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You can undervolt a supported AMD Radeon GPU directly in AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition. Open Performance Tuning, select Undervolt GPU under GPU Automatic Tuning for the simplest approach, or choose Manual Tuning > Custom for finer control. AMD describes the preset as reducing voltage while maintaining clock speeds to improve performance per watt, but the option is not available on every Radeon model and there is no safe universal voltage target.
Use the full Adrenalin installation, apply a conservative change, run the built-in Stress Test, and keep a known-good profile or use Reset if the result is unstable. The labels and controls vary by GPU generation and software release, so treat AMD’s RX 7900 XTX example as an illustration rather than a recipe for your card.
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Undervolting lowers the voltage requested by the GPU at its operating frequencies. AMD’s automatic preset is intended to reduce voltage while maintaining clock speeds, which can improve performance per watt; it does not promise a particular temperature, power, fan-noise or frame-rate change for an unspecified card. Silicon quality, cooler design, workload and the individual GPU’s firmware all affect the result.
In Adrenalin, the voltage control is normally an offset to the voltage-frequency curve, not a universal fixed-voltage command. AMD’s example changes a displayed default of 1,150 mV to 1,125 mV, a -25 mV offset across the curve. That example explains how the control works; it is not a recommended target for your GPU.
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Undervolting is useful when you want to experiment with efficiency while retaining stock-style clock behavior. It is also reversible: the Reset icon restores defaults, and custom tuning profiles can be exported before you begin.
What do I need before changing the setting?
- Full AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition installation: the tuning interface is not provided by a driver-only installation.
- A supported Radeon GPU: AMD says the Undervolt GPU automatic option is available only on select GPUs. Manual controls and their labels also vary by Radeon series.
- A stable baseline: close games and other GPU-intensive applications, and note your current settings before editing them.
- Permission to change global tuning: Global Tuning applies per GPU. If the computer has more than one GPU, select the intended adapter before making changes.
- A recovery plan: know where the Reset icon is, and export a working profile if you want an easy way back to a known configuration.
AMD’s current support article, “Customize GPU Performance Tuning with AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition” (Article DH3-020, updated March 3, 2025), is the authoritative reference for the current menu names. AMD also documents the broader metrics and tuning area on its Adrenalin performance page.
Which Adrenalin method should I use?
Choose the automatic preset first if it is offered for your GPU. Use Manual Tuning only when you need to understand or adjust the frequency-voltage behavior yourself.
| Route | Where it appears | What you control | Best use | Availability caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic | GPU Automatic Tuning > Undervolt GPU | AMD’s predefined undervolt behavior | Fast, low-complexity experiment | AMD says it is available only on select GPUs |
| Manual | Manual Tuning > Custom | Frequency and voltage controls exposed by the card | Fine adjustment and troubleshooting | Controls differ by model and Radeon generation |
Only one GPU Tuning Control option can be selected at a time. If Undervolt GPU is missing, do not substitute a random voltage value from another model; continue with the controls your card actually exposes or leave the defaults in place.
How do I open GPU Performance Tuning?
- Launch AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition.
- Use the application’s search box and enter Tuning.
- Open Performance Tuning from the search results.
- In a multi-GPU system, select the Radeon GPU you intend to change before editing Global Tuning.
- Locate the GPU section. Depending on the release and card, you may see GPU Automatic Tuning, Manual Tuning, or both.
AMD’s interface can show Apply Changes and Discard Changes. Use Apply Changes to commit an edit, and Discard Changes to abandon edits that have not been applied. AMD notes that Global Tuning changes apply immediately once committed, so verify the selected GPU first.
How do I use the automatic Undervolt GPU preset?
The automatic route is the least complicated way to test AMD’s supported undervolting behavior. It does not expose a universal millivolt number for you to enter.
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- In Performance Tuning, find GPU Automatic Tuning.
- Select Undervolt GPU, if the option is present.
- Review the change shown by Adrenalin, then choose Apply Changes.
- Run the built-in Stress Test before treating the setting as usable.
- If the system is unstable or you simply want the old behavior, click the Reset icon and confirm the default settings.
