Mac OS Ventura 13.0.1 System Settings not displaying correclty - Macbook Pro 16" M1 Pro

My reply here isn’t going to be helpful, but I’ll weigh in on this thread to add some more ballast to this issue that might help Apple pay proper attention here.

After reading through this whole thread (and many others on the interwebbs) i have confirmed that:

A) this situation is not a ”random glitch “ in Ventura,

B ) it is a ‘System killer’ level bug,

C ) it’s only solution is to ‘factory reset’ your machine (in my case, taking me all the way back to Monterey, such that I have to then re-upgrade to Ventura again🤷🏻‍♂️)

And the real corker is

D ) many many folks have had this happen and Apple had no solution other than previously mentioned ‘factory reset’, which, for us Apple pro-users means loss of time and loss of income.

Apple ? Do better. 😒🍏

I may have to try this.

…after my days long fight with my missing System Settings, after fully “factory resetting” my computer, fully reinstalling a” clean “ version of Ventura? Now my REMINDER App is dead. 🙄

I’ve gone through all the iCloud testing stuff twice - it works fine on my phone, iPad, backup MacBook - but the REMINDER Apps dialogue window is as dead as the old System Settings window used to be. 😖

(I’d reset back to Monterey but I’m concerned I’ve done too many new projects in FCP and Logic Pro and they will not be backwards compatible with the Monterey versions. 🥺)

I’ve really lost faith in Ventura though I’ve loved the potential of many of its new features.

More sad, for me, is my diminished faith in Apple’s ability to look after me as a customer. 😔

Glad you’ve had some positive results from your efforts, Raymond😌👍🏼

Give this a try: boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and test to see if the problem persists. Reboot normally and test again.

NOTE 1: Safe Mode boot can take up to 3 - 5 minutes as it's doing the following; 

• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed

• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)

• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically

• Disables user-installed fonts 

• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files

NOTE 2: if you have a wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries connect it with its charging cable before booting into Safe Mode. This makes it act as a wired keyboard as will insure a successful boot into Safe Mode.

Hi LifeOfRilee,

If restarting your Mac didn't change the Settings, let's try to narrow this down and isolate it more by testing in safe mode and a new user account.

Safe mode prevents certain software from opening and completes great checks on startup. More information on starting to safe mode and steps to take after starting there can be found here: How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support

1. "Shut down your Mac.

2. Turn on your Mac and continue to press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window.

3. Select your startup disk, then press and hold the Shift key while clicking “Continue in Safe Mode”.

4. Log in to your Mac. You may be asked to log in again."

If the issue continues after the steps from safe mode, create a new user account (administrator) to see if the behavior happens there. This will let us know if it is system-wide or something within your user account: Change Users & Groups settings on Mac

Delete a user or group on Mac (to remove the test account once completed)

Let us know what you find.

Cheers!

LifeOfRilee wrote:

100%. Ventura is Apple’s Vista. This needs to be fixed.

The original post goes back to Nov. 29, 2022

I would hope you verify—

The current stable release of Ventura including bug fixes,  security updates  is macOS Ventura 13.2.1  

Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support

Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support

if you still have an issue:

Call Customer Support  (800) MY–APPLE (800–692–7753)

or on line  https://getsupport.apple.com/

Outside the USA—Contact Apple for support and service by phone

See a list of Apple phone numbers around the world.

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support 

Create and log into a new, basic, admin user account, Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac,  and see if the problem persists. This tells us if the problem is limited to your user account or is system wide.

Note:  do not launch any 3rd party apps in the account so as to not install any of the supporting files that most create.

If the problem persists then your original account has software installed that is causing the problem.  

Bought a new Mac mini m2pro. My system settings window is... empty, selecting 'general' doesn't do anything.

I have restarted Mac, no luck.

Then after 10 minutes suddenly I can see the system settings, but no icons. Then 5 minutes later it's gone again.

I have no apps running, no VPN, nothing.

In my case, I had to go right back to "Reset to Original Factory Settings" - which, in my case took my macbook M1max back to MONTEREY. As I mentioned, I've done lots of work in Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro in Ventura over the last couple months (before Systems Settings disappeared) so I needed to then "upgrade" from factory-reset MONTEREY to Ventura.

So... I did a "clean install" of Ventura and now have my Systems Settings back but REMINDER app now has the same symptom of being blank and unclickable. The "ADD LIST" button doesn't do anything, and search goes nowhere as well.

So far, REMINDER is the only thing I see that is FUBAR in this re-install situation. But I don't have confidence there are other "issues" I haven't found yet. 🤷🏻‍♂️

I'm having the same problem, can't upgrade or do anything because the only thing that shows in System Settings is "Passwords". Can't make a single change to my Mac or upgrade to the next version of Ventura! Apple really screwed this one up and needs to release a fix immediately.

The problem is that it's not possible to create a new user a/c or ID because that option is not showing in System Settings. I have only passwords and Java showing, so can't even change the time! Have tried everything - reinstalling Ventura, backing up from previous Time Machine date, opening in safe mode etc etc. Nothing works. Getting desperate now!

Trying to restore from Time Machine didn't work - nothing did. After three hours on the phone with Apple Support, I ended up having to wipe my entire hard drive and start again. BUT the problem may have been that I did the update on my computer in another country but with my US password and the system then didn't work when I returned. Anyway, it's all fine now, but what a hassle!

I spent three hours on the phone to Apple and eventually had to take Mac back to factory settings. My problem appeared to be that I'd installed it with a different account in a different country and then it wouldn't work when back in the US on my US Apple a/c.

Updated to 13.2, still many issues with the interface. System settings don't "stick" (for example proxy configurations disappear after some time) and some buttons simply do not work (when they should) until I close and reopen a few times. VPN configurations also do not stay for example for DNS and others.