- To enable Ultimate Performance power mode on Windows 11 (or 10), open PowerShell (admin) and run the
powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61command. - Finally, go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options and select the “Ultimate Performance” option.
Windows 11 (and 10) include a special power plan called “Ultimate Performance,” which is designed to provide the highest possible performance for high-demand tasks like gaming or content creation. This plan optimizes your system to reduce micro-latencies—small delays that can occur as a result of power management adjustments, ensuring smooth performance even under heavy workloads.
The “Ultimate Performance” plan builds on the existing “High Performance” plan but introduces further tweaks to minimize power management delays, which can lower stuttering and enhance performance stability. This plan is particularly beneficial for resource-intensive tasks, such as video editing, 3D modeling, and other workloads requiring maximum CPU power and responsiveness.
Originally, this power scheme was limited to the Windows 10 Pro for Workstations edition, but it can be manually enabled on any edition of Windows 10 (version 1803 or later) and Windows 11 using the PowerCFG command.
In this guide, I’ll teach you how to enable the Ultimate Performance power plan on Windows 10 and 11.
Enable Ultimate Performance from PowerShell
To enable the Ultimate Performance power plan on Windows 11 (or 10), use these steps:
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Open Start.
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Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
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Type the following command to enable the Ultimate Performance in Control Panel and press Enter:
powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61
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Open Control Panel.
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Click on Hardware and Sound.
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Click on Power Options.
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Select the Ultimate Performance option under the “Hide additional plans” section.
Once you complete the steps, restart the computer, and then you can test the new power plans to see if you notice improvements in performance when working with demanding workloads on your high-end computer.
When using this power plan, you should only expect minimal improvements. If you’re dealing with performance issues, you may want to consider performing a clean installation or upgrading the hardware, such as processor, memory, and storage.
This power plan is not recommended for everyday use, as it can increase hardware wear and tear. It’s best suited for specific tasks where you need maximum performance, such as gaming or video editing. Also, remember to switch back to a “Balanced” power plan when you’re not using your computer for demanding tasks to conserve power and reduce noise. Finally, the Ultimate Performance power policy is currently not available when running a device on battery.
Update November 5, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].