How to Get the High Performance Power Plan on Windows 11

Open the power settings on your Windows 11 PC and you may find only one plan: Balanced. The High Performance Power plan seems gone. It is not. On many systems Windows 11 hides it, but you can bring it back in under a minute with a single command.

The High Performance plan stops Windows from slowing your hardware to save power. That makes it popular with gamers and anyone who wants full speed at all times. Here is why it hides, how to get it back two ways, and when to use it instead of Balanced.

Why the High Performance Power Plan Is Hidden

Microsoft hides power plans on some PCs on purpose. Laptops with Modern Standby, which is the newer sleep system, often ship with only the Balanced plan showing. Microsoft wants these machines to manage power on their own, so it tucks the extra plans out of sight.

The plan still exists inside Windows. It is just not listed. A single command tells Windows to show it again. Nothing gets installed and nothing risky happens. If you set up a fresh system recently, our guide to installing Windows 11 without a Microsoft account pairs well with this tweak.

Windows 11 power settings showing how to get high performance power plan — Windows 11 hides the High Performance plan on many PCs, but it is still there.

Method 1: Add It with a Command (Fastest)

This is the quickest way. One command restores the missing plan.

Press Win + S, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.
Type this command exactly and press Enter:
powercfg -duplicatescheme 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c
Wait for the confirmation line. It prints the plan’s name and a new ID.
Open Settings, then System, then Power and battery. Click Power mode or open the old Control Panel power options.
Pick High performance from the list.

If the command reports success but the plan still does not show, restart your PC and check again. On a few locked-down systems, group policy blocks extra plans, and only an admin can change that.

Bonus: gamers sometimes also add the hidden Ultimate Performance plan with this command:
powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61
It removes even more power saving, but the gain over High Performance is tiny on most PCs.

For the full list of powercfg switches and syntax, see Microsoft’s powercfg documentation.

Method 2: Turn It On in Control Panel

If the plan already shows in the classic Control Panel, you can switch without any command. This works on desktops and older laptops where Microsoft never hid it.

Press Win + R, type control, and press Enter.
Go to Hardware and Sound, then Power Options.
If you see “Show additional plans,” click the arrow to expand it.
Select High performance.

If High performance is not listed here either, go back to Method 1. The command adds it to both the new Settings app and the old Control Panel. Running Windows from a USB stick? Our Windows To Go guide shows how to build a portable Windows install you can tune the same way.

Command Prompt running powercfg command for how to get high performance power plan — The powercfg command restores the hidden High Performance plan in seconds.

What the Plan Actually Changes

The High Performance plan is a bundle of settings, not magic. Here is what it changes compared to Balanced.

CPU runs at full speed. Minimum processor state jumps to 100%, so the CPU does not slow down between tasks. This cuts tiny delays when a game suddenly needs power.
USB selective suspend turns off. Windows stops cutting power to idle USB devices, which fixes some headset and controller dropouts.
PCI Express power saving turns off. Your graphics card and SSD stay fully awake instead of napping between jobs.
Sleep and display timers get longer. The screen and the PC wait longer before sleeping, so long downloads and renders do not get cut off.
Disk idle timers get longer. Hard disks spin down less often, which avoids the short freeze when a sleeping disk wakes up.

None of this makes your hardware faster than its limits. It just stops Windows from holding it back. For more speed wins, pair this with our graphics performance tuning guide.

High Performance vs Balanced: When to Use Each

Let’s break it down. Neither plan is right all the time.

Use High Performance on a desktop PC, where power use barely matters. Use it on a plugged-in laptop while gaming, editing video, or compiling code. Any task that hammers the CPU or GPU for long stretches gains from it. Competitive gamers like it because it removes small power-state delays that can cost frames.

Use Balanced on a laptop running on battery. High Performance drains a battery fast and makes fans loud for no gain in light tasks like browsing or writing. Balanced is also the better pick for a quiet office PC that idles most of the day.

A simple rule: plugged in and pushing hard, pick High Performance. On battery or idling, pick Balanced. Switching takes seconds, so change it with your day. Keep your device drivers updated too, since old drivers waste more speed than any power plan can give back. And if gaming is the goal, our 1080p vs 1440p comparison helps you pick the right resolution to match.

Speed gauge showing high performance power plan benefits on Windows 11 — High Performance trades power use for full speed; Balanced saves battery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the High Performance plan missing on Windows 11?

Microsoft hides it on PCs with Modern Standby and some laptops. The plan still exists in Windows. Run the powercfg command in Method 1 to show it again.

Does High Performance make games faster?

It can raise frame rates slightly and cut stutters by keeping the CPU and GPU fully awake. Do not expect huge gains. Updated drivers and right game settings matter more.

Is High Performance bad for my laptop?

It is safe, but it drains the battery faster and runs hotter and louder. Use it while plugged in, and switch back to Balanced on battery.

What is the difference between High Performance and Ultimate Performance?

Ultimate Performance removes a few more power-saving limits on top of High Performance. The real-world gain is tiny, so most people should stick with High Performance.

Do I need to restart after switching plans?

No. The change applies at once. You can flip between plans any time from Settings or Control Panel without restarting.

Axee Davies

Axee Davies is the founder of AxeeTech, publishing gaming guides, codes, and Windows how-tos since March 2013. A tech enthusiast for 13+ years — starting with smartphones and Android rooting — he now runs a site that puts out a new guide every day for Roblox players, traders, and Windows users. More about AxeeTech

axeetech.com