Our verdict: ThrottleStop is a powerful free tool for laptop owners whose CPU slows down because of OEM power limits or throttling. It shows the state of every thread and lets you change power limits, turbo behavior and, on supported CPUs, voltages. It is an expert tool: wrong settings can overheat a laptop or overload its power adapter.
About ThrottleStop
ThrottleStop is a small freeware utility by Kevin Glynn, distributed through TechPowerUp. It was designed to detect and correct the main types of CPU throttling used on laptops, such as clock modulation and multiplier reductions. The left side of the window holds options to bypass throttling; the right side is a monitoring panel with the clock, load and state of each CPU thread.
Version 9.7 adds per-profile turbo power limits, Speed Shift minimum and maximum and PROCHOT offset values, and core and cache voltage/frequency tuning in the FIVR window for unlocked 10th Gen and newer Intel HX and K series CPUs. The developer warns that bypassing throttling is at your own risk and can damage a power adapter or computer, and recommends measuring power draw at the wall.
What it does well
- Throttling monitor. Shows clock speed, load and throttling state for each CPU thread.
- Profiles. Separate settings profiles, each with its own turbo power limits and Speed Shift values.
- FIVR voltage control. Voltage offsets and V/F tuning on supported Intel CPUs.
- BD PROCHOT control. Disable or adjust external thermal throttling signals.
- Power plan switching. Pick up to 12 Windows power plans from within the app.
Who it is for
Good fit
Experienced laptop owners who want to stop unnecessary throttling or undervolt an Intel CPU.
Look elsewhere
Beginners, and anyone unwilling to monitor temperatures and power draw after changing settings.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free and lightweight
- Detailed per-thread monitoring
- Fine control over power limits and turbo
- Undervolting on supported Intel CPUs
Cons
- Easy to misconfigure; risk of overheating or overloading the adapter
- Voltage control on Windows 11 needs memory integrity turned off
- Interface is dense and assumes CPU knowledge
How to install ThrottleStop
Download the latest stable ZIP from TechPowerUp, extract it to a permanent folder and run ThrottleStop.exe as administrator; there is no installer. According to the 9.7 readme, voltage control on Windows 11 requires turning off Core isolation memory integrity, and Speed Shift settings work best with the High Performance power plan. Change one setting at a time and watch temperatures.
Questions about ThrottleStop
Is ThrottleStop free?
Yes. ThrottleStop is freeware by Kevin Glynn, distributed by TechPowerUp.
Why can't ThrottleStop change voltages on Windows 11?
The developer notes that Virtualization Based Security (Core isolation memory integrity) must be disabled to give ThrottleStop access to the FIVR voltage register.
