What is WindowServer on a Mac, and how can I fix high CPU usage issues with it? WindowServer is a core component of the macOS operating system responsible for managing window display on the screen, graphics rendering, and interaction with monitors. In simple terms, WindowServer handles the user interface and window management in the background, ensuring that your applications display content correctly on the screen. When the WindowServer process has high CPU usage, it can cause your Mac to become sluggish or unresponsive. Here are some ways to address high WindowServer CPU consumption: 1. Restart your Mac: This is often the simplest solution, as sometimes a restart resolves the issue. 2. Check running applications: Look for any apps that might be consuming excessive resources. You can view each app's CPU usage in the "Activity Monitor." Force quitting resource-intensive apps may help reduce the load on WindowServer. 3. Disable visual effects: Certain dynamic effects, like transparency, can contribute to increased WindowServer CPU usage. You can disable these effects in "System Preferences" > "Accessibility" > "Display." 4. Update macOS: Ensure your system is up-to-date, as Apple regularly releases updates to fix known issues and improve performance. 5. Clear memory: If RAM usage is high, WindowServer may be negatively affected. Close some unused apps using "Force Quit," or consider upgrading your Mac's memory. 6. Check for hardware issues: Problems with your display or graphics hardware can lead to WindowServer issues. Make sure all hardware connections are secure, and consider contacting Apple Support for further diagnosis. If none of these solutions work, you might need to restore your macOS to its factory settings or seek professional assistance from Apple Support.

WindowServer is responsible for drawing new windows, apps, or any elements that need updating on your screen. If WindowServer is having issues, it can consume a lot of CPU resources to reflect changes on your display. Here are some quick fixes to reduce its CPU usage.

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Over time, any electronic device tends to slow down as it requires more resources to support resource-intensive apps that have evolved over time. However, if your brand new laptop is struggling, there's cause for concern. This happens when a process called Mac WindowServer takes up most of your CPU resources, causing the operating system to run slowly. In this article, we'll explore **what WindowServer is on Mac**, why it might be consuming so much, and how to fix it. Read on for the details.

WindowServer is a fundamental component of the Mac operating system responsible for managing window display and the graphical user interface. Its primary functions include handling the drawing, movement, resizing, hiding, and showing of windows, as well as managing other visual effects on the screen. It collaborates with other parts of the system, such as interacting with the Dock, Finder, and other applications, to ensure a smooth user experience. Additionally, WindowServer manages clipboard functionality between windows and enables screen capturing. It operates within a kernel extension, typically working silently in the background, providing efficient graphic interface services for Mac users.

One of the most important parts of your Mac is the screen and the apps that appear on it. The program in charge of managing the relationship between those pixels and apps is called WindowServer. It's a suite of services that handle the windows of apps on your Mac. You usually don't need to know much about it, but it helps to understand what happens when it causes your Mac to slow down.

The WindowServer is what puts the graphics of Mac apps onto your screen. Whether you're using an app, playing a game, browsing the internet, or doing anything else that requires open windows, it's the WindowServer that manages it all.

While macOS is largely compatible with the app, it doesn't mean that the software will run seamlessly all the time. This is where your problem lies – with high CPU usage by WindowServer on Mac. In the next section, let's find out why WindowServer is hogging so many CPU cycles on your Mac and why it's slowing down your entire system.

Why does the WindowServer process consume high CPU resources?

To display visual changes on the screen effectively, graphics must be refreshed regularly. Every time you move a window, edit a photo, write, or scroll on your screen, the windows are refreshed, and the WindowServer uses CPU resources to redraw or display all of that content.

In addition, external displays, poorly implemented transparency effects, stuck files and folders, unused apps on your desktop, and extra desktops can all contribute to higher CPU usage.

Why You Should Lower WindowServer's CPU Usage on Your Mac

Now that you understand what WindowServer is on a Mac and why it can consume significant resources, let's delve into how and why we encounter high CPU usage issues when windows and the desktop consume a lot of processing cycles. Check out the details below for more insights.

• Incorrect or outdated applications: When apps are inaccurate or outdated, the WindowServer has to redraw the screen every few seconds due to high memory usage.
• Multiple monitors: Multiple monitors use more resources to support apps, adding to the strain on your computer's memory.
• Cluttered desktop: With multiple apps on your desktop, each change in an icon or pixel requires a redraw, contributing to the chaos.
• Modern graphics: Graphically demanding games and apps can be challenging for any computer operating system to keep up with, so older systems may struggle with rendering modern graphics when running the latest OS.

