Level 2

220 points

WindowServer crashing repeatedly since upgrade to Ventura

Since I upgraded my MacBook Pro (14 inch, 2021, M1 Pro) to Ventura (macOS 13.0 22A380), I repeatedly get logged out of macOS. After logging in I see a crash report for WindowServer.

This happens seemingly at random. Sometimes I can work for hours without a problem and at other times the WindowServer crashes about every two minutes which is severely disrupting and renders the MacBook unusable. As far as I can tell so far, the crashes don't correlate with any particular pattern in user activity or app usage and appear to be completely random.

I am using the MacBook with an external 4K LG display and other users on Reddit report that disconnecting the external display and only using the internal display remedies the crashes. But obviously this cannot be a proper solution.

Is anybody else experiencing this and/or knows about a better workaround then to forgo the use of an external display?

Posted on Oct 28, 2022 4:34 AM

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Guillermo1984

Level 1

8 points

Posted on Nov 6, 2022 8:55 AM

I believe that the problem comes from the external screen when it is in "main display" and not in "extended display". Before the Ventura update it was in extended and it moved to main view with the update. Since I put it back in extended display, I no longer have windowServer crashes.

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97 replies

reitermoritz Author

Level 2

220 points

Nov 29, 2022 11:48 AM in response to powerrunner

It's probably just a coincidence if you didn't have a crash so far when using an HDMI connection.

I usually use a Thunderbolt-to-DisplayPort cable to connect to my LG display but after reading your post I gave it a shot and replaced it with an HDMI cable and after working about 2 hours with it: boom.

Dec 5, 2022 4:02 AM in response to reitermoritz

Hi. For what it is worth, just contacted apple support via chat. I received the following suggestions:

Reset SMC
Reset NVRAM

Anyone already tested this or spoke to apple support as well? SMC doesn't seem to be making sense to me (but then who knows). NVRAm maybe more but not sure. The support guy initially didn't know what the Window Server is, so the advice seems to be a standard suggestion.

Just thought I'll post it here as the window crash really is annoying. I have it also for Apple Studio Display.

reitermoritz Author

Level 2

220 points

Dec 7, 2022 3:36 AM in response to mousersvk

mousersvk wrote:

A possible workaround, which has worked for me so far (no crash in 2 weeks):

Enable "Displays have separate Spaces" in System Settings -> Desktop & Dock

Two weeks is quite long, but still, I think you're just lucky. I just checked and "Displays have separate Spaces" is activated on my machine but I still get the crashes regularly if I use more than one display.

For me, there is still only one thing that reliably prevents the crashes: only using one display (either the MacBooks display or the external one, never both at the same time).

Apr 19, 2023 12:57 PM in response to reitermoritz

I am having the same problem. When using Command-tab or trackpad gestures to switch between spaces and programs, the entire system freezes. If you have Activity Monitor open, or enable trace logging, you will see that Windowserver is crashing. I have captured this in a spin report and reproduced the issue live with Apple support in safe mode.

Nov 9, 2022 6:47 AM in response to reitermoritz

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.

ngonews

Level 1

13 points

Nov 16, 2022 7:18 AM in response to reitermoritz

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.

Dendox1

Level 1

8 points

Dec 6, 2022 11:30 AM in response to reitermoritz

I have a 2018 15 inch with 2.2 i7 16 GB of ram and 1TB HD.

I started having htis issue about 3 weeks ago. Two OSs ago. It seemed to occur after updating my monitors to UHD samsungs. I went from running two external monitors at home and work via USBC HDMI cables to a single external UHD via USB C to HDMI. Always with the lid closed.

Apple wanted me to update to Ventura. I did. It helped. For about 3 days.

I seem to get the crash when the computer sleeps over night and when I am doing "stuff too fast."

I went back to the old set up with two 1080p monitors today. Same issue.

Today was me hitting spacebar to preview a document and then changing my mind and then changing my mind again - quickly.

Full screen isn't used frequently, if ever.

I am beyond frustrated. I am glad I found this forum as I was about to run out and buy a new machine thinking something hardware wise was failing. Seems a new machine will likely have the same issues. If I have to use the machine as a laptop without a monitor it is worthless.

I am at a loss at this point.

reitermoritz Author

Level 2

220 points

Dec 7, 2022 6:35 AM in response to Dendox1

I agree, if it would be possible to get https://macrumors.com or so to write about this, that would certainly help.

In the meantime, filing a bug report at Product Feedback - Apple might be better than nothing.

Dec 23, 2022 3:38 PM in response to reitermoritz

I have Ventura 13.1 with Razer Core X (eGPU) with AMD RX6600XT and a Samsung Odyssey G9.

Crashes when the Macbook is idle and turn screen off. When I come back the screen don't come up or the OSX has restarted and when I login there is a crash report from WindoServer process.

The problem started not when I used the eGPU, but when I installed this new monitor (G9)

The previous monitor was an Asus ROG PG348Q 3440x1440 and worked pretty well until I decided to install a KVM switch to use the monitor with my PC.

Because of issues to use the KVM switch with Mac and PC I decided to upgrade to this Samsung that comes with two DisplayPorts. Now Mac and PC works with this monitor. But the crashes started to happen :-(

Jan 12, 2023 7:46 AM in response to Dendox1

I oversee about 50 Macbook Pros for the company I work for. Oddly, only one user is experiencing this. At first it was mainly happening during Zoom meetings, but has now started happening randomly over the course of the day. The Macbook in question is a 2020 model, 13 inch. Many of my users work with multiple displays.

Oct 5, 2023 7:57 AM in response to Guillermo1984

This didn't happen to me in Ventura, but it is now happening frequently in Sonoma 14.0

Several crashes and reboots a day.

I fear a complete reinstall is in the near future. Just what I want to spend a day off doing. :/

ngonews

Level 1

13 points

Nov 19, 2022 6:02 AM in response to userNameEmpty

Just translating for English speakers:

"13.0.1 still crashes, it seems that it only happens when an external monitor is connected"

Nov 23, 2022 11:49 PM in response to EnderWang

I was already ok the default ones and it still happens to me. My only solution was to use one display only, either the builtin or the external. Frustrating as ****!

reitermoritz Author

Level 2

220 points

Nov 28, 2022 12:17 PM in response to alexuntea

Yeah, I agree, exclusively using one display (only the internal one or only the external one) is the only thing that seems to reliably prevent the crashes.

Thanks a lot for your detailed analysis!

Nov 22, 2023 12:52 AM in response to MircoT65

Same problem here, only after updating to Sonoma.

My MBA M1 keeps crashing while using external dispay with hdmi adapter.

I have tested on several devices connected, always the same.

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WindowServer crashing repeatedly since upgrade to Ventura