System settings > Displays: stuck on "Gathering displays data..."

Same issue here on a Mac Mini M4 Pro, macOS Sequoia 15.7.1

-> disconnecting external displays is not really an option

-> no update (other than Tahoe) available, which I had to roll back from due to some other bugs

However: I noticed the process "WindowServer" was using 1.4GB of memory, usually it does not do that.

Activity Monitor -> Memory -> sort descending / find the process; force quit it.

The screen went blank as expected, but after login the Displays setting pane was working again for me.

Suspicion: some memory leak in macOS Sequoia that has not been patched yet, and may have been patched in Tahoe :)

Anjanette1234 wrote:

I want to change display settings on my Macbook Air (2022 M2, 15.6.1). I open System Settings; so far, so good. I scroll down to Displays, click on that, and the larger right-hand portion of the Settings window goes blank except for the message, right in the middle:

Gathering displays data...

...with the spinning wheel above it, of course. And nothing else happens; just Mac spinning its wheels, so to speak. Can anyone let me know what the problem is here? Thank you!!

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/146335c6-896f-49d4-aa87-5a1f0e56b42b

Have you shut down and restarted?

Unplug all external Displays and compare your results...

Verify your software is up to date…

The current stable release of Sequoia including bug fixes, security updates is macOS 15.7

Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support

Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support