How to Add the High Performance Power Plan on Windows 10/11

To add the missing High Performance power plan on Windows 10 or 11, open Control Panel → Power Options → Create a power plan, select High performance, and click Create. Alternatively, open PowerShell as administrator and run powercfg -duplicatescheme 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c to restore it instantly. The High Performance plan keeps your CPU at higher clock speeds and prevents components from entering low-power states.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: April 6, 2026

Key Takeaways

• The High Performance power plan is hidden by default on many Windows 10 and 11 installations, especially laptops. Microsoft removed it from the default view to promote energy efficiency, but it still exists in the system and can be restored.
• Two methods to add it: create a new plan based on the High Performance template in Control Panel, or use a single PowerShell command (powercfg -duplicatescheme) to restore the built-in plan.
• For even more performance, activate the Ultimate Performance plan — it goes further by eliminating micro-latencies in power management. Ultimate Performance is hidden by default on all editions except Windows 10/11 Pro for Workstations.
• On laptops, use High Performance only when plugged in. It prevents the CPU from downclocking and disables sleep timers, which drains battery significantly faster.

In This Guide

This guide covers two methods to add the High Performance power plan:

• Method 1: Control Panel — Create a new power plan based on the High Performance template. Works on all Windows editions.
• Method 2: PowerShell Command — Restore the built-in High Performance plan with a single command. Faster, and useful if the Control Panel option is missing.

Quick Steps

1. Open Control Panel → set view to Large icons → click Power Options.
2. Click Create a power plan → select High performance → name it → click Next → Create.
3. Or: open PowerShell as admin → run powercfg -duplicatescheme 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c.
4. Select the new High Performance plan in Power Options.

Method 1: Add High Performance Plan via Control Panel

Click the Start button, search for Control Panel, and open it. Change the view setting in the top-right corner to Large icons or Small icons, then click Power Options.

If you only see “Balanced” in the list, click Create a power plan in the left sidebar. On the next screen, select High performance as the base template, give it a name (I just use “High Performance”), and click Next.

On the settings screen, configure when to turn off the display and when to put the computer to sleep. I typically set everything to Never for a desktop PC. On a laptop, you may want to keep sleep enabled on battery power. Click Create to finish.

The new High Performance plan is now active. You can verify it by going back to Power Options — it should appear in the list with the radio button selected.

Method 2: Add High Performance Plan via PowerShell

If the Control Panel method does not show the High Performance option, or you prefer a faster approach, you can restore the built-in plan with a single command. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin). Then run:

powercfg -duplicatescheme 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c

This command duplicates the built-in High Performance power scheme using its GUID. PowerShell will output the GUID of the newly created plan, confirming it was added successfully. Now open Control Panel → Power Options and select the High Performance plan.

Tip: Want even more performance? The Ultimate Performance plan goes further by eliminating micro-latencies in power management. It is hidden by default on most Windows editions but can be unlocked with a similar PowerShell command.

What Does the High Performance Plan Actually Do?

The High Performance plan makes three key changes compared to the default Balanced plan:

• CPU minimum state set to 100% — the processor runs at full speed at all times instead of dynamically scaling down during idle periods. This eliminates the brief delay when the CPU ramps back up under load.
• Display and sleep timers extended or disabled — the screen stays on longer and the system does not enter sleep mode as quickly, which is useful for rendering, compiling, or other long-running tasks.
• Hard disk never spins down — prevents mechanical hard drives from entering standby, which eliminates the delay when accessing data after idle periods. This is less relevant if you use an SSD.

For most desktop users, the performance difference between Balanced and High Performance is noticeable during sustained workloads like video editing, gaming, or compilation. For laptops on battery, the trade-off is significant — expect 20-40% less battery life with High Performance enabled. I recommend switching to Balanced or Power Saver when unplugged.

For broader system optimization beyond just the power plan, Winhance can disable background services, remove bloatware, and apply performance tweaks that complement the High Performance plan. If you want a full optimization walkthrough, the Chris Titus Windows Utility guide covers additional tweaks.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the High Performance power plan missing on my PC?

Microsoft hides the High Performance plan by default on many Windows 10 and 11 installations to promote energy efficiency and reduce power consumption. This is especially common on laptops where manufacturers configure the system with only the Balanced plan visible. The plan still exists in the system — the methods above restore it.

What is the difference between High Performance and Ultimate Performance?

High Performance keeps the CPU at full speed and disables some power-saving features. Ultimate Performance goes further by eliminating micro-latencies in the power management system — it prevents the OS from checking whether components can be put into a lower power state. The difference is subtle but measurable in latency-sensitive workloads like audio production and real-time rendering.

Will the High Performance plan drain my laptop battery faster?

Yes. The High Performance plan keeps the CPU running at maximum speed regardless of workload, which significantly increases power draw. On a laptop, expect 20-40% less battery life compared to Balanced. I recommend using High Performance only when plugged in, and switching to Balanced or Power Saver on battery.

Can I customize the High Performance plan after creating it?

Yes. Go to Control Panel → Power Options, click Change plan settings next to your High Performance plan, then click Change advanced power settings. From there you can adjust individual settings like CPU minimum/maximum state, USB selective suspend, PCI Express power management, and more.

Is High Performance worth it on a desktop PC?

For desktops, High Performance is a reasonable default — you are plugged in, so battery life is not a concern. The main benefit is eliminating the brief CPU ramp-up delay during burst workloads. That said, modern processors on the Balanced plan ramp up in milliseconds, so the real-world difference is small for typical use. It is most noticeable during sustained loads like video rendering or gaming.