AMD lists other automatic choices—Default, Overclock GPU and Overclock VRAM—but those are different tuning goals. Do not select an overclock preset when your objective is undervolting. Undervolt GPU and Overclock VRAM are not guaranteed to appear on every Radeon product.
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How do I set a manual undervolt with Custom tuning?
Manual tuning is a control surface, not a model-independent recipe. Select Custom only after recording the starting state, and change one control at a time so you can identify which adjustment causes a problem.
- Open Performance Tuning and select Manual Tuning.
- Choose Custom when Adrenalin asks which manual mode to use.
- Enable the GPU tuning control if it is currently off. The available controls depend on your Radeon model.
- Inspect the frequency and voltage controls. Some GPUs expose both sliders; others expose only a Max Frequency slider.
- If available, enable Advanced Control to display clock and voltage values in MHz and mV.
- Move the voltage control by a small amount, apply the change, and run the Stress Test. Keep a written note of the value and result before making another adjustment.
AMD says frequency and voltage sliders are available on Radeon RX 6000 Series and later, while the voltage/frequency curve chart is available on Radeon RX 5700 Series and Radeon VII. That distinction means an older or different card can show a substantially different screen. Do not infer that a control missing from your installation can be enabled safely through a hidden or third-party setting.
What does the voltage slider actually change?
AMD describes the slider as an offset to the voltage-frequency curve. For example, moving a displayed 1,150 mV value to 1,125 mV represents a -25 mV offset across the curve rather than a command to run every workload at exactly 1,125 mV. The correct amount depends on the GPU and its existing curve; AMD’s documentation does not establish one number for all cards.
Why should I avoid copying another GPU’s voltage target?
Two cards with the same Radeon family can behave differently, and the available controls may not match. AMD’s own example uses Adrenalin 23.9.1 with an RX 7900 XTX, so its screenshots and values should be read as illustrations of the interface, not as a recommendation for another model or a later release.
How do I test whether the undervolt is stable?
Run Adrenalin’s Stress Test immediately after applying or loading a tuning profile. AMD describes it as a check of the current tuning settings, not as proof that every game, application or workload will remain stable.
- Return to Performance Tuning after applying the automatic or manual setting.
- Open the Stress Test control.
- Choose a duration. AMD documents 60 seconds as the default duration, while allowing you to select the test length.
- Start the test and watch for a completed run, application error, display-driver recovery, system crash or reboot.
- Record the setting and outcome. If you make another change, repeat the test rather than assuming the previous result still applies.
AMD states: “If the Stress Test fails resulting in a system crash or reboot, AMD Software will reset the GPU performance tuning settings to default values.” This automatic recovery is useful, but save your work before testing because an abrupt failure can still interrupt other applications. A completed test does not guarantee stability in a particular game or workload; those workloads should be exercised separately before you keep the setting for regular use.
What should I do if the test fails or a game becomes unstable?
Use the least disruptive recovery path first, then reduce the scope of the experiment.
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- Adrenalin reset: click the Reset icon in Performance Tuning to restore default GPU tuning.
- Automatic preset failure: return to Default, apply it, and confirm that the system is stable before trying anything else.
- Manual failure: restore the last known-good profile or undo the most recent voltage/frequency change, apply it, and test again.
- Crash or reboot during Stress Test: AMD says Adrenalin resets GPU tuning to defaults after this type of failure. Reopen Performance Tuning and verify that the values are no longer customized.
- Stress Test passes but a game fails: treat the game as a separate workload. Reset or make a smaller manual change, then retest the affected application.
- Controls disappear or look different: check that you selected the intended GPU and that you are using the full Adrenalin installation. The controls are model- and release-dependent, so a missing slider is not necessarily an installation error.
A conservative adjustment that passes one short test can still fail after a longer session, a different game engine or a workload with a different clock pattern. Keep the default profile available instead of relying on a value you cannot reproduce.
How do I save, export and restore a tuning profile?
Profiles make experimentation reversible and let you preserve a working configuration before trying a new one.
- Configure the automatic or manual setting that you want to preserve.
