WindowServer High CPU usage while connected to external monitor - Big Sur

Same issue with an external GPU connected to monitors using my 13" 2019 MacBook Pro. Only started after I installed Big Sur. Apple, have your engineers figure out why WindowServer is going nuts, please. This is really disappointing.

Hello jellymadmerlin,

The WindowServer Process is the process that draws or displays everything on your screen. (Example, you have textedit and you are typing, windowserver refreshes your display to show what is happening.) When you connect to an external monitor, WindowServer usage goes up due to it redrawing/displaying both displays per second. Disable “Displays have separate Spaces” in Mission Control. When doing this, keep in mind to not fullscreen any application as your display will be blank if full screened.

I hope I helped you

I am only using one display. The internal MacBook display is disabled with the lid closed. WindowServer still uses a large amount of CPU time with a single external display and no other displays active.

I have the same problem with a MBP 13" 2016 late i7.

with a connected 4k monitor or with a FHD monitor (same with connected over a thunderbold dock or with an apple-adapter)

only uses the mouse bring the process to 80%

Same issue. And when I remove my USB mouse things are getting way better. It's ridiculous problem to have. Right now using external monitor is useless. And it's been like that since Big Sur. I didn't have any issue before that. Please fix this issue! What if I put 2 monitors? My mac book pro is going to just die?

I experience the same problem using a MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018) with a 5K Eizo Display under Big Sur. When playing the frame rate drops sometimes to under 10 Frames in World of Warcraft due to extremly high usage of WindowServer, when I use the internal display I do only rarely encounter this problem. 6 Years after the introduction of 5K displays this is really a huge disappointment.

I have the exact same problem while using a new MacBook M1.

Still happening on 11.2 with an external display on an M1 MBP 13". WindowServer runs constantly at 30-70% CPU consumption.

the 2nd it is not much worse.

i am back on 10.15.7 and this works fine for me. no more problemes with the cpu.

i wait for 11.4 or 11.5 to make the next attempt.

I have the same issue here on MacBook Pro 15' Mid 2015 on BigSur.

Thank you so much.

Unloaded around 10% of gpu load on my M1 Air