How to limit network bandwidth usage in Windows 10 and 11

If you notice that your connection is choppy, videos keep stopping, downloads never get past a certain speed, speed Or if online games become unplayable, it's quite possible that part of the problem lies with your own Windows And not so much on your internet provider. The system has a lot of features that use up the network in the background without you even noticing.

Furthermore, if you have a limited data plan—for example, by sharing internet from your mobile or with a fiber or 4G plan with a monthly cap—it's key control and limit the use of data To avoid overpaying or losing your connection prematurely. The good news is that Windows 10 and Windows 11 include several tools to reduce bandwidth consumption, and if necessary, you can always use external programs to precisely control which applications are using your bandwidth.

Why Windows can "eat up" your bandwidth

Windows 10 and Windows 11 They're designed to be always connected: they update themselves, sync files to the cloud, constantly check for new versions of your apps, and run internal services that also require the internet. The result is that even if you're not using the browser, the system continues to use the network in the background.

Among those most responsible for this silent consumption are the Windows Update actualizaciones, the function of Delivery optimization (which shares updates with other devices via P2P), OneDrive synchronization, Microsoft Store apps, and other system processes that continuously request data.

When all of that coincides with your own tasks—playing online games, watching series, making video calls, or downloading large files—the connection suffers: the ping In games, the quality of streaming videos decreases, the famous "buffering" appears, and downloads take forever even though your speed test says you're paying for a lot of Mbps.

If you also have a limited connection (mobile data, radio, satellite, or a cheap fiber optic connection with a data cap), all this background activity not only affects performance but can also lead to... exceeding the data limitwith surcharges on the bill or a drastic reduction in speed by your provider.

Metered usage connection: the basis for limiting data in Windows

For these types of situations, Microsoft has included the option to mark a network as such for several versions now. Metered use connectionWhat this function does is tell the system "this connection has limited data, behave carefully", and from there Windows cuts back its background activity and reduces unnecessary traffic.

En Windows 10You can activate it from Settings > Network & Internet. There, select the Wi-Fi or Ethernet category (depending on your connection). If it's Wi-Fi, go to "Manage known networks," choose the network you're interested in, and click "Properties." On that screen, you'll see the checkbox for Measured use, which is the one you have to activate so that the network is treated as a limited connection.

En Windows 11The process is similar: go to Settings > Network & Internet, tap on the Wi-Fi or Ethernet network you're connected to, and enter "Properties." There you'll find the switch to activate the option. Metered use connectionwhich is disabled by default and immediately changes the system's behavior.

When a network is marked as metered, Windows stops automatically downloading certain updates, limits constant syncing, and reduces non-essential traffic. You'll notice that automatic downloads become more conservative, and some features may work slightly differently than usual.

Right below that option, in both Windows 10 and Windows 11, you'll see a setting called something like “Establish a data limit to help control data usage on this network” or “Specify limit”. From there you can configure a specific consumption limit.

How to set a data limit in Windows 10 and Windows 11

In addition to marking a network as metered, Windows allows define a data limit for each connection. This is especially useful if you share data from your mobile phone, if you have an internet plan with a monthly cap, or if you want to control the data usage of a specific computer (for example, the one used by the children in the house).

When you click on “Set limit” or “Specify limit,” a window opens with several options. You can choose whether the limit will be monthly, weekly, daily, one-time only, or even configure the unlimited option for uninterrupted tracking but with usage alerts. Additionally, you can decide whether the limit will apply to all networks or only to a specific network (useful if you connect to different Wi-Fi or mobile networks).

In that same settings window, Windows lets you choose whether to enter the limit in MB or GBso you can adjust it to your data allowance. For example, if your mobile data plan is 20 GB, you can set 20 GB as your monthly limit and, if you want, leave a small safety margin by lowering that amount slightly.

Once you've set your limit, the system starts tracking your usage and will show you how much you've spent in the last 30 days, 7 days, or 24 hours, depending on how you filter the statistics. From that screen, you'll see a detailed list of apps sorted by... amount of data consumedThis allows for the detection of particularly "power-hungry" programs.

It's a good idea to review that list from time to time to find apps that use more data than is reasonable (games that are constantly updated, cloud backup programs, P2P clients, etc.) and decide whether you want to limit their background activity, close them when you're not using them, or even uninstall them if they no longer provide any benefit.

View data usage and control which apps are using the most data.

To check internet usage in Windows 10 o Windows 11 You don't need any external programs. The system itself offers a fairly comprehensive view of traffic from the last few days, all accessible from the Settings menu.

In both systems, you can go to Start > Settings > Network & Internet and look for the section Use of dataIn Windows 11, you can also type "Data usage" in the taskbar search bar to go directly there. You'll see a breakdown of your data usage over the last 30 days, with the option to filter by Last 7 days or Last 24 hours, and to select whether you want to view Wi-Fi or Ethernet traffic.

