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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11“CPU throttling” is one of those phrases people use loosely. In reality, throttling is a set of different mechanisms—power-limit throttling, load/clock throttling, and thermal (safety) throttling—many of which are intentionally protected and may not be removable.
This guide focuses on what you can control in BIOS/UEFI: power-saving features that reduce clocks, turbo power limits, and CPU sleep states. You’ll get step-by-step instructions with the exact kinds of settings and wording you should look for, plus how to verify the result.
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Quick reality check: thermal throttling is a safety feature. Even if you find a “disable” option, removing it can cause overheating and hardware damage. The goal should be reducing unnecessary throttling while keeping thermal protections enabled.
What CPU throttling really means (and what you can’t safely disable)
CPU throttling can be caused by at least three categories:
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- Thermal throttling: The CPU reduces frequency/voltage when it approaches its thermal limits (e.g., Tjmax). This is safety behavior.
- Power-limit throttling: The CPU hits power/current limits set by motherboard firmware or CPU package (e.g., Intel PL1/PL2, AMD PPT/EDC/TDC), and clocks drop to stay within budget.
- Power-saving (idle/low power) throttling: The CPU uses lower multipliers and states (EIST/SpeedStep, Speed Shift, C-states, deep sleep). On some systems this feels like “throttling,” especially under bursty loads.
In most BIOS setups, you can’t fully “turn off throttling” in a single switch. You can usually disable the power-saving and limit behaviors that reduce clocks, while keeping thermal safeguards intact.
Before you change anything: prerequisites and risks
Thorough prep prevents costly mistakes.
- Update BIOS/UEFI first (optional but recommended): If your board supports newer firmware, update to a current stable version before tuning. Many vendors improve CPU power handling logic via BIOS updates.
- Know your CPU and platform: Identify the CPU model (e.g., Intel Core i7-13700K, AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D) because setting names vary.
- Keep cooling conservative: If you’re disabling power savings and increasing turbo behavior, verify you have adequate cooling and airflow.
- Understand stability trade-offs: Turning off power management can increase idle power, heat, and power draw—even if you don’t change voltages.
Best practice: Change one related set of settings at a time (power management first), then test system stability and thermals.
Find the right BIOS/UEFI menu (most settings live here)
BIOS layouts differ, but the settings you want are typically under one of these categories:
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- Advanced → CPU Configuration
- Advanced → Power & Performance
- Advanced → CPU Power Management
- Overclocking (on enthusiast boards) → CPU Features / Power Limits
- Chipset or AMD CBS (AMD platforms)
Look for toggles tied to power management, idle states, and turbo/power limits. If you only see “Auto,” try switching to a more explicit profile like Performance.
Disable power-saving throttles in BIOS (core checklist)
Use this checklist as your BIOS shopping list. The exact labels vary, but the intent stays the same: stop the firmware from dropping multipliers aggressively when the CPU isn’t perfectly idle.
Set CPU power management to Performance
Many BIOS firmwares include a global “CPU power management mode.” On desktops, this often lives under “Power” or “Performance.”
- Enter BIOS/UEFI.
- Go to Advanced → Power & Performance (or similar).
- Find a profile like CPU Power Management.
- Set it to Performance or High Performance (instead of Balanced / Auto).
Disable Intel SpeedStep / AMD Cool’n’Quiet style features
These features adjust frequency/voltage based on load and OS hints. If your goal is maximum sustained clocks, disabling them often reduces “clock drops.”
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- BIOS → Advanced → CPU Configuration (or CPU Power Management).
- Disable Intel options like Intel SpeedStep Technology and Intel-related entries such as EIST / Enhanced Intel SpeedStep.
- For AMD, disable Cool’n’Quiet (and similar power-saving behavior) if present.
Disable or reduce C-states (C1E, C3, C6, etc.)
C-states are CPU sleep/idle states. Disabling deeper C-states can reduce latency and prevent frequency from collapsing during light bursts.
- Find CPU C States, Global C-state Control, or Power Management under Advanced.
- Set CPU C States to Disabled or reduce to the shallowest option supported.
- If there’s a per-state list, start by disabling deeper states: C3, C6, and Package C State while leaving shallow idle states alone if you want minimal risk.
