Getting “You system has run out of application memory “ error messages after updating to Ventura

If you are getting "Your system has run out of application memory" dialog boxes, and a list of most likely innocent apps listed (and the apps you are listing are totally innocent), then here is the explanation.

For the record, there are 2 reasons for the "Your system has run out of application memory" dialog box.

A) Your boot disk has very low free storage, and macOS cannot create page/swap files to offload virtual memory contents to disk. This is generally not the case, but I mention because if you do have very low free storage, it might apply. 50GB to 100GB would be a good idea to have in reserve.

B) A process (or set of processes) have asked macOS for excessive amounts of virtual memory address space. Virtual memory address space requires macOS to create Virtual Memory Page Tables in the kernel address space to keep track of the application virtual addresses given out. Generally, if there is a memory leak (process asks for a virtual address range, uses the addresses, forgets to give them back, asks for another virtual address range, uses the addresses, wash, rinse, repeat), eventually there are so many virtual memory page table entries trying to keep track of the virtual addresses, that macOS no longer has memory available for applications, and you get the "Your system has run out of application memory".

If you look at Applications -> Utilties -> Activity Monitor -> View (menu) -> All Processes -> Memory (tab), you can see what processes are using lots of memory.

You can also issue the following command from Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal:

ps ax -o vsz,pid,comm | sort -n

which will display the virtual memory used sorted so the largest virtual memory consuming users are at the end. The virtual memory sizes are in 1024 byte units.

NOTE: I have seen situations where no single process is using all the memory, but rather a host of smaller processes are using up all the virtual memory. That is to say, a 100 instances of the same program all running with a moderate amount of memory eventually adds up to a lot of page table entries being used.

I have also seen users with 100's of web browser tabs open, where each tab is being managed by its own separate process. And just because you are not looking at any give tab, does not mean the Javascript running on that web page, is not taking up memory and virtual addresses. There have even been webpage Javascript bugs that generate memory leaks.

Have done a quick review of the Report but right away a couple of Key Elements that Jump Out.

Q 1 -   macOS Ventura 13.0.1 (22A400) 

A1 - The current version of Ventura as of Dec 13, 2022 is now 13.1

Links below on this topic

Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support (CA)

About the security content of macOS Ventura 13.1 - Apple Support (CA)

Q 2 -  CleanMyMac 3 Scheduler.app

  Antivirus software: Apple and CleanMyMac

A2 -Any Third Party Applications that will interfere with the normal operation of the OS,  is an invitation for disaster and comprising the Operating System

Certain Applications maybe available on the Apple Apps Store - this only means the Developer is prepared to pay Apple a portion on each sale. What the Application may do to the computer is up to the User to check this out before purchase

Any of the below should be removed as per Developers Instructions

This will include CleanMyMac

Read some of the posting and arrive at your own conclusions.

Specific to CMM ( CleanMyMac ) aka " BrickMyMac "

Some Contributors suggest restarting in Recovery Mode and choosing to Reinstall the Operating System over  the existing installation. 

This may or may not replace elements of the Entire Operating System including the Home Folder ( User Account )  and replace any corrupted or removed elements of the Operating System and make thing right.

Then there are Other Contributors ( like myself ) would suggest  from this link Use Disk Utility to erase a Mac with Apple silicon.

Thereafter to start from scratch and install all Required Application directly from the Apple Apps Store or Directly from the Developer.

If going this route - I suggest Not using Startup Assist to migrate things back as this will probably Re-Introduce the existing  issue that existed when the TM Backup was made 

If the new computer is going to be or IS the Apple Silicon M1 / M2 Equipped Computer - would suggest Only Migrating the User Account and nothing more.

Some have had success and others have been left with a mess when Migrating everything.

1 - Apple Silicon with Ventura macOS 13 Only Support everything 64 bit and there is no workaround.

2 - Issues that may exist on the older computer will be migrated to the New Computer. This would badly pollute the new Original and Pristine installation of the new OS.

3 -  Applications, extensions and Software Drivers may or may not even work on the new computer.

4 - IMHO - it would be best to only install new application etc Directly from the Developer or the Apple Apps Store.

5 - Due Diligence on New Applications and make sure they are Ventura / Monterey / Big Sur compatible and factor in the ARMs CPU of the Apple Silicon Computer  

6 - Download the Application Etrecheck directly from the Developer.

This is a Diagnostic Tool that makes no changes to the computer.

It makes a coherent and readable inventory of both the Hardware and Software used on the computer 

The application is free or paid from added features. 

The Report will Not Reveal Any Personal Information. 

Post back the Full Report - copy and paste - >>>> using the Additional Text Icon ( 3rd Icon to last ) <<<<

Until you resolve this keep Activity Monitor running in the background, so you can quickly switch to Activity Monitor when you get a "Your system has run out of applications memory" and see what processes are guilty.

Lightroom Classic is a heavy user in your current display, but within bounds, considering the kind of stuff it does, which is memory and graphics intensive. But if it and other processes get virtual memory hungry, that is when you get the dialog box warning.

You mentioned contactsd, which is an Apple background daemon that syncs your contacts with iCloud, which keeps all your Apple devices in sync. 25-35GB is non-typical, and indicates an issue with contactsd, unless you happen to have thousands and thousands of Contacts 🥳. Most users have plus or minus 100, or a few hundred, so if you have a lot, it could be stressing contactsd boundaries. In any even, it would be a bug in contactsd.

