Playing around with app priority in Windows 11 can feel a bit odd at first, but it’s actually a handy way to give certain programs more CPU goodness when you need it. Especially if your system’s crawling when running a few apps at once. It’s not a magic wand, but if you’re gaming, editing videos, or running something heavy-duty and want to squeeze a bit more out of your PC, this can help. Just a heads-up — these changes only stick until you close the app or reboot. So, it’s a temporary fix, but still pretty handy.
How to Fix App Priority Settings in Windows 11
Adjusting Priority via Task Manager — The Main Go-To Method
Honestly, this way is the easiest. Open Task Manager, find the app, and change its priority. Just keep in mind, Windows tends to be cautious with changing priorities — don’t expect massive shifts each time. It’s more of a little nudge. Find the process for your app or game under Processes. If it’s not showing, click the More details button at the bottom of Task Manager. Sometimes you’ll need to go into background processes and hunt for your specific program.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, or right-click the taskbar and choose Task Manager.
- Look for your app or process in the list. Find the app’s name or executable.
- Right-click on it. If it’s a game or something not obvious, check the process name in detail.
- Select Set priority. Pick a level — like High or Above Normal. Avoid Realtime unless you really know what you’re doing; it can seriously mess with your system’s responsiveness.
On some setups, the priority change takes effect immediately, but often (especially on older machines), you might need to restart the app or reboot for it to fully kick in. Remember, these are just quick fixes — Windows resets app priorities back to default on reboot unless you use some dedicated tools or scripts to keep it going.
Advanced Stuff: Use Command Line or Scripts — When You Want More Control
This gets a bit geeky, but if you wanna automate things or set priorities that stick, you can use command-line tools like tasklist, wmic, or PowerShell. For example, find the process ID with tasklist, then set priority with wmic process where name='app.exe' call setpriority "high". Or go full tilt with PowerShell scripts for more control.
- Find the process ID:
tasklist /FI "IMAGENAME eq yourapp.exe" - Set the priority:
wmic process where name='yourapp.exe' CALL setpriority 128(128 for high, 256 for low, etc.)
This might be overkill for most, but it’s how you set it and forget it — making changes stick even after reboot, if you set it up right. Just a heads-up: messing with system processes can cause issues if you pick the wrong priority, so test it on less critical apps first.
Tips and Warnings — Because Windows Likes to Make It Slightly Trickier
- Be careful with Realtime. It can lock up your system, as it prioritises that app way too highly, leaving others starving for CPU.
- Use High or Above Normal temporarily for tough tasks, then switch back to Normal when you’re done.
- If things act weird after changing priorities, just revert it back. No worries.
- Changing priority only affects CPU time — it doesn’t touch RAM or other resources, so don’t expect miracles.
- If your system gets a bit flaky after the tweak, restart the app or your PC. Windows sometimes forgets the changes.
Summary
- Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- Find your app in Processes.
- Right-click and choose Set priority.
- Select the level you want (High, Above Normal, etc.).
- And that’s it — or so it’s supposed to be.
Wrap-up
Final tip