Disable EIST / IA32 power limit style throttles when available
Some BIOS versions expose power throttling controls beyond C-states. You’ll often see toggles related to performance control (not the same as thermal safety).
- In BIOS, search for: IA32, power limit, throttling, current limit, or power management.
- If you see toggles for Package Power Limit Throttling or similar, set them toward “enabled performance” rather than “enforced power saving.”
- If the only choices are Auto/Enabled/Disabled, start with Enabled for performance behavior, but keep thermal limits intact (don’t try to disable thermal protections).
Enable or remove Turbo limits (Intel Turbo Boost / AMD Precision Boost)
If your CPU is dropping below expected burst clocks, it may be hitting power limits that are configured by motherboard firmware. Turbo controls are the biggest lever for “stop throttling” claims.
- BIOS → find CPU Performance, Turbo, Boost, or CPU Power Limits.
- For Intel, ensure Intel Turbo Boost Technology is Enabled.
- For AMD, ensure Precision Boost / Precision Boost Overdrive (if present) are configured to your target.
- Look for Long Duration Power Limit (PL1) and Short Duration Power Limit (PL2), plus current limits (IA/EDC/TDC style).
- If you have numeric controls, raise PL1/PL2 appropriately for your cooling. Avoid setting extreme values if you don’t have thermal headroom.
Disable throttling-related limits without breaking thermal protections
It’s easy to overshoot. A safer target is: reduce idle/power-saving throttles and increase allowable turbo power within what cooling can sustain.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsIn BIOS, “thermal throttling” is usually not a toggle you should disable. Instead, keep these protections working and focus on the limits that cause unwanted frequency drops:
- Power limit throttling: Adjust PL1/PL2 (Intel) or PPT/EDC/TDC (AMD) where available.
- Idle sleep throttles: Disable deep C-states and power saving features that collapse clocks.
- OS-directed behavior: BIOS can reduce aggressive behavior, but Windows power plan still matters.
Platform-specific steps (Intel, AMD, desktops vs laptops)
Intel desktops (typical settings)
On Intel systems, you’ll most often see the knobs below. Exact names vary by motherboard vendor (ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, ASRock, Lenovo desktops).
- Enter BIOS → Advanced → CPU Configuration.
- Set Intel SpeedStep Technology to Disabled (or EIST to Disabled).
- Set CPU C States to Disabled or disable C3/C6.
- Enter Advanced → CPU Power Management or AI Tweaker (ASUS) / M.I.T. (MSI).
- Ensure Intel Turbo Boost Technology is Enabled.
- Raise Long Duration Power Limit (PL1) and Short Duration Power Limit (PL2) if numeric controls exist.
If you see “CPU Core Current Limit” / “Core Current Limit (mA/A),” tune within your cooling capabilities.
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AMD desktops (typical settings)
On AMD, look for “Cool’n’Quiet” and power limit controls like PPT/EDC/TDC. Some boards hide these behind “Precision Boost Overdrive” settings.
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- Set Cool’n’Quiet to Disabled.
- Find Global C-state Control / CPU C states and disable deeper C-states.
- Open Precision Boost Overdrive / CPU Boost settings.
- Enable precision boosting (and, if you want sustained clocks, allow higher PPT limits if controls exist).
AMD boards may also include “Eco Mode” or power profiles. Set them to Standard or Default before raising limits.
Laptops and OEM BIOS (what wording usually looks like)
Laptops often ship with simplified BIOS menus. Many disable advanced power-limit controls to protect thermals.
- Look for Thermal Mode, Performance, or Fan Profile.
- Set thermal mode to Performance (or equivalent).
- Disable any toggle labeled Power Saving, Battery Saver, or Minimum Performance.
- If you see C-state options, disable deeper states only if the laptop supports it.
If BIOS offers no CPU limit controls, you may need to pair BIOS changes with Windows settings and OEM utilities (some OEMs manage turbo/limits outside the BIOS menu).
How to verify your changes (Windows and monitoring targets)
Verification prevents false wins. A system can “feel” faster while still throttling under load, or vice versa.
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One-click scans. No signup required.
Use at least two indicators: clock behavior and throttling flags.
Check throttling reason flags
On Windows, tools like Intel Power Gadget (Intel), HWiNFO64, or vendor utilities can show throttling reasons and sensor values.
