MacOS Ventura - WindowServer quit unexpectedly

I have a MacStudio. I upgraded to Ventura. When I click a Microsoft Office app in my dock, my screens go blank and I get taken back to the login screen. Then when I log back in I see an error message that says, "WindowServer quit unexpectedly."

Process: WindowServer [36199] Path: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SkyLight.framework/Versions/A/Resources/WindowServer Identifier: WindowServer Version: ???

Anyone have any suggestions / fixes?

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  • Same error after upgrading to Ventura. Any update on this? Thanks in advance

  • Same thing here after upgrade, IMAC and Macbook Pro....

  • Same issue with different apps at least once a day after installing Ventura.. It's annoing Apple M1. mac book air.

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I'm getting this multiple times a day and it's leaving my Docker in a corrupted state each time. I'm doing totally different things each time, but get a very similar error

Process:               WindowServer [5266]
Path:                  /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SkyLight.framework/Versions/A/Resources/WindowServer
Identifier:            WindowServer
Version:               ???
Code Type:             ARM-64 (Native)
Parent Process:        launchd [1]
User ID:               88

Date/Time:             2022-11-01 10:48:57.5326 +0000
OS Version:            macOS 13.0 (22A380)
Report Version:        12
Anonymous UUID:        27BF1073-3643-8728-E046-473C1FF4C593

Sleep/Wake UUID:       4B220A11-4E00-4909-AAE5-FE6646362DA1

Time Awake Since Boot: 54000 seconds
Time Since Wake:       10495 seconds

System Integrity Protection: enabled

Crashed Thread:        16  Dispatch queue: com.apple.runningboardservices.adapter.outgoing

  • I'm getting the same, more an more frequently, this is rendering the MAC OSX less and less usable. Any clue on a resolution path ? Can't see any inhere !------------------------------------- Translated Report (Full Report Below)

    Process: WindowServer [91496] Path: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SkyLight.framework/Versions/A/Resources/WindowServer Identifier: WindowServer

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I am experiencing the same issue after upgrading to Ventura. By the way do you have Stage manager turned on?

  • I don't have Stage Manger turned on.

    One thing that seems to have helped is to not have any windows in full screen mode. It seems to be the apps that are in full screen mode which cause WindowServer to crash.

    BTW, I have multiple monitors - two on lightning and one HDMI.

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Same here on M1 Macbook Air with Stage Manager off. The WindowServer stops working a few times a day within different Apps, sometimes when switching desktops. This is more annoying as any Beta issue i had before :(

Same issue here with the Stage Manger on with a MacBook Pro M1 2020.

This reddit thread also speaks to this issue:

https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/yczalk/ventura_random_window_server_crash/

I've the same issue after upgraded to Ventura with my Macbook Pro 2021. Drops me to login screen a few times in a day, very annoying.

Same thing here: it happens to me several times a day, which is a real problem. I am very surprised that such a show-stopper was not spotted before releasing the update.

I am experiencing the same issue after upgrading the MB Pro M1 to Ventura. It happened with me 2 times at moment. (When I tried to open the minimized mail app)

Happens multiple times on my M1Air with Ventura. Really frustrating.

I've the same issue after upgraded to Ventura with my Macbook Pro 2021 16inch with m1pro.

Same issue here. M1 13" Macbook Pro. It's happening several times a day. Not always, but it seems to mostly happen when cmd + tab'ing to switch apps.

Hi there,

You might have better luck asking this question over in Apple Support Communities run by Apple Support.

I've got it twice in the last 3 days with my MBPro M1 13"

This has been happening to me several times a day since Ventura RC and now with 13.1. It's nearly unworkable. It happens when I Command-Tab switch from a full screen app to another. Often safari to mail or vice versa. I had Stage Manager turned off as I like to work in multiple full screen apps, but I turned Stage Manager on today and reduced all of my apps to no longer be in full screen mode and it hasn't crashed so far.

I also have a fully specced 14" MacBook Pro 2021 with M1 Max, 64GB RAM and 2TB SSD. So it's not lacking in grunt. I have it connected via USB-C to a HP Z27 4K monitor.

  • I have almost the same setup; same spec machine and also connected through USB-C to a Dell widescreen monitor. Happened 4 times today - initially with Stage Manager turned on then again with it turned off in case that was the problem...it wasn't.

    I think you have a point about cmd-tab from a full screen app - was when I was cmd-tabbing away from a full screen app, although not necessarily to another full screen one. Will try your suggestion about turning those off. Either way, pretty shoddy.

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Same here. I'm using Macbook Pro M1 with Ventura 13.0. Crash every 1-2 hours in the middle of working without any patterns. So frustrating!