---
id: performance-battery.what-are-storage-studio-performance-modes
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/performance-battery/what-are-storage-studio-performance-modes
category: "Performance & battery"
subcategory: "Performance modes"
question: "What are Storage Studio's performance modes?"
alt_questions:
  - "What do Auto, Rich, Good and Light mean?"
  - "What does Light mode turn off?"
  - "storage studio performance setting"
  - "What does the Performance menu do?"
  - "Which performance mode should I use?"
  - "What is Survival mode?"
  - "Explain Storage Studio Extreme and Minimum modes"
short_answer: "Automatic (the default) picks a level for you. You can also choose Extreme, Rich, Good, Light or Minimum yourself. Survival is entered only automatically, when your Mac is under heavy load, and pauses background work."
tags: ["performance mode", "settings", "light mode"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/performance-battery/how-do-i-change-the-performance-mode", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/performance-battery/what-is-survival-mode", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/performance-battery/what-is-minimum-core-only-mode", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/performance-battery/what-is-extreme-performance-mode"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# What are Storage Studio's performance modes?

Performance modes decide how much Storage Studio does and how much visual flourish it shows. **Automatic** is the default and the right choice for almost everyone — it reads your Mac's free resources and live conditions and picks a level moment to moment.

You can also fix a level yourself:

- **Extreme — fastest, uses more.** Background work may use more of your spare capacity so it finishes sooner. Never chosen automatically.
- **Rich — full visual effects.** Live charts and animations, for a powerful Mac with room to spare.
- **Good — balanced everyday default.**
- **Light — gentle on resources.** Static interface, no live graphs, background work runs very gently.
- **Minimum — core only.** Stops every non-essential background service and does only core storage work.

There's one more level you never pick: **Survival**, which Storage Studio enters by itself when your Mac is under heavy load, pausing all background work until things settle.

Change it from the **Storage Profile** header. See [where to change the mode](https://storagestudio.us/faq/performance-battery/how-do-i-change-the-performance-mode).