Chapter 1: The Memory Leak Dilemma

Recently, I encountered a frustrating memory leak issue with my M1 MacBook Air, a problem I had heard about from others, including Anthony Lawrence (Pcunix). My device is the base model equipped with 8GB of unified memory and 256GB of flash storage, but reports indicate that even those with 16GB face similar challenges.

The first sign of trouble was not a general slowdown but rather an alarming notification about low memory. At that moment, I only had Kiwi for Gmail, Google Chrome, and iMessage open, with Amphetamine running in the background. Alarmed, I wondered what my next steps should be!

In an attempt to resolve the situation, I opened CleanMyMac X and clicked “Free Up” to clear some memory. The utility revealed that I had only a few megabytes left, but after using it, my available memory increased to 4.41GB—a welcome improvement. However, just two minutes later, even without any activity on the MacBook, my available memory plummeted back into the single digits.

Instead of checking the macOS Activity Monitor, which would have been my first move on a Windows system, I opted to search online. I found numerous discussions about memory leaks affecting not only 8GB models but also those with 16GB. Some suggested that reverting the mouse pointer to its default setting might help, as custom pointers had been linked to the issue.

Despite having my MacBook for only a few weeks and not altering the pointer, I double-checked under System Preferences >> Accessibility >> Display. As expected, everything was set to default.

Beyond this, I could find no other potential solutions within macOS. I realized that the issue could stem from applications—both third-party and potentially even Apple’s own software. Reports indicated that Apple Mail and Safari might be responsible for memory leaks. If Apple’s software could misbehave, then third-party apps were likely culprits as well.

Chapter 2: Discovering the Culprit

Next, I finally took the smart approach (a realization that came a bit late). I accessed Activity Monitor and checked the Memory tab to investigate further.

To my surprise, I found that Kiwi for Gmail was consuming a significant amount of memory, with four separate processes listed, each using multiple threads. Ah, at last, I believed I had discovered the source of my troubles.

To validate my hypothesis, I closed Kiwi, and my available memory surged back into the gigabytes. To confirm, I reopened Kiwi, and within a minute, my free memory dwindled down to about 10MB. I had identified the culprit!

The conclusion was straightforward: I uninstalled Kiwi for Gmail and switched back to Apple Mail. Monitoring my free memory via Activity Monitor has shown consistent stability, with several gigabytes available. For now, Apple Mail seems to be performing well without causing memory leaks.

I understand that free memory can fluctuate depending on various factors, such as the number of open applications and browser tabs, but I’m optimistic that I’ve tackled the memory leak issue.

I’m pleased with my MacBook once again and can happily continue my work.

Until next time…

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