Reference
About NovabenchService
Novabench installs a lightweight background service called NovabenchService that provides access to hardware and system data that requires elevated permissions. It uses minimal RAM and CPU.
On Windows it is a Windows service. On Linux it is a systemd service. On macOS it is an installed launchd service that starts on demand when Novabench or a scheduled monitoring job needs it. The macOS service can run while the desktop application is closed.
What NovabenchService does
Some data that Novabench reports is not available to a normal user process. The service reads that data so the application itself does not need to run with elevated privileges.
Feature | Why it needs the service |
|---|---|
CPU and GPU temperature, power, and load | Hardware sensor interfaces require elevated access |
Sensor and battery history | The service does the background logging |
Parts of the system inventory | Firmware, security posture, and some storage fields |
Manufacturer management software requires elevated access | |
Reading error reporting records and crash dumps | |
Reading and retaining supported operating-system power transition records | |
Process metrics for Novabench for Work | Per-process CPU, memory, disk, and network accounting, plus GPU accounting where the platform supports it |
Traceroute in network tests | Raw socket access |
If the service is not running, these features report that data is unavailable. They do not fail outright. Benchmarks, scoring, and result history all work normally with the service stopped.
Managing the service
On Windows, manage the service through the Windows Services manager (services.msc). On Linux, use your distribution's system service controls. Novabench manages the installed macOS service automatically. It starts only when the application or a configured monitoring schedule connects to it.
Novabench detects a stopped service and offers to start it rather than showing an empty screen with no explanation.
Uninstalling
Removing Novabench removes the service automatically. It also removes the resources Novabench downloaded rather than leaving them on disk:
- The AI test cache of model files and runtimes, which can run to several gigabytes
- NPU benchmark resources
- Application test caches
This matters most for the AI cache. A machine that ran the AI test with several models enabled can hold 20 GB of downloaded weights. Leaving that data behind after an uninstall would waste significant disk space.
Why it may be running on your system
If you see NovabenchService on a system you did not personally install Novabench on, your organization's IT department most likely deployed it. Novabench measures and maintains performance across managed devices. See monitoring agents for what is collected in that configuration.