WindowServer high CPU usage periods at certain time intervals

Hi 2garinz,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. I understand that Activity Monitor shows the process WindowServer consuming unexpected high usage a couple of times each day, and I’d love to help. 

First, disconnect external peripherals other than your mouse and keyboard, then try booting into safe mode to see if the issue happens in your user account: 

Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac

From there, try logging into a brand new user account, then check whether the issue persists: 

How to test an issue in another user account on your Mac

I hope this helps get you started. Kind regards.

2garinz,

Thanks for getting back to us with those additional details and for trying those steps.

Since the issue doesn’t happen in safe mode or in a new user account, this likely points to something in your user account. From here, I recommend removing your login items, then testing the usage without them to see if that helps. The steps to do this can be found in the section, “Test your login items” here: 

If your Mac has a blue screen or other startup problems

From there, check for any app updates, and uninstall any software that you no longer use. If you’re still having trouble, contact Apple Support for further assistance:

Get Support

Have a great rest of your day.