Abstract: The common background method dealing with the background of diffraction profile was presented to increase the efficiency of X-ray stress measurement. For the diffraction profiles with different ratios of peak intensity to background intensity (IP/IB), effect of the method on the results of the stress analysis was discussed and the right background range was proposed. For the diffraction profiles with higher IP/IB, the method had no influence on the results of the stress analysis and could be employed. But it was unfeasible to the diffraction profiles with lower IP/IB. And the method could greatly increase the efficiency of X-ray stress measurement by shortening the scanning range of the stress analyzer.