Fix Guide: Sequoia Stage Manager "Minimized" Windows Lost

Symptom: After using Stage Manager on macOS Sequoia for a long period, minimizing a window causes it to disappear from both the side strip and the Dock, even though the app is still shown as "running."

Why this happens

This is a layering bug in Sequoia's WindowManager. The window gets assigned to a "null" Space or becomes hidden behind the active desktop background layer when the Stage Manager "Strip" fails to update its icon cache.

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Fix 1: Kill the WindowManager Process

1. Open Terminal.
2. Run the following command:

killall WindowManager

1. Your screen will flicker briefly as the UI process restarts. Your windows should reappear in the Stage Manager strip.

Fix 2: Toggle "Recent Apps" in Strip

1. Go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
2. Under Stage Manager, click Customize....
3. Toggle Recent apps off and then back on to force the UI to re-index the open window handles.

Recommended Tool: CleanMyMac

UI glitches like disappearing windows are often a symptom of low "Window Server" memory. Use CleanMyMac to optimize RAM and clear system junk, ensuring the WindowManager has enough overhead to manage app stacks.