tlpctl(1)                      Power Management                      tlpctl(1)

NAME
       tlpctl - 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:

              o  The holding command exits

              o  The user manually changes the profile (with tlpctl set)

              o  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>

TLP 1.10.2                        2026-07-06                         tlpctl(1)