Minimum Processor State Windows 10/11: 5%, 0%, 1%, 100%, or 99%

This knowledge base created by MiniTool focuses on the minimum processor state under the Power Options in computer hardware settings. It contains the most information about the minimum processor state that users want to know.

What Is Minimum Processor State?

What does minimum processor state mean? Minimum processor state is the minimum power allotted to the CPU when the processor is performing minimal tasks or inactive. It is an option under Processor Power Management. By default, the Minimum Processor State is 5%, which is also the best Minimum Processor State.

While the maximum processor state should be set as 100%. Only then, when processing power is needed, all the available processing resource can be used for the important task.

How to Change Minimum Processor State?

The Minimum Processor State setting in Power Options enables computer users to change the minimum percentage of the processor available for use. A lower percentage of the minimum processor state saves battery life but may result in poor performance.

Therefore, set up a proper Minimum Processor State rate for different situations is necessary. Everyone can personalize his power settings to fit his own condition. Then, how to set Minimum Processor State? Read the guide below that is based on Win 10 but applies to Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 7.

Step 1. Search “control panel” and open Control Panel in the search result.

Step 2. In the main menu of the Control Panel, click Hardware and Sound.

Step 3. Select Power Options in the list.

Step 4. On the next screen, no matter which power plan you choose, just click Change plan settings behind.

Step 5. Then, select Change advanced power settings for your selected power plan.

Step 6. In the new pop-up window, scroll down to find Processor Power Management, expand it to show Minimum processor state, click the default 5% ratio, and set your number.

Step 7. Click Apply to save the change and click OK to exit.

How to Add/Remove Minimum Processor State?

You are able to add or delete the “Minimum Processor State” feature via the command prompt on your computer. Since this way is command related, you should be careful about the commands and check twice to make sure you write the orders correctly.

Step 1. Search “cmd” and open it as administrator.

Step 2. Type the following command orders into the CMD and press Enter to execute the orders. Or, you can just copy and paste the orders into your command prompt.

To Add Minimum Processor State

powercfg -attributes SUB_PROCESSOR 893dee8e-2bef-41e0-89c6-b55d0929964c -ATTRIB_HIDE

To Remove Minimum Processor State

powercfg -attributes SUB_PROCESSOR 893dee8e-2bef-41e0-89c6-b55d0929964c +ATTRIB_HIDE

Step 3. Close the CMD.

Minimum Processor State FAQ

Does the Minimum Processor State influences gaming performance?

Generally, it won’t affect the behavior of your computer while playing games. The thing it will interfere with is the power consumption when your machine is idle or handling small and simple processes.

Can I set the Minimum Processor State to 0?

Of course! Some users may rely on setting the Minimum Processor State to 0% to save battery life. Yet, the default 5% is already a minimal power consumption. By reducing it from 5% to 1% or 0% won’t help much. You should find other ways to save your power like optimize the sleep mode and change your power plan.

Can I set the Minimum Processor State to 100?

Yes, you can but you are not recommended. Only when you need to change the power plan to high performance, you are recommended to set min processor state to 100% better with a good cooling system. Yet, a high-performance power plan won’t help much in improving computer performance but waste power quickly.

Should I set the Minimum Processor State to 99%?

Firstly, you are allowed to set your Minimum Processor State to 99%. Also, you can downgrade your maximum processor state from 100% to 99%. Someone said this setting increase the FPS for GTA. However, put your computer’s Minimum Processor State at 99% will speed up your power consumption very quickly, and usually, it is not recommended.

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Helen Graduated from university in 2014 and started working as a tech editor in the same year. Her articles focus on video creation, editing, and conversion. She also has a good knowledge of disk management and data backup & recovery. Through an in-depth exploration of computer technology, Helen has successfully helped thousands of users solve their annoying problems.