MacBook Air (M1, 2020) experiencing frequent memory warnings due to high usage by contextstored and powerd processes

Q - More than one antivirus app - This computer has multiple antivirus apps installed.

Size: 494.38 GB. Free: 69.72 GB. Available: 83.63 GB

A - From another contributor @etresoft regarding Free Space and Available Space 

Free vs available disk space huge differe… - Apple Community

Quote >>  “ The "available" storage is the amount of used storage that the operating system could automatically delete if it felt that it was really necessary. The "free" storage is the amount that you can actually use for something.

There are system processes that run in the background and automatically delete some of the "available" storage and convert it to "free". If you completely run out of storage, then those system processes will try a little harder. When you "delete" files you are just hinting to the operating system that you don't need those files anymore. The operating system will eventually remove them, but on its own schedule.

Certain tools will allow you to force the issue and manually clean up some of this storage and manually delete local snapshots. But that is only temporary. "  << End Quote 

Q - Antivirus software: Apple, ClamXAV, and Malwarebytes

A - Windows-like viruses that self-replicate and affect macOS don’t exist because of the underlying UNIX Foundation and permission limitations.

The macOS operating system resides in a sealed and read-only volume that can’t be opened by users or third-party applications.

Mac app security enhancements are sufficient to protect computers from malware.

Adware and Malware can affect computers and are often downloaded from “shady” websites or developers who inject them into downloads.

Source: User tip from @Kurt Lang

What is malware? - Apple Community

Q - Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.vmware.launchd.vmware.plist

Q -     /Applications/Parallels Desktop.app

        [Not Loaded] prl_hypervisor.kext - com.parallels.kext.hypervisor (Parallels International GmbH, 26.0.1 57243 - SDK 10.11)

A - Running VM Software would require enough Space and Unified RAM for Both the Operating System ( Tahoe ) and additional Unified RAM for the VMWare 

A - 8 GB Unified RAM is not going to to it - full stop 

Q - Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/net.tunnelblick.tunnelblick.tunnelblickd.plist

Q - Description: The Malwarebytes Engine extension manages your connection to the Malwarebytes VPN service.

Q -  /Applications/Unlocator VPN.app

        [Not Loaded] tap.kext - net.tunnelblick.tap (Linkwork ApS, 20141104 (Tunnelblick build 5180))

 Q - Launch Daemons:  [Other] AviraPhantomVPNHelper.plist (Not signed - installed 2018-07-03)

 A - Commercial VPNs 

They may not be what one believes they are doing for the computer and what they actually are doing behind the scenes 

They may also reduce your Internet Speeds by upwards of 30% 

https://gist.github.com/joepie91/5a9909939e6ce7d09e29

VPN: What you need to know - Apple Community

Summation

Answer 1  - Get a New Machine as per previous  suggestion 

Answer 2 - Start Over from Scratch 

Heavy Handed > - Yes 

Effective  ? - Yes 

You can spend hours or days hunting down all the bits and pieces of these software(s) and never really get it all off the computer

For Apple Silicon computer >> Use Disk Utility to erase a Mac with Apple silicon.

Always make a Time Machine Backup  before  proceeding 

Emphasis on User Account Only

If going this route - I suggest Not using Startup Assist to migrate everything back.

Install only the Required Application from the Apple Apps Store or Direcly from the Developers 

jefflovitt wrote:

Are you saying I should buy a new laptop? I have more than 80GB free of the 512GB hard drive, so that should not be an issue. These memory warnings have only just started, and I am not running with lots of open tabs in browsers, so an M1 macbook with 8GB of RAM should be able to last a bit longer. Can you explain the high gb used by contextstored and powerd? Is the problem with Tahoe, or something else?

Based upon your above statements

To Drill Down further and to avoid a session of Q&A, Q&A  and Q&A  

Download the Application Etrecheck  ( External Link ) directly from the Developer.

The Application is Not a " Silver Bullet "  and is  only a tool to examine the Hardware / Software used on this computer 

This is a Diagnostic Tool that makes no changes to the computer Hardware / Software used on this 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 ) <<<<

Use the Activity Monitor application and select View >> View All Processes.

