Mac kernel panic after sleep or wake: the usual causes
Why a Mac panics when waking from sleep, which accessories and docks are often involved, and how to narrow it down.
Why does my Mac kernel panic after sleep?
Waking reconnects every device at once, and a dock, display adapter or USB device with a faulty driver can crash it. macOS bugs after updates are a less common cause.
How do I find the cause?
Read the panic report's first lines for the component name: reading a panic report. Then sleep with accessories unplugged for a few nights.
What else helps?
Update macOS and the dock's firmware, try another dock or cable, and check the wake log for the event just before the panic: Mac waking on its own.
Common questions
Can a dock cause kernel panics on Mac?
Yes. Docks and display adapters are common causes of panics on wake.
How do I stop my Mac restarting after sleep?
Update macOS and the dock, and test with accessories unplugged.