tlpctl - Man Page
control TLP profiles
Synopsis
tlpctl [-h] command [options] [args]
Description
tlpctl is a command-line utility to control TLP profiles. It allows users to switch between profiles, list available profiles and launch applications with specific profiles. It offers a subset of powerprofilesctl's commands supplemented by TLP-specific shortcuts.
tlpctl communicates with the TLP Profiles Daemon (tlp-pd) which implements the org.freedesktop.UPower.PowerProfiles D-Bus interface similar to power-profiles-daemon.
Commands
Profile Shortcuts
- performance
Switch to the performance profile (shortcut for tlpctl set performance).
- balanced
Switch to the balanced profile (shortcut for tlpctl set balanced).
- power-saver
Switch to the power-saver profile (shortcut for tlpctl set power-saver).
Profile Management
- list
List available TLP profiles. The active profile is marked with an asterisk (*).
- get
Print the currently active TLP profile.
- set profile
Set the active TLP profile. Valid profiles are: performance, balanced and power-saver. This will release all active profile holds.
- launch command [options]
Run a command and request a specific TLP profile for it ("profile hold").
- -p, --profile profile
Profile to hold while running the command (default: performance).
- -r, --reason reason
Reason for the profile hold (default: second and remaining words of the command).
- -i, --appid appid
Application identifier for the hold (default: first word of command).
- Holds are automatically released, returning to the user's selected profile, when:
- ·
The holding command exits
- ·
The user manually changes the profile (with tlpctl set)
- ·
The application explicitly releases the hold
Multiple holds can be active simultaneously.
- list-holds
List current TLP profile holds (from launch command), showing the profile name, application ID, and reason for each hold.
Diagnostics and Debugging
- loglevel level
Set the loglevel of the TLP Profiles Daemon (tlp-pd). Valid levels are: info and debug.
Information
- version, --version
Display version information for both the tlpctl client and the TLP Profiles Daemon.
Options
- -h, --help
Show a help message and exit. Can be used with any command to show command-specific help.
Authorization
An active, unlocked session is required to perform actions. Changing the loglevel requires root privilege.
Power Profiles
- performance
Optimizes the system for maximum performance at the cost of higher power consumption. Recommended for demanding workloads. TLP default when running on AC power.
- balanced
Provides a balance between performance and power consumption. Suitable for general-purpose use. TLP default when running on battery power.
- power-saver
Optimizes the system for maximum battery life at the cost of reduced performance. Recommended for maximizing battery runtime.
Examples
- List available profiles:
$ tlpctl list
- Switch to the power-saver profile:
$ tlpctl power-saver
- Get the currently active TLP profile:
$ tlpctl get
- Launch a game with the performance profile:
$ tlpctl launch --profile performance --reason "Gaming" steam
- Launch a command with default performance hold:
$ tlpctl launch make -j8
- List current TLP profile holds:
$ tlpctl list-holds
Exit Status
- 0
Success
- 1
General error (Invalid arguments, tlp-pd refuses the operation, D-Bus communication failure)
- Other
When using launch, the exit status of the launched command is returned.
See Also
tlp(8), tlp-stat(8), tlp-pd(8).
TLP documentation: <https://linrunner.de/tlp>
Bugs
Report bugs to: <https://github.com/linrunner/TLP/issues>.
Author
(c) 2026 Thomas Koch <linrunner at gmx.net>