Identify the processes using the most CPU and memory.

Often, it’s a combination of processes.

When the computer uses a lot of CPU and Memory, it may indicate a lack of empty space on the drive.

In this case, the CPU and Memory usage increase as the system searches for empty space to save changes.

Also, consider the number of Web Browser tabs in use.

Each tab may consume significant CPU and memory resources.

View memory usage in Activity Monitor on Mac - Apple Support

What exactly is appearing in Activity Monitor via vie Memory Pressure

Refer image below as example

Thank your for the illustration above

1 - We see 6 Open and Active Tabs in Safari

2 - WindowServer >> Quote from @ Grant Bennet-Alder

" WindowServer is the task that makes sure the right stuff is in every window, manages multiple windows in multiple positions on the screen, possibly overlapping or not, and generally manages all issues related to drawing the stuff on the screen. " End Quote

3 - Swap File using 11.81 GB of memory

When your Mac’s physical RAM is being used heavily, macOS may decide to move some memory pages that are inactive (not being used right now) out of RAM and place them on disk (swap space). This frees up RAM for active tasks. 

On macOS the swap files live in /private/var/vm/ (historically) or /System/Volumes/VM/ depending on version.

The system also uses memory compression (compress pages in RAM) before swapping to disk, to reduce the disk-IO impact. That means swap is used only when necessary. 

Swap allows the OS to handle more “addressable memory” than physical RAM alone would permit (virtually). 

4 - The Stock ( off the self ) and Non Customied to Order M1 MBA from 2020 comes with 8 GB Unified RAM and a 256 SSD Drive

Neither of the two items listed above can be UpGraded as these parts are Soldered to the Logicboard

jefflovitt wrote:

That is not a significant number of tabs open in Safari. Am I right to be concerned about the memory used by contextstored and powerd, and are they the problem? How can I solve it so that it doesn't keep running out of memory and requiring forced quits and re-starts?

The implications from point 4 above would seem to answer your question does it not ?

To be brutal about this computer matter

When the user discovers this issue, it’s likely because the computer’s internal drive capacity is small, such as 256 GB or 512 GB.

Unfortunately, the user’s storage needs and needs for Unified RAM may have increased since the computer was originally purchased.

To future-proof the computer, consider spending extra money upfront on a larger drive capacity and adding more unified RAM. 

jefflovitt wrote:

Thanks. I would like an answer as to why these two processes were using 20GB - of course, I recognise other issues could be behind that, but buying a new laptop is not the course of action I am going to pursue. On the memory problem I have rarely encountered that with the M1 Macbook until installing Tahoe and suspect it might be linked to Tahoe, even if indirectly in that some background extensions don't work after the upgrade etc. Any insights on that would be appreciated (other than getting a new laptop).

There has been enough advice offered for the User ( you ) to make an informed and educated choice what remedial actions are  required for this computer.

The suggestions have been put forth on a volunteer basis, in good faith and in the best interests of the computer which do not always align with the users’ expectations 

Apple transitioned from an 8GB to a 16GB RAM base configuration for all its Mac computers, including the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines, on October 30, 2024.

This change was announced alongside the introduction of new M4-powered Macs (iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro) and applied simultaneously to the existing M2 and M3 MacBook Air models, effectively ending the era of 8GB base-model Macs.

https://www.macrumors.com/2024/10/30/macbook-air-now-starts-with-16gb-ram/#:~:text=iPhone%2016-,Apple%20Announces%20MacBook%20Air%20Now%20Starts%20With%20Increased%2016GB%20of,for%20the%20MacBook%20Air%20today.

This change does not diminish the performance of your 2020 M1 MacBook Air during the time of macOS 11 Bug Sur, macOS 12 Monterey, macOS 13 Ventura and possibly macOS 14 Sonoma.

However, with the introduction of macOS 15 Sequoia and Apple Intelligence, the Unified RAM requirements for a Full and Productive usage of Apple Intelligence AI / LMM) were increased (doubled).

The first set of Apple Intelligence features was made available on October 28, 2024, in the United States, with updates for iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.

You are welcome for the time and effort spent trouble shooting this computer issue

Best of luck moving forwards.

🦉-53