macOS - Software Lifecycle - Restart Splashtop Streamer Service

What the Splashtop Streamer restart Worklet does

This Automox Worklet™ monitors the Splashtop Streamer process on macOS endpoints and automatically restarts the service if it stops running. The Worklet uses launchd system services to perform graceful restarts, verifying that remote connectivity is restored without disrupting the endpoint.

The remediation process first attempts to restart Splashtop Streamer using the launchctl system daemon manager, which handles the service lifecycle defined in the com.splashtop.streamer.plist file. If the launch daemon is unavailable, the Worklet falls back to launching the Splashtop Streamer application directly.

After remediation, the Worklet verifies that the Splashtop Streamer process has successfully restarted by checking the running processes on the endpoint. This verification step verifies that the service is fully operational before the Worklet completes.

Why maintain Splashtop Streamer service availability

Splashtop Streamer is critical remote access software for IT operations teams managing macOS endpoints. When the service stops unexpectedly, you lose the ability to remotely support users, deploy patches, or respond to security incidents on affected endpoints.

Automatic restart capabilities eliminate the need for manual intervention when service failures occur. This Worklet reduces support costs by preventing the support cycles that would otherwise follow unexpected disconnections. By maintaining persistent remote access, you accelerate incident response times and improve overall endpoint availability.

For distributed IT teams managing macOS fleets across multiple locations, this automation is essential for maintaining service level agreements and verifying consistent remote management capabilities across your environment.

How Splashtop Streamer restart automation works

1. Evaluation phase: The Worklet checks whether the Splashtop Streamer process is currently running on the endpoint using the pgrep command. If the process exists, the Worklet reports success and no remediation is needed. If the process is not found, the Worklet returns a failure status indicating that remediation is required.

2. Remediation phase: The Worklet executes a series of restart actions starting with launchd management. First, it attempts to unload the com.splashtop.streamer.plist service using launchctl bootout, then reloads it with launchctl bootstrap. The Worklet waits 10 seconds to allow the service to fully initialize, then verifies that the Splashtop Streamer process is running before completing.

Splashtop restart requirements

• macOS 10.12 or later (Sierra and newer versions)

• Splashtop Streamer application must be installed on the endpoint

• Administrator or root-level privileges required to manage launchd services

• Network connectivity to allow Splashtop Streamer to establish remote access sessions

• Launch daemon configuration file at /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.splashtop.streamer.plist must be properly configured

Expected Splashtop connectivity after restart

After the Worklet completes successfully, the Splashtop Streamer process will be running and ready to accept remote connections. Remote access sessions initiated through Splashtop will establish immediately without requiring any manual restart or endpoint reboot.

You can verify successful completion by confirming that the Splashtop Streamer service appears in your organization's Splashtop console and that remote access is available to the endpoint. The Worklet exit code will be 0 upon successful restart, and any subsequent evaluations will find the service running and report compliance.

How to validate restart splashtop streamer service changes

1. Run this Worklet on a pilot macOS endpoint and review evaluation output for restart splashtop streamer service.

2. Confirm Automox activity logs show successful completion and exit code 0.

3. Verify endpoint state using checks aligned to evaluation script logic, such as exit, else.

4. Validate remediation effects from script operations such as launchctl, sleep, else, then rerun evaluation for compliance.