diff --git a/src/backend/cpu/CpuWorker.cpp b/src/backend/cpu/CpuWorker.cpp
index 32cd7126..2bed2a97 100644
--- a/src/backend/cpu/CpuWorker.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/cpu/CpuWorker.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include <cassert>
 #include <thread>
 #include <mutex>
+#include <algorithm>
 
 
 #include "backend/cpu/Cpu.h"
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ namespace xmrig {
 
 static constexpr uint32_t kReserveCount = 32768;
 static constexpr uint64_t kThrottleCheckInterval = 5000; // Check every 5 seconds
-static constexpr uint64_t kThrottleIdleThreshold = 300000; // 5 minutes in milliseconds
+static constexpr uint64_t kThrottleIdleThreshold = 60000; // 60 seconds in milliseconds
 
 
 #ifdef XMRIG_ALGO_CN_HEAVY
@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@ void xmrig::CpuWorker<N>::start()
             if (currentTime - m_lastThrottleCheck > kThrottleCheckInterval) {
                 m_lastThrottleCheck = currentTime;
                 
-                // For now, use a simple 5-minute idle check
+                // For now, use a simple 60-second idle check
                 // TODO: Get config from controller when available
                 const bool wasThrottled = m_isThrottled;
                 m_isThrottled = Platform::isUserActive(kThrottleIdleThreshold);
@@ -279,8 +280,14 @@ void xmrig::CpuWorker<N>::start()
                 // Apply throttling changes
                 if (wasThrottled != m_isThrottled) {
                     if (m_isThrottled) {
-                        // User is active - throttle to first 2 cores
-                        Platform::setProcessAffinity(0x3);
+                        // User is active - throttle to 25% of total cores
+                        const uint32_t totalCores = Cpu::info()->threads();
+                        const uint32_t coresToUse = std::max(1u, totalCores / 4);
+                        uint64_t affinityMask = 0;
+                        for (uint32_t i = 0; i < coresToUse; ++i) {
+                            affinityMask |= (1ULL << i);
+                        }
+                        Platform::setProcessAffinity(affinityMask);
                     } else {
                         // User is idle - use all cores
                         Platform::setProcessAffinity(static_cast<uint64_t>(-1));
diff --git a/src/core/Miner.cpp b/src/core/Miner.cpp
index 794fcaa0..6fd1629c 100644
--- a/src/core/Miner.cpp
+++ b/src/core/Miner.cpp
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ void xmrig::Miner::onTimer(const Timer *)
         
         if (userActive != lastThrottleState) {
             if (userActive) {
-                LOG_INFO("%s " YELLOW_BOLD("user active - throttling to 2 cores"), Tags::miner());
+                LOG_INFO("%s " YELLOW_BOLD("user active - throttling to 25% of cores"), Tags::miner());
             } else {
                 LOG_INFO("%s " GREEN_BOLD("user inactive - using all cores"), Tags::miner());
             }