Apple Notes Using CPU

[BigMcGuire]

Mac OS Big Sur - 2020 MBP 13'.

Anyone else having problems with Apple Notes constantly using 66-67% CPU? This continues until being minimized or closed.

I've tried unchecking Notes in iCloud (which resulted in all notes being removed) - and rechecking to re-sync notes.

I only have 170 notes (under 15MB total).

I've let it run for days now. Still consumes 66.4% - 67.2% at all times if not minimized. Once minimized it instantly goes to 0% CPU, and back to 66% on restoration.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Interesting note - the WindowsServer process seems to mirror it. When Apple Notes is minimized, WindowsServer will be at 20-40%. With Apple Notes up - Windows Server and Apple Notes both are at 66% and 70%.

Using a 4k external monitor via Display Port to USB C.

Using Internal Display only results in same behavior. (Window Server at same / near same % as Notes until minimized).

 

[Apple_Robert]

That is definitely not normal. I just looked at Big Sur on my mini (where i have had Notes open for days) and Notes doesn’t even show in the list of high CPU usage.

How many notes do you have?

 

[Wolf1701]

170 I guess?

 

[BigMcGuire]

That is definitely not normal. I just looked at Big Sur on my mini (where i have had Notes open for days) and Notes doesn’t even show in the list of high CPU usage.

How many notes do you have?

Yeah 170 notes. They're mostly text - a few screenshots - nothing too big or too important. iCloud says I'm using around 14-15MB.

I might try to delete a few notes that I think could be causing it (length wise).

170 I guess?

Thanks for the replies

 

[Apple_Robert]

Yeah 170 notes. They're mostly text - a few screenshots - nothing too big or too important. iCloud says I'm using around 14-15MB.

I might try to delete a few notes that I think could be causing it (length wise).



Thanks for the replies

It sounds like Big Sur is having trouble properly indexing some of your notes due to formatting.

I have about 150 notes at the moment and haven’t had any problems. I do try to keep each note short and formatted as succinctly as I can.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I think I found out what it was... (Edit: Using Any Scaled Resolution causes Notes and Windows Server to get stuck at 66% when creating a new note for me - Default for Display = no problem).

I use RDM to get a nice resolution that I really like. I just switched my resolution to Default for Display then used Apple Settings to choose this:

No Notes CPU usage.

If I use RDM to choose a resolution (even the one with the lightning bolt) - Notes goes to high CPU usage along with the WindowsServer.

Time to uninstall RDM I guess. lol.

Thanks for helping !!! Woo hoo.

 

[BigMcGuire]

And I spoke too soon. Back to 67% CPU after creating a new note. lol.

Definitely related to scaled resolutions. CPU instantly drops when I go back to default resolution for display. Creating a new note with a "native" display results in no CPU spike.

Scaled - adding new note results in CPU 67% constantly.

 

[adrianlondon]

I don't know what RDM is. On my Air, I have my screen scaled to "more space" and when I open Notes, my cpu peaks for around two seconds then it drops out of my list.

I only have a handful of notes though; it could just be that yours are having trouble syncing for some reason. Maybe try leaving it open for a few hours, kind of like those poor people with iMessage have had to do on iOS 14 to get all their photos downloaded.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I think I got it:


Steps to Reproduce. Need an external Monitor on any scaled resolution.

1. Quit notes entirely. (Command+Q).
2. Open Notes - Create a new note - sticks at 66% CPU.

Redoing the above steps on a resolution "Normal for Display" - I can't get it to stick at 66% CPU - goes to 0%.

With a scaled resolution on my external display, adding a new note (after quitting Notes after the resolution change), Notes constantly sticks at 66% CPU - along with the WindowServer process.

 

[adrianlondon]

Does any other app do that? How weird. Do you have a notes attachment that might be taking ages to properly scale to the resolution?

 

[BigMcGuire]

Does any other app do that? How weird. Do you have a notes attachment that might be taking ages to properly scale to the resolution?

I thought this initially - but it happens even if just doing text. Initially I was pasting in an image but when I set resolution to default for display, notes isn't using any CPU even when doing an image note.

Only starts using 66% CPU when I scale, quit notes, start it up, and add a note (even just a text note).


So I think ... I THINK it's related to my external monitor and scaling based on high CPU usage even with just text note. I'm ok with running default for display. I submitted a bug with Apple and gave them all I know with the steps to reproduce. Could just be my setup too, but at least it isn't too bad - and easily mitigated (by running default for display).

