Switching regulators use an output stage that repeatedly switches the "on" and "off" states and produces an output voltage together with energy storage elements (capacitors and inductors). Its adjustment is achieved by adjusting the timing of the switch according to the feedback sample of the output voltage.

In a fixed-frequency regulator, the output voltage is controlled by adjusting the time-duty ratio of high and low levels in a cycle. If a high level is set and the voltage is switched on, the energy storage element is charged so that the voltage of the capacitor increases, and the output voltage, the voltage of the capacitor, also increases, and vice versa. This is called PWM control. In a gated oscillator or pulse-mode voltage regulator, the width and frequency of the switching pulse remain unchanged, but the "on" or "off" of the output switch is controlled by feedback.

Depending on the arrangement of switches and energy storage components, the output voltage generated can be greater than or less than the input voltage, and a voltage regulator can produce multiple output voltages.

In most cases, pulsed (step-down) switching regulators are more efficient than linear regulators at the same input and output voltage requirements, but their load capacity is lower than that of linear regulators.

According to the comparison between the output voltage and the input voltage, it can be divided into boost(output voltage is higher than the input voltage) and buck(output voltage is lower than the input voltage), and the topology of the two is different.

The boost voltage is generally used for led series backlight drivers and led drivers, and the commonly used output voltage is more than ten volts.

Buck the core voltage for multimedia coprocessors.