- Use Adrenalin’s profile export control in the tuning interface and save the custom profile somewhere you can find later.
- Give the file a descriptive name that identifies the GPU and the purpose of the profile, such as a quiet-efficiency experiment or a stock baseline.
- To return to a saved state, use the profile import control, select the file, apply the loaded settings, and run the Stress Test again.
- Keep a separate default or known-good export. Do not overwrite it with an untested experiment.
Profile portability is not a promise that a file will behave identically on another GPU or software release. Import it on the same intended adapter and verify every displayed control before applying it.
Which Radeon generations show which controls?
AMD documents broad generation differences rather than a single interface for every Radeon card.
| Radeon generation or feature | Control AMD documents | What that means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Radeon RX 6000 Series and later | Frequency and voltage sliders | You may be able to adjust both dimensions manually, subject to the exact model and release. |
| Radeon RX 5700 Series and Radeon VII | Voltage/frequency curve chart | The chart can expose curve behavior that is not shown on every other generation. |
| Some other Radeon models | Only a Max Frequency slider or a different subset of controls | Follow the controls actually displayed; do not assume a missing voltage slider can be added. |
| Select GPUs | Undervolt GPU automatic preset | The preset may be absent even when Performance Tuning itself is available. |
AMD’s legacy Radeon Wattman tuning guidance can help explain older terminology, but the current Adrenalin support article should take precedence when labels differ.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What results should I expect from an Adrenalin undervolt?
Expect an experiment in efficiency, not a guaranteed benchmark result. AMD documents the intended relationship—lower voltage while maintaining clock speeds and improving performance per watt—but does not publish a universal reduction in watts, temperature, fan speed or performance for an unspecified Radeon GPU in the Adrenalin guide.
Your result depends on the exact card, its factory curve, cooling, ambient conditions, power limits and the workload. Record your own observations under repeatable conditions if you need to decide whether the setting is worthwhile. Avoid comparing a brief menu reading with a different game’s sustained load, because those are not equivalent measurements.
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What the built-in test can and cannot tell you
- It can reveal an immediate failure of the current tuning settings and trigger AMD’s documented reset behavior after a crash or reboot.
- It cannot establish that every game, compute task or long session will be stable.
- It does not create a model-specific recommended voltage target.
- It does not turn a setting that is stable on one GPU into a safe setting for another GPU.
When should I leave the GPU at default?
Leave defaults in place when the Undervolt GPU option is unavailable and the manual controls do not expose a setting you understand, when your workload cannot tolerate an unexpected crash, or when repeated testing shows no stable improvement for your use. The feature is optional; there is no requirement to undervolt a Radeon card.
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What are the essential safety checks?
- Select the correct adapter before changing Global Tuning on a multi-GPU system.
- Use only controls that your Adrenalin installation actually exposes.
- Change one variable at a time and record the previous value.
- Apply changes deliberately; use Discard Changes for edits you do not want to commit.
- Run Stress Test after every new or imported configuration.
- Test important games or applications separately because the built-in test is not universal.
- Know how to use Reset and keep a default profile export.
- Do not treat AMD’s RX 7900 XTX example or its -25 mV illustration as a target for another card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the “Undervolt GPU” option missing in Adrenalin?
AMD says the automatic Undervolt GPU choice is available only on select GPUs. Confirm that you installed the full Adrenalin package and selected the intended adapter; if the option still is not shown, your model or software build may expose only different manual controls or no voltage control at all.
Is a 60-second Adrenalin Stress Test enough for gaming?
No. Sixty seconds is AMD’s documented default duration, but the test checks the current tuning settings rather than every game or workload. A configuration that completes it can still fail during a longer or different workload, so test the applications that matter to you.
Can I use the same undervolt profile on a different Radeon card?
Do not assume that it will behave the same way. Profiles contain card-specific tuning values, and AMD documents different controls across generations; import a profile only for the intended adapter, inspect the loaded values and retest.
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Discard Changes abandons edits that have not been applied in the current tuning session. Reset restores GPU tuning to defaults, including after you have already applied a custom configuration.
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