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Stop Apache web services on macOS with Server.app

In recent versions of macOS with the Server.app, the Server software has been more and more persistent about having Apache running. Even if you’re not using any of the web services, it still likes to have Apache running as a proxy service.

On older versions of Server, you could type in:

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/org.apache.httpd.plist

On newer versions of Server, you also have to stop the Service Proxy service, which uses apache.

sudo launchctl unload -w /Applications/Server.app/Contents/ServerRoot/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.serviceproxy.plist

If you enter the first launchctl command and get an error that looks something like:

/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/org.apache.httpd.plist: Could not find specified service

Then, you need to use the second launchctl command to also unload the instance of Apache started by the Service Proxy service.

4 thoughts on “Stop Apache web services on macOS with Server.app

  1. Hi, I’m using OS X 10.12.6 with Server App 5.2 and Filemaker Server 16.0.4.406 on port 81, but every time I restart the Mac, the web services stop running.

    I’ve tried using these commands to stop Apache but they don’t work it says “Could not find specified service”. Any chance you can help me out?

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