: 5: Input/output errorCould not find specified service launchctlService is disabled launchctl
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Seen on: macOS

Meaning

Validate with plutil -lint file.plist, check permissions (LaunchDaemons must be owned by root:wheel and not group-writable), and unload the old job first (launchctl bootout gui/$(id -u) path). Prefer bootstrap/bootout over deprecated load/unload. log show --predicate 'subsystem == "com.apple.xpc.launchd"' --last 5m reveals details.

Common causes

  • Invalid plist syntax or missing keys
  • Service already loaded
  • Wrong owner/permissions on the plist
  • Program path doesn't exist or isn't executable
  • Loading a system daemon without sudo

⚡ Quick fix

  1. plutil -lint ~/Library/LaunchAgents/x.plist
  2. launchctl bootout gui/$(id -u)/label then launchctl bootstrap gui/$(id -u) path
  3. sudo chown root:wheel /Library/LaunchDaemons/x.plist && sudo chmod 644

Detailed fix by platform

macOS

  1. launchctl print gui/$(id -u)/com.example.job shows state and last exit status

How to diagnose

  1. Plist — Valid?
  2. State — Already loaded?
  3. Perms — root:wheel 644?

🔧 Still not fixed?

Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:

Where this error sits

Origin: Platform & cloud. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):

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