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Terminal briefly shows as completely white with a sad face in the corner when switching back to VS Code after using another app for a while #303488

@Mossop

Description

@Mossop

Type: Bug

I run VS Code on a second Space on macOS and run terminal as a tab in the editor area. I have found since 1.110 if I haven't been using VSCode for a while then switching back to the Space with VSCode on it the terminal will briefly show as fully white with a sad face in the corner, like an image has failed to load. It lasts for well under a second before the terminal renders correctly again.

VS Code version: Code 1.112.0 (Universal) (07ff9d6, 2026-03-17T18:09:23Z)
OS version: Darwin arm64 25.3.0
Modes:

System Info
Item Value
CPUs Apple M4 Max (16 x 2400)
GPU Status 2d_canvas: enabled
GPU0: VENDOR= 0x106b [Google Inc. (Apple)], DEVICE=0x0000 [ANGLE (Apple, ANGLE Metal Renderer: Apple M4 Max, Version 26.3.1 (a) (Build 25D771280a))], DRIVER_VENDOR=Apple, DRIVER_VERSION=26.3.1 ACTIVE
Machine model name: Mac
Machine model version: 16.5
direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok
gpu_compositing: enabled
multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on
opengl: enabled_on
rasterization: enabled
raw_draw: disabled_off_ok
skia_graphite: enabled_on
trees_in_viz: disabled_off
video_decode: enabled
video_encode: enabled
webgl: enabled
webgl2: enabled
webgpu: enabled
webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg) 2, 2, 2
Memory (System) 64.00GB (19.61GB free)
Process Argv --crash-reporter-id ab861360-058b-4aea-9f8f-0b344a9674c3
Screen Reader no
VM 0%
Extensions (35)
Extension Author (truncated) Version
project-manager ale 13.0.1
claude-code Ant 2.1.79
diff-lang-folding bai 1.3.0
vscode-log-viewer ber 0.14.1
vscode-markdownlint Dav 0.61.1
vscode-eslint dba 3.0.24
chmod dle 1.1.1
vscode-html-css ecm 2.0.14
prettier-vscode esb 12.4.0
backticks fra 1.7.0
terminal-links fra 1.0.5
vscode-mise fra 0.1.0
copilot-chat Git 0.40.1
remotehub Git 0.64.0
vscode-go-template jin 0.2.1
vscode-sshfs Kel 1.26.1
vscode-clangd llv 0.4.0
compare-folders mos 0.28.0
remote-ssh ms- 0.122.0
remote-ssh-edit ms- 0.87.0
hexeditor ms- 1.11.1
remote-explorer ms- 0.5.0
remote-repositories ms- 0.42.0
remote-server ms- 1.5.3
idl myt 0.3.1
autotrim Nat 1.0.6
material-icon-theme PKi 5.32.0
probe-rs-debugger pro 0.24.2
diff raf 0.0.1
vscode-xml red 0.29.0
rust-analyzer rus 0.3.2828
code-spell-checker str 4.5.6
even-better-toml tam 0.21.2
vscode-lldb vad 1.12.1
clang-format xav 1.9.0

(1 theme extensions excluded)

A/B Experiments
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