---
title: "Dynamic tick and HPET: the bcdedit timer settings, and why the usual advice is wrong"
description: "What bcdedit disabledynamictick, useplatformclock and tscsyncpolicy actually change in Windows, and why forcing HPET on usually makes things worse."
url: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-dynamic-tick
author: Frost LIVE, Founder of Frozen Tweaks
published: 2026-08-30
updated: 2026-10-08
category: "CPU"
source: Frozen Tweaks (https://frozentweaks.com)
---

# Dynamic tick and HPET: the bcdedit timer settings, and why the usual advice is wrong

**Short answer:** Dynamic tick lets Windows skip timer interrupts while idle to save power; disabling it with bcdedit keeps the tick constant. Critically, the correct action for HPET is usually to delete the useplatformclock setting rather than force it on. Forcing HPET is a widely repeated recommendation that commonly reduces performance on modern hardware.

## In the app

- Switch: Disable Dynamic Tick & favor TSC (CPU, Pro, Advanced)
- Undo: Yes. Switching it off sets a standard Windows value, which may not be exactly how you had it.
- Catalog row: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks#t-1026

## What it does

Dynamic tick lets the kernel skip periodic timer interrupts when nothing needs servicing. Disabling it keeps a steady tick, which some people find produces more consistent timing behaviour.

The platform clock setting is separate and more consequential. Forcing HPET makes Windows use the High Precision Event Timer, which on most modern systems is slower to read than the invariant TSC the OS would otherwise pick.

## When it helps

- Deleting a previously forced useplatformclock setting is a genuine fix, and often reverses a real performance loss someone inflicted on themselves following old advice.
- Disabling dynamic tick can marginally improve timing consistency on some systems.

## When it hurts

- Disabling dynamic tick increases idle power draw, which matters on laptops.
- Forcing HPET on is a common mistake that usually costs performance. If a guide tells you to set useplatformclock to true, be sceptical.
- The measurable effect of dynamic tick alone is small on current hardware.

## What it writes

Read from the app's source. "Switching it off" is what the app writes when you turn the tweak off again.

Commands the tweak runs:

```bat
bcdedit /set disabledynamictick yes
bcdedit /deletevalue useplatformclock
bcdedit /set tscsyncpolicy Enhanced
```

- `bcdedit /set disabledynamictick yes`: Keeps the timer tick constant instead of letting Windows skip ticks while idle.
- `bcdedit /deletevalue useplatformclock`: Stops forcing HPET as the platform timer, letting Windows choose. This is usually what you want.
- `bcdedit /set tscsyncpolicy Enhanced`: Sets how Windows keeps the CPU's timestamp counters in sync across cores.

Switching it off runs:

```bat
bcdedit /deletevalue disabledynamictick
REM bcdedit /deletevalue useplatformclock: not put back
bcdedit /deletevalue tscsyncpolicy
```

Source: Tweaks/clock_policy.hpp in the app's source, app 2.0.0, checked 2026-10-08.

## How to undo it

Run bcdedit /deletevalue disabledynamictick and bcdedit /deletevalue tscsyncpolicy, then reboot. Switching it off in Frozen Tweaks runs both, which returns Windows to choosing for itself. A useplatformclock value the tweak removed is not put back, which is usually what you want.

## Verdict

The valuable half here is undoing forced HPET, not disabling dynamic tick. If you have ever followed an old timer-tweaking guide, check whether useplatformclock is set and remove it.

## Related guides

- [How to Fix Stuttering and Frame Drops: Diagnose Before You Tweak](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/fix-stuttering-frame-drops)
- [Windows 11 Gaming Optimization: What Still Works in 2026](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/windows-11-gaming-optimization)
- [How to Reduce Input Lag on PC: The Whole Latency Chain](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/reduce-input-lag)
- [The Best PC Optimizer for Gaming in 2026: How to Choose One](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/best-pc-optimizer-for-gaming)

## More tweak explainers

- [MMCSS and SystemResponsiveness](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/mmcss-system-responsiveness)
- [Timer resolution (0.5 ms)](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/timer-resolution-0-5-ms)
- [MSI mode for HD audio](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/msi-mode-hd-audio)

---
Written by Frost LIVE, founder of Frozen Tweaks. Canonical version: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-dynamic-tick