MAC OS 26.0.1 update on M1 8GB Mac mini - Memory issues

Others have reported memory management issues with Tahoe, I suspect it’s due to 3rd party apps/extensions but it’s not clear.

8 GB isn’t much these days, there’s a reason Apple has been bumping the spec up across the lines.

Rolling back to Sequoia would require booting in Recovery OS, erasing the internal drive, installing Sequoia, then restoring your data from a backup made before you upgraded to Tahoe. A backup made now won’t work (you could manually copy off your files but settings, licenses, etc., would all be lost). It’s not for the faint hearted.

What is the users tolerance for " Risk " ?

1 - Is this your Only computer and you would not be able to live without it for a fews days if the downgrade procedure goes wrong ?

2 - Does the user have access to another Apple computer, that currently is running macOS 15 / 26 , that could be used to Revive or Restore the computer  Firmware  ?

3 - Understand that once the computer has upGraded to macOS 26 Tahoe. there is a strong probability there was a Firmware upGraded that was applied to the computer

Downgrading back to an older version of macOS, say Sequoia

It runs the Risk that doing the downgrade, there could be issues with the existing Firmware also being downgraded.

4 - Does the user have at least 2 -  no -  make that 3 backups from a time before the computer was upGraded to macOS 26 Tahoe ?

Have a 3-2-1 Rescue Plan in place and always current

3 Backups using 2 methods and 1 off site incase of natural disaster or un-natural disaster.

Each of the above should be done to a Dedicated Single Purposed External Drive 

Below link is intended to augment what TM Backup does 

https://bombich.com

If the owner of this computer should answer NO  to any of the above questions

Then downgrading the computer Is Not Recommended 

There should be no problem with the fact your M1 mini has only 8GB RAM.

My M2 (8GB RAM) is only marginally faster than yours but I have no problems with Tahoe, even when editing 8 track Multicam in Final Cut Pro.

As suggested earlier the problem is probably caused by the way your mini is set up and the apps on it.

What do you mean by "plenty of storage"? You need at least 10% - 20% free which equates to 25GB - 50GB on the basic mini.

How much free space have you got?

To avoid a " Game of 20 Questions "

To Drill Down further and to avoid a session of Q&A, Q&A  and Q&A  

Download the Application Etrecheck  ( External Link ) directly from the Developer.

The Application is Not a " Silver Bullet "  and is  only a tool to examine the Hardware / Software used on this computer 

This is a Diagnostic Tool that makes no changes to the computer Hardware / Software used on this computer 

The application is free or paid from added features. 

The Report will Not Reveal Any Personal Information. 

Post back the Full Report - copy and paste - >>>> using the Additional Text Icon ( 3rd Icon to last ) <<<<

Like my fellow contributor @ Ian R. Brown

I have a Stock M2 Mac Mini with 8 GB Unified RAM with the stock 256 GB SSD drive

Keep it clean of unnecessary third Party Softwares

Us it the Live Stream mostly

It sings a fine tune and close ( sort of ) to the same performances as my M4 Mac Mini with 16 GB Unified RAM and the 512 GB SSD drive