WindowServer crashing repeatedly since upgrade to Ventura

No, very definitely not alone!

This issue is affecting a whole lot of folk from what I can see, myself included!

Apparently, it used to happen quite a lot with Monterey too, though I never personally experienced it on that version of Mac OS.

Issues is still happening here. Any time I step away it seems to crash and computer doesnt completely shutdown, but you have to power off to use it. If there are any resolutions or updates, please post on here. I have tried a number of things but nothing seems to work.

Experiencing the exact same issue since macOS Ventura Update.

MacBook Air (13 inch, 2021, M1).

I am currently using an external monitor as "main display" and some apps in full screen mode.

Could not identify if the crash was during cmd+tab alternation.

Unfortunately, the 13.0.1 update didn't resolve this crashing problem for me. WindowServer still crashes randomly... although for me notably when my machine wakes from standby (opening my notebook's lid).

Yes, I've had exactly the same symptoms since installing Ventura (13.0.0, then 13.0.1). My crashes are every few hours, approximately once per day.

I've been using one external display. This happens most frequently when I switch desktops on the external display. In about 10% of the crashes, I wasn't switching desktops on the external display.

The same here :

MacBook Pro 13 Inch M1 , 2020

Since Ventura 13.0

I connected two external Monitors via HDMI with a Hub hhttps://hypershop.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9342831058708-macOS-Ventura-Update-Troubleshooting

They even have a trouble shooting guide https://hypershop.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9342831058708-macOS-Ventura-Update-Troubleshooting

This helped for a couple days at most , couple of hours at least, but not really a solution.

Then i used only one Monitor ... same

Also not using the internal Display only ....

My solution: i switched my "older" caldigit usb-c pro dock, which only supports one Monitor as native the M1 Chip 2020. That seems to work....

It's happened consistently since I upgraded to Ventura (never happened before). It seems to happen ONLY when I run an app in full screen mode (I have two external monitors attached to my Mac mini 2018). It crashes everything except the Apple applications (Mail, Calendar) and locks the screen.

I avoided full screen apps for 3 or 4 days and had no issues. As soon as I went full screen with an app (not an Apple app), I crashed within 5 minutes.

The problem occurs in both 13.0 and 13.0.1.

A couple of days ago, I hypothesized that the crashes are caused by some sort of race condition: for example, some in-memory structure gets used before it's fully constructed. And based on the evidence, it seems that the condition happens when switching apps on an external monitor. I'm not completely sure, but I think the condition also might depend on switching desktops.

To test this, I've modified my behavior a bit for the past couple of days. Instead of switching apps as fast as I like, when I use command-tab, I choose the app that I want, then I hold it for a moment to make sure all displays on my current desktop are fully updated. Then I let go.

So far, no crashes.

This might be interesting as a workaround and as a diagnostic observation. I can't claim that this is real cause and effect and don't want to create a superstition :) but thought I'd share here, since we're grasping at straws.

FTR: I'm still on 13.0.1. (At time of writing, there is no 13.0.2.)

Given that a lot of people are reporting issues with using multiple monitors causing this issue, this made me look at how at how I use desktops as part of my usual routine. Instead of opening my Music library on a separate desktop, I am now using just the one desktop to do everything. It has only been 1 day or so, but no crashes as all and usually have 3-4 a day. Keeping my fingers that this works until Apple gets this addressed.

I've had no crashes since I wrote that three days ago, and have been using my machine heavily with external monitors. I'm getting more and more confident in the race-condition theory.

On a practical level, it means using command-tab slowly, as I described above: "I hold it for a moment to make sure all displays on my current desktop are fully updated. Then I let go."

This is getting ridiculous, my MacBook Pro 2019 connected via usbC to Dell 4k, crash 3 to 5 times per day. most of the time after using screen saver or adding/removing a 2nd monitor Hdmi.

After a crash and a fresh start, sometime i have only black screen. so i have to unplug all usb C and restart again... what a mess

PS : Also my mac can t stay in sleep mode and wake up alone every hours

Thx Ventura !

I only started experiencing these WindowServer crashes on 13.0.1. Like the other reports, connecting to an external thunderbolt display seems to be a factor since I am not experiencing the issue using only my internal display or with an HDMI display on my MBP M1 16" (it has a HDMI port).

However, I CAN make it happen on command. When using my thunderbolt LG external display the WindowServer only crashes when I use the ⌘+tab shortcut to switch apps.

My laptop is crashing literally every half hour or so, regardless of whether I cmd+tab, fullscreen or not. Can’t downgrade either because my time machine broke just now as well. Apple please fix this!!