 

[adrianlondon]

Well, you certainly found a weird one! Unfortunately, there are some bugs that affect so few people, no one at Apple cares enough to fix them. Hopefully your issue has wider consequences, or affects more people, such that someone cares

 

[voam]

Exactly the same problem since upgrading to Big Sur (MacBook Pro 2017) - restart & safe mode did not help. Notes (and WindowsServer) take still about 67% CPU permanently (I have about 1300 notes). Very surprising: I disconnected notes from iCloud and restarted in safe mode (without reconnection to iCloud), so the Notes app was empty - and still the CPU was at ~67% usage. Any further ideas? thx&regards

 

[BigMcGuire]

Nope, still happens to me. I have to run my external monitor on default for display:

Doing this prevents Notes from using 67% CPU non-stop.

If I run on ANY scaled resolution it will eventually go back to 67% CPU (and WindowServer same) with my external monitor.

Having an eGPU, resetting Notes... nothing seems to affect it. I'm fairly convinced this is a Mac OS bug with Big Sur. Hopefully fixed soon because....

Running my external Samsung 32' 4k at full resolution is painful... there's a lot of text that you can't resize with CMD +. lol.


So I'm running Default for display and CMD + everything that takes it (to increase text size).

 

[voam]

Ok - thx for feedback -in the meantime I am also of the opinion that this is a Mac OS bug with Big Sur - so waiting for the next release...

 

[jgbr]

windowserver relationship with catalyst apps seem to be behind this, look at other forum posts where alike odd behaviour is happening.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I just found something out.

Setting notes to view as a Gallery = no CPU usage - and I've tried to get the CPU problem to come back using the steps above. Viewing as a List - 67% cpu stuck (along with WindowServer).

So happy I can use Notes again on a scaled resolution. LOL. Just have to get used to massive thumbnails for notes now.

 

[ryancui_]

Exactly same issue with BorgCube. Also work well when I switch to gallery mode.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Well, I was hoping the new Mac OS update would fix it

After 11.1:

Looks like I'll be using gallery mode for the foreseeable future (switching to Gallery View causes CPU to instantly drop to 0 for Notes and WindowServer returns to normal).

Those of us with an EGPU / External Monitor are out of luck this time Next update maybe?

 

[voam]

yep - unfortunately not fix - incomprehensible....next year...!

 

[KWilly]

I see the exact same thing everyone else is (high Notes CPU that mirrors high WindowsServer CPU). Thanks to everyone's tips I can fix it two ways:

• Select Gallery view (View | as Gallery) then return to List view (View | as List)
• Move Notes app to an unscaled display and then move back to the original (scaled) display

After either of those, CPU drops to ~0. I usually (but not always) have to repeat after exiting and re-opening Notes

 

[jocamero]

I'm having pretty much the same issue, but it's typically using about 4% CPU when minimized, fans kick on. Closing Notes.app fixes the fans and CPU. If I switch to gallery view Notes.app CPU drops to 0.0%. Thanks for this tip!! If I now switch to list, it spikes up to 66.0%, fans kick on. Gallery view is the only thing that 'fixes' it for now.

This has been going on for months for me. I was a Big Sur dev preview tester. I reported the details I knew at the time, months ago.

I'm not using any display scaling. Running the built-in display, LG UltraFine 5K 27", and 27" TBD. MBP 15" 2019, 1.3 GHz 8-Core i9, Radeon Pro 560X 4 GB, 32 GB RAM.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I'm having pretty much the same issue, but it's typically using about 4% CPU when minimized, fans kick on. Closing Notes.app fixes the fans and CPU. If I switch to gallery view Notes.app CPU drops to 0.0%. Thanks for this tip!! If I now switch to list, it spikes up to 66.0%, fans kick on. Gallery view is the only thing that 'fixes' it for now.

This has been going on for months for me. I was a Big Sur dev preview tester. I reported the details I knew at the time, months ago.

I'm not using any display scaling. Running the built-in display, LG UltraFine 5K 27", and 27" TBD. MBP 15" 2019, 1.3 GHz 8-Core i9, Radeon Pro 560X 4 GB, 32 GB RAM.

I submitted a bug too. I can't believe more people aren't having this issue? Are we the only ones that use Apple notes with an external display? lol.

I'm getting used to gallery view - but I much prefer list lol.

 

[vpx]

Same problem using an external 4k screen on max resolution ("more space")
on m1 mac, big sur 11.1 (current)