---
title: ServicesBackgroundTasks
framework: Device Management
role: symbol
role_heading: Object
platforms: [macOS 15.0+]
path: devicemanagement/servicesbackgroundtasks
---

# ServicesBackgroundTasks

The declaration to configure background tasks.

## Declaration

```data
object ServicesBackgroundTasks
```

## Properties

ExecutableAssetReference: Specifies the identifier of an asset declaration containing a reference to the files to be used for the background task configuration. The corresponding asset must be of type com.apple.asset.data. The referenced data must be a zip archive of an entire directory that the device expands and stores in a well known location for the background task. The asset’s “ContentType” and “Hash-SHA-256” keys in the “Reference” key are required. This zip archive should contain background task executables, scripts, and configuration files, but not the launchd configuration files. The device stores the expanded zip archive in the tamper-proof /var/db/ManagedConfigurationFiles/BackgroundTaskServices/Services/<TaskType> directory, where <TaskType> is the value of the TaskType key in the configuration. LaunchdConfigurations: An array of launchd configuration files used to run the background tasks. The device stores the configuration files in the tamper-proof /var/db/ManagedConfigurationFiles/BackgroundTaskServices/LaunchDaemons or /var/db/ManagedConfigurationFiles/BackgroundTaskServices/LaunchAgents directories, based on the Context value for each item. TaskDescription: A description of the set of background tasks this configuration manages. TaskType: The unique identifier of the set of background tasks managed with this configuration. This should be a reverse DNS style identifier. The device uses this identifier to differentiate between tasks in different configurations.

## Discussion

Discussion Specify com.apple.configuration.services.background-tasks as the declaration type. One or both of ExecutableAssetReference or LaunchdConfigurations needs to be present. If ExecutableAssetReference is present, the POSIX permissions of the files in the zip archive need to be set correctly. For example, executables must have the “x” bit set. If LaunchdConfigurations is present, the device stores the launchd configuration files in a secure location and loads them into launchd. When the device updates a launchd configuration, it kills and restarts any associated running tasks. If both ExecutableAssetReference and LaunchdConfigurations are present, and the device changes just the executable data, it kills and restarts any running tasks associated with the launchd configurations. note: If an executable is an app, the device can’t manage the app as it can only manage apps installed in /Applications. Also, the device can’t use system extensions in the app as it only loads them from apps installed in /Applications. Configuration availability  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |  Configuration example This configuration sets up a background task using a launchd daemon. {     "Type": "com.apple.configuration.services.background-tasks",     "Identifier": "EB13EE2B-5D63-4EBA-810F-5B81D07F5017",     "ServerToken": "E180CA9A-F089-4FA3-BBDF-94CC159C4AE8",     "Payload": {         "TaskType": "com.example.bgtask",         "TaskDescription": "Test script",         "ExecutableAssetReference": "5840A1CB-A769-4C08-8968-13E8BA705B3E",         "LaunchdConfigurations": [             {                 "FileAssetReference": "F6A59159-FFA5-4DA9-B2E8-316AC4C99C78",                 "Context": "daemon"             }         ]     } }

## Topics

### Objects

- [ServicesBackgroundTasksLaunchdItemObject](devicemanagement/servicesbackgroundtaskslaunchditemobject.md)

## See Also

### Configurations

- [AccessibilitySettings](devicemanagement/accessibilitysettings.md)
- [AccountCalDAV](devicemanagement/accountcaldav.md)
- [AccountCardDAV](devicemanagement/accountcarddav.md)
- [AccountExchange](devicemanagement/accountexchange.md)
- [AccountGoogle](devicemanagement/accountgoogle.md)
- [AccountLDAP](devicemanagement/accountldap.md)
- [AccountMail](devicemanagement/accountmail.md)
- [AccountSettings](devicemanagement/accountsettings.md)
- [AccountSubscribedCalendar](devicemanagement/accountsubscribedcalendar.md)
- [AppManaged](devicemanagement/appmanaged.md)
- [AppSettings](devicemanagement/appsettings.md)
- [AudioAccessorySettings](devicemanagement/audioaccessorysettings.md)
- [ContentCaching](devicemanagement/contentcaching.md)
- [DiskManagementSettings](devicemanagement/diskmanagementsettings.md)
- [ExtensibleSSO](devicemanagement/extensiblesso.md)