diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index be3054b2..cca4f68b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ A Prometheus exporter for Windows machines.
 | [tcp](docs/collector.tcp.md)                               | TCP connections                                                                                                                                             |                    |
 | [terminal_services](docs/collector.terminal_services.md)   | Terminal services (RDS)                                                                                                                                     |                    |
 | [textfile](docs/collector.textfile.md)                     | Read prometheus metrics from a text file                                                                                                                    |                    |
-| [thermalzone](docs/collector.thermalzone.md)               | Thermal information                                                                                                                                         |                    |
 | [time](docs/collector.time.md)                             | Windows Time Service                                                                                                                                        |                    |
 | [udp](docs/collector.udp.md)                               | UDP connections                                                                                                                                             |                    |
 | [update](docs/collector.update.md)                         | Windows Update Service                                                                                                                                      |                    |
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index 2d152186..dc69b196 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ This directory contains documentation of the collectors in the windows_exporter,
 - [`tcp`](collector.tcp.md)
 - [`terminal_services`](collector.terminal_services.md)
 - [`textfile`](collector.textfile.md)
-- [`thermalzone`](collector.thermalzone.md)
 - [`time`](collector.time.md)
 - [`udp`](collector.udp.md)
 - [`update`](collector.update.md)
diff --git a/docs/collector.performancecounter.md b/docs/collector.performancecounter.md
index b0755e0f..2510edca 100644
--- a/docs/collector.performancecounter.md
+++ b/docs/collector.performancecounter.md
@@ -260,3 +260,27 @@ collector:
 The perfdata collector returns metrics based on the user configuration.
 The metrics are named based on the object name and the counter name.
 The instance name is added as a label to the metric.
+
+# Examples
+
+## thermalzone collector
+
+```yaml
+collector:
+  performancecounter:
+    objects: |-
+      - name: thermalzone
+        object: "Thermal Zone Information"
+        instances: ["*"]
+        type: formatted
+        counters:
+          - name: "Temperature"
+            type: "gauge"
+            metric: windows_thermalzone_percent_passive_limit
+          - name: "% Passive Limit"
+            type: "gauge"
+            metric: windows_thermalzone_temperature_celsius
+          - name: "Throttle Reasons"
+            type: "gauge"
+            metric: windows_thermalzone_throttle_reasons
+```
diff --git a/docs/collector.thermalzone.md b/docs/collector.thermalzone.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 6de0e534..00000000
--- a/docs/collector.thermalzone.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-# thermalzone collector
-
-The thermalzone collector exposes metrics about system temps. Note that temperature is given in Kelvin
-
-|||
--|-
-Metric name prefix  | `thermalzone`
-Classes             | [`Win32_PerfRawData_Counters_ThermalZoneInformation`](https://wutils.com/wmi/root/cimv2/win32_perfrawdata_counters_thermalzoneinformation/#temperature_properties)
-Enabled by default? | No
-
-## Flags
-
-None
-
-## Metrics
-
-Name | Description | Type | Labels
------|-------------|------|-------
-`windows_thermalzone_percent_passive_limit` | % Passive Limit is the current limit this thermal zone is placing on the devices it controls. A limit of 100% indicates the devices are unconstrained. A limit of 0% indicates the devices are fully constrained. | gauge | None
-`windows_thermalzone_temperature_celsius ` | Temperature of the thermal zone, in degrees Celsius. | gauge | None
-`windows_thermalzone_throttle_reasons ` | Throttle Reasons indicate reasons why the thermal zone is limiting performance of the devices it controls. 0x0 - The zone is not throttled. 0x1 - The zone is throttled for thermal reasons. 0x2 - The zone is throttled to limit electrical current. | gauge | None
-
-[`Throttle reasons` source](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/device-experiences/examples--requirements-and-diagnostics)
-
-### Example metric
-_This collector does not yet have explained examples, we would appreciate your help adding them!_
-
-## Useful queries
-_This collector does not yet have any useful queries added, we would appreciate your help adding them!_
-
-## Alerting examples
-_This collector does not yet have alerting examples, we would appreciate your help adding them!_
diff --git a/internal/collector/thermalzone/thermalzone.go b/internal/collector/thermalzone/thermalzone.go
index 051032f3..89b6133c 100644
--- a/internal/collector/thermalzone/thermalzone.go
+++ b/internal/collector/thermalzone/thermalzone.go
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@ func (c *Collector) Close() error {
 }
 
 func (c *Collector) Build(logger *slog.Logger, _ *mi.Session) error {
+	logger.Warn("The thermalzone collector is deprecated and will be removed in a future release. Please use the 'performancecounter' collector instead.",
+		slog.String("collector", c.GetName()),
+	)
+
 	c.temperature = prometheus.NewDesc(
 		prometheus.BuildFQName(types.Namespace, Name, "temperature_celsius"),
 		"(Temperature)",