My 2018, 15-inch MacBook keeps crashing. Was happening roughly once a day for a few weeks (overnight, usually while asleep), then started happening during the day, now seems to happen every few minutes. No performance issue or apparent lag, just all of a sudden the computer freezes up, and then restarts about a minute later.
Ran an Etre report while in safe boot mode, included below in Additional Text.
The report says it is being run from safe mode.
Safe Mode does not load any third-party added software, and does not load the accelerated graphics drivers. Very little can be learned from your Etrecheck report when run from safe mode.
One thing that CAN be learned is that the panics you are seeing have occurred 10 times recently, for NOT immediately obvious reasons.
Consider posting the panic report itself.
Kernel Panic Reports are stored in the Folder at:
/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports
If you copy and paste that string into:
Finder > Go menu > Go to Folder
it will take you to the Folder where those reports are stored.
Kernel panic reports are named with Date&Time and start or end in ‘panic’
If you find one, please post as much as you can here, by using the “additional text” Icon in the reply footer (looks like a paper with writing). (Once the report devolves into incessant software-names or incessant Base-64 dumps with lots of AAAAAA lines, you are done.)
Please don’t post more about 20 lines of any other types of reports — they are interminable, and any information useful for this purpose is on the first screenful.
The report says it is being run from safe mode.
Safe Mode does not load any third-party added software, and does not load the accelerated graphics drivers. Very little can be learned from your Etrecheck report when run from safe mode.
One thing that CAN be learned is that the panics you are seeing have occurred 10 times recently, for NOT immediately obvious reasons.
Consider posting the panic report itself.
Kernel Panic Reports are stored in the Folder at:
/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports
If you copy and paste that string into:
Finder > Go menu > Go to Folder
it will take you to the Folder where those reports are stored.
Kernel panic reports are named with Date&Time and start or end in ‘panic’
If you find one, please post as much as you can here, by using the “additional text” Icon in the reply footer (looks like a paper with writing). (Once the report devolves into incessant software-names or incessant Base-64 dumps with lots of AAAAAA lines, you are done.)
Please don’t post more about 20 lines of any other types of reports — they are interminable, and any information useful for this purpose is on the first screenful.
Your Graphics processor is getting into an unusual state and resetting itself.
Your MacBook Pro 15in 2018 has two graphics processors -- Integrated Intel graphics and AMD discrete graphics chip with it own private display RAM. When all you need to do is boring ordinary stuff and NO external displays are connected, the system defaults to the Integrated graphics.
If you do any of these, it used the Discrete graphics chip instead:
• connect an external display
• run display intensive tasks like edit Videos or edit photos
• run google Chrome, the most notorious resource hog there is.
the other thing that might have graphics impact is Jump Desktop, which is showing use of 3.8 percent CPU and in the top 5 Energy consumers in your most recent report. They don't appear to have a lot of different versions, so I am guessing Jim Desktopt is pretty benign.
The other possibility is a defect in your discrete graphics processor that is causing it to reset.
You should run the diagnostic to check for GROSS issues. "no fault found" is not the same as "all is well".
Use Apple Diagnostics to test your Mac - Apple Support
I've also run another Etre report, this time not in Safe Boot mode. Another thing to note: I've unplugged my second monitor, and so far, have experienced no crashes after doing that about an hour ago.
the report says it could not detect a Time Machine or other backup.
If you do not have a recent local, disk-based backup, your computer is like a ticking Time bomb. You are only one disk failure, one mainboard failure, one crazy software, or one "oops" away from losing EVERYTHING! Drives do not last forever. It is not a question of IF it will fail, only WHEN it will fail. In addition, you never know when crazy software or Pilot Error throws away far more than you intended.
If you are using another direct-to-disk backup method that you prefer, and you currently have a recent disk-based backup, that is great. If not, you should consider using Built-in Time Machine. Take steps to acquire an external drive as soon as possible. If you buy one, a drive 2 to 3 times or larger than your boot drive is preferable for long term trouble-free operation. Do not pay extra for a drive that is fast. (You can get by for a while with a "found" smaller drive if necessary, but it will eventually become annoying).
Attach your external drive and use
Settings > General > Time machine ...
... to turn on Time Machine and specify what drive to store your Backups on. It may ask to initialize the new drive, and that is as expected. APFS format is default format if running MacOS 11 Big Sur or later.
Time machine works quietly and automatically in the background, without interrupting your regular work, and only saves the incremental changes (after the first full backup). Time machine backs up your machine — including every connected drive that is in a Mac compatible format. it can not back up Windows format drives.
Time Machine's "claim to fame" is that it is the backup that gets done. It does not ruin performance of the rest of the computer while doing its backup operations. You do not have to set aside a "Special Time" when you only do backups. When you need it, your Time machine Backup is much more likely to be there and be current.
How to use Time Machine to Backup or Restore your Mac:
Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support
<< I've included the most recent Kernel Panic report from my DiagnosticLogs. >>
Mon Oct 27 10:56:47 2025
Event: GPU Reset
that unusual reason could be why Etrecheck could not characterize the reason for your recent crashes.
I've included the most recent Kernel Panic report from my DiagnosticLogs. I included the full report (I didn't see any software names or AAAAAAA lines, but I might not know what I'm looking for).
Macbook Pro keeps crashing
