Windows Process Optimizer

Give your active app more breathing room

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Windows Process Optimizer is an AutoHotkey v2 script for Windows 10/11.

It gives fewer computer resources to apps you are not using, so the app in front of you can access sufficent resources.

What It Does

• Watches which window you are using.
• Skips the active app by default.
• Slows down background apps you choose.
• Can lower CPU, memory, disk, and scheduling priority.
• Can restore changed processes when you pause or exit.

Requirements

• Windows 10 or 11
• AutoHotkey v2
• Administrator mode

Quick Start

1. Install AutoHotkey v2.
2. Right-click Windows Process Optimizer.ahk.
3. Choose Run as administrator.
4. Use the tray icon to pause or exit.

Choose a Mode

Open Windows Process Optimizer.ahk and edit CONFIG near the top.

Use whitelist mode when you want to throttle almost everything:

mode: "whitelist"

In whitelist mode, add apps you never want slowed down to exceptions:

exceptions: [
    "explorer.exe",
    "Flow.Launcher.exe",
    "AutoHotkey64.exe"
]

Use blacklist mode when you only want to throttle specific apps:

mode: "blacklist"

In blacklist mode, add apps to targets:

targets: [
    "Taskmgr.exe",
    "downloader.exe"
]

Common Settings

Most people may only need these:

• mode: choose "whitelist" or "blacklist".
• exceptions: apps that should never be slowed down.
• targets: apps that should be slowed down in blacklist mode.
• cpuRateLimitPercent: max CPU percent for throttled apps.
• cpuAffinityMask: CPU cores throttled apps may use.
• useSuspendCycles: extra harsh throttling. Leave this off unless you really need it.

Default Safety Skips

The script is set up to avoid obvious bad ideas:

• It skips the app you are actively using.
• It skips the active app's process tree.
• It skips Microsoft Store / UWP apps.
• It skips apps with active audio or video output.

You can change these in CONFIG, but the defaults are safer.

Notes

• Background apps may become slow. That is the point.
• Some apps may behave badly if throttled too hard.
• Pause or exit from the tray icon to restore changed processes.

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Made with ❤️ by Evan Schoffstall