Check if Windowserver is consuming excessive CPU resources

You can use Activity Monitor to track macOS CPU usage. This tool monitors memory, disk, network, energy, and CPU usage for macOS.

How to Open Activity Monitor:

Step 1: Open the “Applications” folder and navigate to the “Utilities” section.

Step 2: Open the Activity Monitor.

Step 3: Click on “CPU” to see what's using up your CPU.

If WindowServer is at the top and eating nearly 60% of your CPU cycles, that's a problem that needs addressing.

How to Fix High WindowServer CPU Usage on a Mac

Before you look for solutions to the WindowServer high CPU usage on Mac, watch this video for more detailed information about WindowServer on a Mac.

• 00:13 - Close unnecessary windows and apps
• 00:33 - Reduce the number of desktops
• 01:32 - Remove unneeded login items
• 01:52 - Restart your Mac
• 02:11 - Update your apps and macOS
• 02:25 - Update macOS
• 02:47 - Supported software

We've compiled a list of solutions to reduce high CPU usage on your Mac. These aren't one-time fixes, and all the workarounds aim to reduce the workload on WindowServer, thereby lowering the CPU usage. Try as many as you can.

• 1. Gather files and folders
• 2. Close unnecessary apps and windows
• 3. Turn off transparency
• 4. Disable Spaces
• 5. Update your apps and macOS
• 6. Restart your Mac

Solution 1: Consolidate Desktop Files and Folders in One Location

If you have many folders, files, and apps on your desktop, WindowServer can use a lot of memory and CPU to render them. Try tidying up or reducing the number of files and folders on your desktop.

For example, if you have 30 files and 10 folders on your desktop, try putting them all in a single folder, so that the WindowServer has to draw one folder on the desktop rather than 40 items.

Solution 2: Close unnecessary applications and windows

If you have lots of apps and windows open and running, they'll consume more CPU resources. On any Mac, WindowServer has to allocate CPU cycles to all those unneeded apps and windows, even tabs in your browser. So close what you don't need.

Alternatively, if any apps have been running in the background for too long, especially resource-hungry ones like games, it's important to close them. This can be done by force-stopping the apps.

To <a href="/knowledge-center/force-quit-mac-shortcut.html">force quit</a>, press Command + Option + Escape to open the Application Switcher, select the app you want to quit, and click "Force Quit" at the bottom of the window.

Solution 3: Turn off transparency in macOS

Transparency effects are great for making your Mac look visually appealing, but they take up a lot of RAM and CPU to run, which can slow down your computer. You can speed up your Mac's performance by reducing the transparency effects on your system.

Steps to reduce Mac transparency:

1. Click the "Apple menu", then select "System Preferences".

Step 2: Go to the Accessibility section and then turn on Display Options.

Step 3: Check the box for “Reduce Transparency.”

Even if you're not experiencing any performance problems, it can help your Mac run more smoothly.

Solution 4: Disable the Automatically rearrange spaces based on recent use feature

If your Mac uses Spaces (the virtual desktop environment on macOS), disabling their automatic arrangement will have a noticeable impact on WindowServer. If you turn this off, we'll need to manually arrange your Spaces for future use.

The steps to disable Spaces rearrangement are:

Step 1: Open the Apple menu and choose System Preferences.

Step Two: Enter Mission Control preferences, and disable the “Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use” setting.

If the spaces are auto-arranged, the WindowServer has to spend more CPU cycles rendering them. While this might seem trivial, it does reduce the CPU load on the WindowServer.

Closing Spaces on Multiple Displays:

If you use multiple monitors on your Mac, you can turn off Spaces for each display to lower the CPU usage of WindowServer on your Mac. You can find this option in the “Mission Control” pane. Deselect “Displays have separate Spaces.”

Solution 5: Update your apps and macOS

Outdated apps can also cause high CPU usage, so make sure everything is updated, and that you're running the latest version of macOS.

Open the “App Store” app to check for updates to apps you downloaded from it. For other apps, either download the update within the app itself or visit the app's website to check and install updates.

Update macOS:

Step 1: Click on the “Apple menu” and then go to “About This Mac.”

Step 2: Check for available updates to download.

Step 3: Download available updates.

Solution 6: Restart your Mac

While we often put our Macs to sleep so we can resume work later, you may need to restart it from time to time to free up RAM, clear system caches, and get rid of temporary files.

A simple restart can give the operating system a fresh start and fix small software glitches. Sometimes, it can also resolve high CPU usage caused by issues with WindowServer.

Bonus Tip: Recover Lost Data While Fixing macOS Issues

Quite often, while fixing issues with your Mac, you might lose data that you can't afford to be without. In such cases, you need a professional yet affordable data recovery tool to get back your lost data.