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- Confirm you’re not repeatedly hitting thermal limits.
- Confirm you’re not hitting power limit flags (PL1/PL2 or EDC/TDC/PPT).
- Track sustained clocks during a 5–15 minute load, not just a 5-second burst.
Test methodology (use consistent workloads)
Run the same benchmark or workload you used when you first noticed throttling. A typical approach:
- Pick a workload that stresses CPU cores (e.g., Cinebench-style CPU test or a multi-thread compile).
- Run for long enough to trigger long-duration limits (often 10 minutes or more).
- Watch: CPU package power (W), core clocks (GHz), and any throttling reason flags.
If you disabled power saving but your sustained clocks don’t rise, your limiting factor is likely thermal or power-limit enforcement.
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Troubleshooting when throttling still happens
When settings don’t produce the result you expect, it’s usually one of these categories.
If background processes are consuming CPU resources, Outbyte PC Repair is an optional Windows-side troubleshooting aid; it cannot change BIOS power or thermal limits.
Thermal throttling is still active
If thermal throttling triggers, BIOS changes won’t help much unless you also improve cooling or reduce heat sources.
- Verify CPU cooler mounting and fan curves.
- Check thermal paste condition (replace if dried out and you’ve had temps creeping over time).
- Re-run your long-duration test and compare max package temperature.
- If your BIOS supports it, increase fan performance or set thermal mode to Performance.
Power-limit throttling persists (PL1/PL2/EDC/TDC)
Even with SpeedStep and C-states disabled, the CPU can still downclock to stay under power/current limits.
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- Raise limits in small steps (for example, increase PL1 first, then PL2) and retest.
- Keep thermal headroom in mind—bumping power limits can worsen temperatures quickly.
Your BIOS settings reset after reboot
That usually means you’re fighting a firmware policy or you didn’t lock in changes.
- Make sure you choose Save & Exit and confirm when prompted.
- If your BIOS has Load Optimized Defaults, don’t leave it after tuning.
- Check whether there’s a “BIOS update rollback” or a “Restore settings” option on boot.
- On some systems, secure management features or recovery modes can revert settings.
Stability issues after disabling power savings
If the system becomes unstable, your change set may be too aggressive for your current configuration.
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- Re-enable C-states (keep only shallow ones) and retest stability.
- Restore Intel SpeedStep / AMD Cool’n’Quiet first, then keep turbo/power tuning.
- Confirm RAM stability and XMP/EXPO profile compatibility if you recently changed anything else.
Common FAQs
Can I disable all CPU throttling in BIOS?
No. Thermal throttling is a safety feature and is intentionally preserved. Even when you can disable “power saving throttles,” the CPU will still reduce frequency if it detects overheating or hard power/current violations.
What’s the fastest way to reduce throttling without deep BIOS tweaks?
Set BIOS power profile to Performance, disable deep C-states, and ensure turbo boosting is enabled. Then verify with a 10–15 minute load test and check throttling reason flags in monitoring software.
Will disabling SpeedStep/Cool’n’Quiet increase power draw at idle?
Often yes. Those features exist to lower frequency/voltage when the CPU is lightly loaded. Disabling them can increase idle temperature and fan noise.
Why does my CPU still throttle during short bursts after changing BIOS?
Short bursts may hit short-duration limits (Intel PL2 / AMD fast current limits). You need to check and adjust turbo power/current constraints, and verify temperatures so the CPU isn’t immediately forced back by thermal control.
Does Windows power plan matter if I changed BIOS?
It can. BIOS changes reduce firmware behavior, but Windows still controls scheduling hints and overall power policy. For best results, use a High performance or Balanced plan and confirm your CPU is not being constrained by OS-level limits.
Bottom Line
To disable CPU throttling in BIOS, don’t hunt for a single magic “off” switch. Instead, disable power-saving features (SpeedStep/Cool’n’Quiet, deep C-states), ensure turbo boosting is enabled, and adjust power-limit controls (PL1/PL2 or PPT/EDC/TDC) within your cooling capacity.
If you still see throttling after those changes, the CPU is likely being forced by thermal safety or hard power/current limits. Fix that with cooling, fan curves, and smaller power-limit increases—not by trying to remove safety protections.
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