Auto-cpufreq, the automatic CPU speed and power optimization tool for Linux, has released version 3.1.
Designed primarily for Linux laptops, it continuously watches factors such as battery status, CPU utilization, temperature, and system load and adjusts CPU frequency scaling, governors, and turbo boost behavior to balance performance with lower power consumption.
The most significant change in this update is the new monitoring mode in the graphical interface. Previously, detailed monitoring was limited to command-line modes, but now, users can view system and CPU information directly in the GUI. Plus, Bluetooth controls are now also available in the graphical interface.
Lenovo laptop users benefit from broader support for the manufacturer’s conservation_mode feature. Auto-cpufreq can now locate the relevant control across more Lenovo models, rather than relying on a single location.
Another addition is the new enforce_platform_profile configuration option, which gives users greater control over whether auto-cpufreq should actively enforce the selected system platform profile.
The release also addresses several problems related to CPU and battery management. Frequency limits are now applied after turbo settings are updated, while battery charging start and stop thresholds should no longer be skipped because of their initial values.
Incorrect fallback EPP and EPB profiles shown by the auto-cpufreq --stats command have been corrected. EPP controls how a processor prioritizes performance over energy efficiency, while EPB offers a similar power-versus-performance hint on supported Intel systems.
Power consumption calculations are improved as well for systems without a power_now file. Auto-cpufreq can now operate on machines lacking the /sys/class/power_supply/ directory, increasing compatibility with nonstandard hardware and systems without a conventional battery interface.
Another fix prevents unnecessary platform profile writes when the requested profile is already active. According to the release notes, repeatedly setting the profile could wake a discrete NVIDIA GPU, causing avoidable power consumption.
Finally, the update resolves missing dependencies in the Nix package and fixes a libgirepository and PyGObject dependency issue affecting Debian-based distributions. GUI support has additionally been incorporated into the project’s Poetry configuration.
For more information, see the changelog.
The project recommends installing auto-cpufreq using its Git-based installer. It is also available via Snap, the Arch User Repository, Gentoo’s GURU repository, and NixOS. The GUI is not available in the Snap version due to Snap confinement limitations.
For existing installations, the tool provides an update command. New users should review the installation documentation, as running auto-cpufreq alongside other CPU frequency utilities may cause conflicts.