Mac Data Recovery Wizard is a data recovery tool designed specifically for macOS to help you recover deleted files on Mac in case of accidents. Select the hard drive from which you want to recover files, scan it, and preview the recoverable items.

You can read unbiased product reviews and comparisons on reputable IT websites, and choose a well-reviewed, powerful, and efficient Mac data recovery tool that guarantees a 99.7% recovery rate. The entire process will only take you three simple steps.

Step 1: Select the drive to scan

In the main window of the tool Data Recovery Wizard, you will see the list of drives connected to your Mac. Select the drive from which you need to recover lost/deleted files and click on the “Search Lost Files” button.

Note: It is recommended that you click “Disk Backup” from the left sidebar and create a backup for your Mac before data recovery, to prevent further data loss. After the backup, the software can recover data from the Mac backup, and your computer can write new data again.

Select the location and scan for lost Mac data

Step 2: Select the data/files you lost

Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will immediately scan the disk volume you select and display the results in the left pane. If you're looking for a specific file, you can sort the results to locate the file you need.

Select the data/files you lost

Step 3: Recover Lost/Deleted Data

Once the scan is over, preview the files and click on “Recover” to start restoring your deleted or lost Mac files.

Ultimate Ruling

WindowServer is a program on Macs that handles graphics for the display and manages windows. If your macOS is running slow, it might be because WindowServer is using too much CPU on your Mac. The solutions here can help lower its CPU usage and speed up your Mac overall.

Should you experience data loss due to a malfunction on your Mac, you can utilize efficient data recovery tools like the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac. This is a platform highly trusted by many Apple users, offering unique features that enable the simple recovery of various file formats in a few steps.

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1. **What is WindowServer?** - WindowServer is a system service in Mac OS X (now known as macOS) responsible for managing window display and the graphical user interface on the screen. 2. **How does WindowServer work?** - Running in kernel space, WindowServer closely collaborates with the Aqua user interface, handling the drawing, movement, resizing, and other interactions of application windows. 3. **Why does my Mac run multiple WindowServer processes?** - Multiple WindowServer processes might run on your Mac when using multiple displays or full-screen applications to optimize performance and user experience. 4. **What if WindowServer is consuming too much CPU?** - High CPU usage by WindowServer could be due to system load or issues with an application. Try force-quitting problematic apps or restarting your computer to address the issue. 5. **How can I reduce WindowServer's impact on performance?** - Close unnecessary applications, minimize desktop visual effects, or update your system to the latest version to alleviate the burden on WindowServer. 6. **How do I fix freezing or lag caused by WindowServer?** - Attempt to "Force Quit" the problematic app or terminate the WindowServer process via "Activity Monitor," then restart your computer. 7. **What is the relationship between WindowServer, OpenGL, and Metal?** - WindowServer leverages graphics libraries like OpenGL or Metal to render and accelerate the graphical interface, providing a smoother user experience. 8. **How do I view detailed information about WindowServer?** - Use the "Activity Monitor" app to inspect WindowServer's CPU and memory usage, as well as other relevant details. 9. **Does upgrading macOS affect WindowServer?** - Upgrading to a new version of macOS typically includes improvements and optimizations to WindowServer, potentially enhancing its performance and stability. 10. **What happens if WindowServer crashes?** - A crashing WindowServer can lead to a system-wide freeze, requiring a forced restart of your computer. If this occurs frequently, it's advisable to contact Apple Support for assistance.

Here is a list of some of the most common FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on this topic. Hopefully, this will be helpful if you have a similar query.

How to fix the unexpected exit of WindowServer on macOS Ventura?

A WindowServer crash can be caused by several issues. To address this problem on macOS, try the solutions listed below in order:

• Change Mission Control settings
• Tweak your screen lock settings
• Switch to a different Dock
• Upgrade or downgrade macOS
• Create a new user account on your Mac
• Force quit the Dock

You may also try using the default color profiles, removing display preference files, and menu bar extensions.

**How to fix the issue of WindowServer preventing sleep?**

If WindowServer is preventing your Mac from sleeping, try these steps to fix the issue:

• Restart your Mac.
• Check your system's sleep settings.
• Disable “Wake for Network Access.”
• Modify System Sharing preferences.
• Kill any processes preventing your Mac from sleeping.
• Boot your device in Safe Mode.

**How to check if WindowServer is using high CPU?**

You can use the "Activity Monitor" app to check CPU usage on macOS. It has detailed information about all apps' usage of the CPU, memory, energy, and more.

Go to Finder > Applications > Utility > Open Activity Monitor > Click on CPU.