Turbo mode, also called Powerful or Boost, runs your air conditioner's fan at its top speed and, on many mini splits, the compressor at maximum, to reach your set temperature as fast as possible. Use it briefly in a hot room, then return to normal. Daikin's version stops after 20 minutes; most other manuals give no time limit.
Turbo mode, also called Powerful or Boost, runs your air conditioner at its highest fan speed and, on many mini splits, its highest compressor output, to bring the room to your set temperature as fast as the unit can. Use it for a short burst when you walk into a hot room, then let the unit go back to normal. Only some makers put a time limit on it; Daikin's ends after 20 minutes.
How turbo mode works
Turbo can act on two parts: the compressor in the outdoor unit and the indoor fan. Daikin's manual says its version turns up both. The other makers we checked describe only the stronger airflow, so the effect depends on your brand.
Daikin: POWERFUL operation
Daikin's FTX30 and FTX36NVJU operation manual gives the fullest description. POWERFUL "quickly maximizes the cooling (heating) effect," and the unit runs at maximum capacity. In Cool, Heat and Auto, the outdoor unit's capacity goes up and the airflow is fixed at its maximum setting. You cannot change the temperature or the fan while it runs.
Daikin also spells out two limits. POWERFUL ends after 20 minutes, and the unit then goes back to the settings you had before. And it "will not increase the capacity" if the unit is already running at its maximum. In Dry mode it lowers the set temperature by 4.5°F (2.5°C) and raises the airflow slightly; in Fan mode it only fixes the fan at maximum.
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MrCool: TURBO
MrCool's mini split remote manual describes Turbo by its airflow. In Cool, the unit blows cool air at the strongest fan setting "to jump-start the cooling process." In Heat it does the same with warm air on some units, and units with electric heating elements switch the heater on. The manual does not say how long Turbo lasts or what it does to the compressor.
Gree, Midea and Panasonic
Gree's homeowner remote guide says Turbo boosts cooling or heating airflow and calls it the quickest way to reach the preset temperature. Turbo also appears as the top step in Gree's fan speed list (Auto, Low, Medium, High, Turbo).
Midea's US split owner's manual labels the button BOOST and describes it the same way: it lets the unit reach the preset temperature in the shortest possible time. Panasonic's CS-XZ operating instructions list POWERFUL for reaching the desired temperature quickly, and say Powerful, fan speed and Quiet cannot be selected at the same time.
Turbo names and buttons by brand
| Brand | Button | What the manual says it does | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daikin (FTX30, FTX36NVJU) | POWERFUL | Maximum capacity; outdoor capacity up, airflow fixed at maximum | 20 minutes, then previous settings |
| MrCool | TURBO | Strongest fan setting; electric heater on in Heat (units with one) | Not stated |
| Gree | TURBO | Boosts cooling or heating airflow | Not stated |
| Midea (US split systems) | BOOST | Reaches the preset temperature in the shortest possible time | Not stated |
| Panasonic (CS-XZ) | POWERFUL/ECO | Reaches the desired temperature quickly | Not stated |
"Not stated" means the manual we opened gives no automatic shut-off, not that the mode runs forever. If your remote shows a turbo icon that will not clear, press the button again or change modes, and check the manual for your model.
When to use turbo mode and when not to
Turbo is for catching up: a room that sat closed all afternoon, or a bedroom you want cool before bed. Set Cool and a realistic target temperature, press turbo, and let the unit hand back to normal once the room gets close. Then switch to quiet mode or sleep mode for the night if you like.
Turbo is loud by design, because it runs the fan at the top. It also clashes with quiet settings: on MrCool remotes, pressing Turbo cancels Silence, and on Panasonic the two cannot run together.
Two things turbo cannot do. Daikin's manual says POWERFUL will not increase capacity if the unit is already at its maximum, and no setting can add capacity a unit does not have. Turbo also cannot fix a fault. If the room never gets cold even on turbo, look at the filter, the coils and the unit's size before blaming the setting. Our guide to an AC that will not cool below 75 walks through the checks, and our room size calculator tells you whether the unit is big enough for the space.
Does turbo mode use more energy
None of the manuals we opened give an energy figure for turbo, and we found no DOE or ENERGY STAR number for it, so we make no percentage claim. What the sources do support is the reason it is not an everyday setting.
On a single-speed room unit, turbo cannot make the compressor work harder than it already does. ENERGY STAR's room air conditioner page explains that a conventional compressor is either "on" at maximum capacity or off. On those units turbo mostly means a faster fan. Variable speed units, which ENERGY STAR calls much more efficient, save energy by varying compressor speed to control the temperature continuously. A mode like Daikin's POWERFUL pushes the compressor to maximum instead. We found no source that measures what that costs. Our inverter air conditioner guide explains the difference.
Humidity is the other cost. ENERGY STAR advises a low fan speed on humid days because slower air movement removes more moisture, so a top fan speed is the less helpful choice on a muggy day once the room is cool. For the full set of buttons on your remote, see our AC modes guide.
Frequently asked questions
How long does turbo mode last?
Only some makers say. Daikin's FTX manual states that POWERFUL operation ends in 20 minutes, after which the unit goes back to your previous settings. The MrCool, Gree, Midea and Panasonic documents we opened give no automatic time limit. If yours does not say, turn turbo off yourself once the room is close to the temperature you want.
Is turbo mode bad for my air conditioner?
None of the turbo sections we read warn that turbo damages the unit, and Daikin builds in its own 20-minute limit. It is a normal mode the maker designed. The practical downsides are noise from the top fan speed and the loss of quiet settings while it runs. If the unit only cools properly on turbo, have it checked.
Does setting the temperature very low make turbo cool faster?
On Daikin's POWERFUL mode the temperature cannot be changed while it runs, and the unit is already at maximum capacity, so the set point does not speed it up. ENERGY STAR advises setting the thermostat as high as is comfortable, typically 78°F. Pick the temperature you actually want and let turbo get there.
Is turbo the same as Jet Cool or Powerful mode?
They are names for the same idea from different makers. Daikin and Panasonic call it POWERFUL, Midea calls it BOOST, and MrCool and Gree call it TURBO. What it does differs: Daikin raises outdoor capacity and fixes the fan at maximum, while MrCool and Gree describe a stronger airflow. LG uses the name Jet Cool; we could not open an LG source to confirm what it does.
Founder of Home Caprice. Ben started the site to simplify HVAC after dealing with the heating and cooling in his first apartment.