Priority Level - Set for Applications and Processes

How to Set CPU Priority Level for Applications and Processes in Windows 7​

   Information

Windows shares the processor time between all running processes based upon their priority. If a process has a higher priority, it gets more processor time compared to a process having a lower priority.

This tutorial will show you how to Set Priority of an application or process in Task Manager to have it run with a Realtime, High, Above Normal, Normal, Below Normal, or Low processor priority level in Windows 7 or Vista.

   Note

The changes you make to the priority level of the current instance of an application or process are only temporary and not set permanently.

Once you close the application or restart your system, Windows forgets your custom priority and automatically assigns the default priority back to this process or application.

OPTION ONE

To Set CPU Priority of Process in Task Manager

1. Right click on a empty space on the taskbar and click on Task Manager, OR press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC.

2. If UAC Permission is Required for Application to "Run as administrator"
A) Click on the Processes tab in Task Manager, then click on the Show processes from all users button. (see screenshot below)

B) If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes (if administrator) or enter the administrator's password (if standard user).

C) Continue on to step 3 or 4.
3. To Set Priority Level for an Application
A) Click on the Applications tab, then right click on the application that you want to change the priority level of and click on Go to Process. (see screenshot below)

B) Continue on to step 4B.
4. To Set Priority Level for a Process
A) Click on the Processes tab. (see screenshot below)
TIP: It will make it easier to see what the priority levels of the listed processes are currently set as by adding the Base Priority column here.

B) Right click on the process that you want to change the priority level of, then select Set Priority and click on the priority level you want to select (dot) it. (see screenshot below)

5. Click on Change Priority. (see screenshot below)

6. Repeat for any others you wish to change the priority level of.

7. When finished, close Task Manager.

OPTION TWO

To Run a Program with a Set CPU Priority in Command Prompt

1. Open a command prompt.

2. In the command prompt, type the command below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
cmd.exe /c start "Program Name" /priority "Full path of application file"
For example: I would type this command below exactly if I wanted to run Process Monitor using a high priority, and it's .exe file is located at "E:\Programs\Process Monitor 3.05\Procmon.exe".


cmd.exe /c start "Process Monitor" /High "E:\Programs\Process Monitor 3.05\Procmon.exe"

   Note

Substitute Program Name in the command with the actual program's name within quotes.

Substitute Full path of application file in the command with the full path of the file within quotes.

Substitute priority in the command with the CPU priority level below you want the application file to run as.

• Realtime
• High
• AboveNormal
• Normal
• BelowNormal
• Low

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Create a Elevated Windows 7 Task Manager Shortcut
• How to Add or Remove "Run with Priority" to Context Menu of EXE Files in Windows
• How to Add or Remove Columns in Windows 7 Task Manager
• How to Set Processor Affinity to an Application in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Run with CPU Affinity" to the Context Menu
• How to Adjust Processor Scheduling for Best Performance in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Create a Shortcut to Run an Application with a Specific CPU Priority in Windows

 

[CarlTR6]

Excellent, Brink; very well done. Thanks.

 

[Brink]

Thank you Carl.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Fantastic Brink!

This is useful though not as spectacular as your Registry downloads

 

[Young Geek 1995]

this tip might not look important but REMEMBER cpu is the most powerful fastest component in your entire system, cpu have the speeds of L1-112,849mb/s , L2 and L3 are bit slower, BUT your ram have the speed of only 8,000mb/s for ddr3 10600, and pitiful moment is hdd has only 130mb/s at most for 7200rpm.

so if you increase priority you'll more performance

 

[TBoyd]

Hello Shawn. You may consider adding the comment that the priority level change only lasts as long as application is open. Once the running application is closed & re-opened, the priority level reverts to its original setting.

At least this is what I've noticed from my experience trying your tutorial. Let me know if your priority changes remain after the app is closed & re-opened.

 

[carwiz]

I changed the priority from Normal to High for lightroom.exe, but once I close & reopen lightroom.exe, the priority level reverts to Normal. I guess this doesn't work on all programs.

I found that the program (lightroom) will run at a High priority level as long as it is open, but reverts to Normal after closing.

I believe that's the way it's supposed to work. You're setting it through active processes and programs. If it's not active, it reverts to normal. Setting Affinity works the same way.

 

[TBoyd]

You're right, carwiz. I totally overlooked the note at the beginning of the tutorial:

"The changes you make to the priority level of the current instance of an application or process are only temporary and not set permanently.

Once you close the application or restart your system, Windows forgets your custom priority and automatically assigns the default priority back to this process or application."

What can I say, but "DUH". I'm embarrassed.

 

[Brink]

No worries Tom. If we all don't do this at least once a week, then we're just not human.

 

[Parman]

No worries Tom. If we all don't do this at least once a week, then we're just not human.

that's why we never see your mess ups.

 

[Brink]

 

[tweakradje]

Another option. For example for Chrome.exe application:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\chrome.exe\PerfOptions]
"CpuPriorityClass"=dword:00000006

1 Idle
2 Normal
3 High
4 RealTime (n.a.)
5 Below Normal
6 Above Normal

Cannot set RealTime with this value, only with Task Manager.

 

[andrijas]

I have problem of some kind, because what ever i put as priority lvl for some process, that is reset to default by some priority service or something...
Can i turn off windows priority automatization, and stay with priority obeying...

I tried to use prior, proces tamer , and other task managers, but with no result.

 

[Barman58]

This is by design - Please re-read the first post

The only way I can think of to always start at a custom priority setting is to create a shortcut that uses the CMD shown in Option 2 and use that to start the program not it's regular shortcut