Your EtreCheck report says you are running 13.0.1. Since 13.1 is available, you should schedule time when you can upgrade your Mac. I DO NOT know if that will address contactsd, but it wouldn't hurt to apply the 13.1 update anyway. Or wait a few weeks, and I'm sure 13.2 will be out. Keeping up with macOS updates is how you maintain your Mac's security.

If you keep Activity Monitor running, and can quickly see what processes are consuming lots of memory, that will help is determining the root cause.

NOTE: With 32GB of RAM, it takes more than 35GB of contactsd virtual memory usage to overwhelm your Mac. There much be other offenders, or contactsd is getting much bigger than 35GB.

You can report contactsd via

Feedback - macOS - Apple

You will not get a reply, and it may or may have any effect, but it a way to tell Apple about your issue.

If you upgrade to 13.1 (or whatever is latest at the time) and still experience this issue, and contactsd is the only offender, then you can also get a free Apple Developer account, and file an actual bug report. This is one step closer to the software development group, than just sending feedback. https://developer.apple.com/account

It has been a long time since I used the free account to file a bug, and I know they have most likely changed how you do that, but I'm sure it can be done.

Side notes:

You are using Chrome. Chrome has been known to be a resource hog. If you have lots of tabs open, each one may not float to the top of Activity Monitor, but they do add up. As it is EtreCheck says it is using 2.51GB of virtual memory:

  Google Chrome Helper (Renderer) (30) 2.51 GB (Google LLC)

CleanMyMac is running. A lot of the volunteers in this forum do not like CleanMyMac, as it has been known to create problems of its own.

You are running Sophos Anti-Virus. Again, the volunteers in these forms have seen far more trouble caused by anti-virus packages, then they have ever benefited the users running them.

Why are you running fan control software:

com.crystalidea.macsfancontrol.smcwrite.plist

If you are taxing your M1 Max based Mac so badly that you need to play with the fans, there is something seriously wrong. Or is this left over from when you were running an intel Mac, and it came over via Migration Assistant?

MemoryCleanHelper - memory cleaner apps are almost never recommended. You have 32GB of RAM, and when you running memory cleaner, you force you Mac to access the disk more frequently. This slows your system down, and if it forces more writes, then you reduce the life of your SSD storage (all SSD/NVMe storage has a limited number of write cycles, and then a storage cell goes bad and needs to have a spare used in its place. SSD/NVMe devices have very complex algorithms to do load leveling so no individual storage cell gets too many writes, but when one becomes unreliable, a spare is substituted. But there are a finite number of spares, and if you intentionally increase unnecessary writes, that will just speed up the process of using up spares. Most SSD/NVMe consume storage will last years, but not all users behave like your typical consumer.

VPNs for anything except

• Required to access your companies internal network.
• You wish to geolocation shift, so you can watch those UK TV shows.
• You are in an unfriendly political environment, and it is the only way to get access to the outside world

If that is not your situation, and you think you are protecting yourself, then what you are doing is concentrating all your network traffic through the VPN service provider, which may sell your network accessing habits for additional revenue.

If you pay for your VPN, and your VPN provider has stated in writing that it does not keep logs, and does not sell your data, then it might be OK, but for the most part using a VPN, except for the above reason, is not really all that beneficial to you, as most network traffic today uses encrypted connections, and all your ISP can see is that you connected to site X, but not what you are doing on site X. All that using a VPN does is move who sees that you are accessing site X.

I'm seeing 2 things on your system that make me thing you have been using Migration Assistant for years, and just carrying software you installed years ago over to the new system.

• Flip4Mac
• Adobe Flash Player

I do not even know if Flip4Mac is still available. And Adobe Flash Player has been discontinued for years.

You might want to go through the EtreCheck output and do some house cleaning, as I'm sure there is stiff listed you forgot you even used years ago.

Yup and Idea but need to ask,

Is the Mail Application and Contacts Application associated with a Third Party Source for the expressed purpose of Syncing.

To put " flesh on the bones " aka details .

Is the Contacts Application using Google as the Source to Sync your contacts information

Same goes to your e-mail Account in Apple Mail.

Have seen time after time where the Google Services ( e-mail and Contacts ) in the Apple Eco-System my work for some but others, a source of headaches.

The Mail app may getting over night exercise, because there is a mode called "Power Nap" under the Battery settings that has the Mac wake up periodically to run maintenance scripts, check mail, check for software security updates, etc...

If it is Mail that is guilty, that might be how it was getting itself all worked up when your Mac was sleeping (or maybe we should say Sleep Walking 🤪 ).

On the Hardware side of this issue, I personally would defer to the more expert user on your question.

On the Software side, would suggest looking in System Setting >> Lock Screen >>.

Change the " Turn Display off when inactive " to a longer time or disable totally.

The later of the two above would mean the Display will stay active longer or never turn off the Display.

refer to image below

FYI incase missed from Original question by OP

OP wrote " I used the Apple program to move all my apps and data to the new MacStudio. "

Which could dovetail in an earlier posting about moving from Old to New Computer