You probably don’t know it, but Windows has a secret mode which allows you to benefit from the best performance of a PC without modifying the slightest hardware component. Here is the method to activate it.
If you use a computer running Windows 10 or Windows 11, you probably know that the system offers three power modes. These ready-to-use “energy profiles” correspond to different sets of parameters, each of which aims for a particular objective: maximizing autonomy, performance or a balance between the two. These profiles are not reserved for laptops, and can also be modified on a desktop computer.
But Windows also has another operating mode, which allows you to achieve even higher performance, if you know how to activate it. Before continuing, however, it is necessary to clearly distinguish two categories of parameters. Although they all relate to PC power, have almost the same names and are related to each other, they are not the same. Here we find the usual confusion that reigns in Microsoft products.
On the one hand, there is the Power modewhich can be found in the application Settingssection System > On/Offwith three options available: Better Power Efficiency, Balance and High Performance. It is between these three modes that you probably alternate to optimize the autonomy of your laptop according to your needs. This parameter is the most accessible, but it is not the one that interests us here.
On the other hand, there is the Power management modewhich is located in the Control Panelsection System and Security > Power Options. It also offers three options: Normal Use, Energy Saving and High Performance. Despite their almost identical names, these three profiles are not the same as those of the Settings Power Mode mentioned above. When we talked about confusion…
In the present case, it is the Power management mode of Control Panel which interests us. Indeed, in addition to the three profiles offered, there is a fourth called “Optimal Performance”, which allows you to push your computer even further than High Performance mode, in order to exploit the full potential of your device.
This operating mode is hidden by default on consumer computers, as it is normally reserved for professional workstation-type machines, equipped with Windows 11 Pro. However, this power management profile is present on PCs using Windows 11 Home and only needs to be “unveiled” to be used.
To do this, start by launching PowerShell by right-clicking on the menu To start up in the taskbar, then clicking Terminal (Administrator). In the window that opens, copy and paste the command powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61 and validate by pressing Entrée. You should see a line “Power plan GUID:” followed by an alphanumeric code, like the screenshot below.
Then open the menu To start up and write the word “food”, then click on the search result Choose a power plan (not to be confused with Change the power plan). You will then arrive on a page of the Control Panel. There, click on Show additional modes and finally select the option Performances optimales. There you have it, you have enabled Windows Ultimate Performance Mode.
Keep in mind that this mode of operation will potentially consume (much) more power and therefore have a significant impact on a laptop’s battery life. Furthermore, this profile will also cause the components of your computer to heat up more, which will have to ventilate more to maintain an acceptable temperature and will therefore be noisier.
Therefore, avoid activating Optimal Performance mode in an open space or on the move, and reserve its use for situations where you need maximum power, such as advanced photo editing, video editing, 3D modeling or even demanding video games.