That list shows all the applications that have used the connection, along with their total consumption of data (in MB or GB). This will allow you to check if the real problem is not so much the system, but a specific app (for example, a cloud client, a game that downloads huge patches, or a P2P program that keeps running in the background).

You can also access this same panel from the properties of the network you're connected to: go to Network & Internet, choose your Wi-Fi or Ethernet, enter "Properties," and then "Set a data limit…". From there, you'll again see the details of the traffic by application for that network.

Regularly reviewing this information helps you keep your consumption under control and decide what you need. limit, pause or uninstallThis is a basic step if you want bandwidth to be focused on your important tasks and not wasted on processes that don't benefit you.

Disable Delivery Optimization and limit Windows Update

One of the most controversial features of Windows 10 and Windows 11 is the so-called Distribution optimization (or “Delivery Optimization”). This feature turns your PC into a kind of P2P server that, in addition to downloading updates from Microsoft, shares them with other computers on the local network and even with computers on the Internet.

In theory, this speeds up update distribution and saves traffic on Microsoft servers, but in practice it can end up using a significant portion of your bandwidth without you even noticing. The most sensible thing to do if you want to prioritize your connection is disable it or at least limit its impact.

To do this, open Settings with Windows + I and go to Update & Security (or Windows Update in Windows 11). Then, go to “Advanced options” and then to “Distribution optimization“or “Delivery Optimization”. There you will see the option “Allow downloads from other computers”; if you disable it, your PC will stop sharing updates with other computers, reducing P2P traffic.

In that same section there is usually a link to "Advanced Options"Here you can check boxes to limit the percentage of bandwidth that Windows Update can use, both in the foreground and background. By enabling these options and moving the sliders, you can decide the maximum percentage of your network bandwidth reserved for downloading and uploading updates.

By reducing these percentages, Windows will still update, but it will do so more gradually, without hogging your entire connection. This is a very effective way to avoid spikes in bandwidth usage that leave you unable to play games, watch videos, or work while the system updates.

Limit reserved bandwidth with QoS (Pro and Enterprise)

If you use Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise (and, in general, professional versions of Windows), you have more advanced tools at your disposal to manage bandwidth, such as QoS Packet Scheduler through the Group Policy Editor.

Windows, by design, reserves a percentage of bandwidth for internal tasks and system services. This reservation can be modified from the Policy Editor (gpedit.msc), allowing you to free up some of that bandwidth for your everyday applications, which is especially useful if your connection isn't very fast.

To access, press the Windows + R keys, type gpedit.msc and press Enter. Within the editor, go to "Computer Configuration," then to "Administrative Templates," and then to Network Configuration Options. There you will find the policy called “Limit the reservable bandwidth”, which is the one that controls that margin that is saved for system processes.

By editing this policy, you can set a new percentage of reserved bandwidth. Reducing it frees up more capacity for other uses, but keep in mind that if you cut it too much, some internal Windows tasks (such as certain updates or quality of service features) might take longer or behave differently.

These types of settings are ideal for advanced users or professional environments where you want to get the most out of every feature. mega of the connection without sacrificing the system's security and maintenance functions, but keeping everything controlled from a single console.

Schedule times and download limits for updates

In recent versions of Windows 10, Microsoft itself has also added more controls to manage when and how files are downloaded. updatesso that you don't get caught in the middle of an online class, a live stream, or an important game.

Within the "Distribution Optimization" settings, there are directives that allow set a schedule This limits download bandwidth. These options are usually configured through the Group Policy Editor, especially in corporate environments, but can also be used at home if you have a compatible edition.

By editing the "Set schedule to limit download bandwidth" policy, you can set specific time slots and a maximum percentage of bandwidth to be used during that period. For example, you could allow Windows to update at full speed in the early morning hours, but only use a small portion of your connection during the day.

Once you configure the times and percentages and save the changes with "OK," Windows Update downloads will respect those limits both in the background and in the foreground. It's a very flexible way to to make the updates compatible with intensive use of the network without having to be constantly monitoring it.

Keep in mind that by drastically reducing the bandwidth allocated to updates, these may take longer to complete and some critical patches may not install as quickly as Microsoft would like, so it's best to find a middle ground that suits you.

Control OneDrive and other background syncs

Another common source of network consumption is the cloud syncThis is especially true if you use OneDrive to store documents, photos, or backups. Because it constantly syncs, this service can be uploading and downloading data all the time without you even noticing.

To manage OneDrive, right-click its icon in the system tray (bottom right of the taskbar) and go to "Settings". From there you can use the option “Pause synchronization” for 2, 8 or 24 hours, which is very practical when you need all your bandwidth for another specific task, such as an important video call or a live stream.

You can also go to the "Account" tab and use "Choose folders" to reduce the amount of content that is synced. This way, only the truly important folders will be kept up to date, and the rest of your files will remain in the cloud without constantly uploading and downloading data.

This same approach can be applied to other applications that sync with the cloud (backup services, online storage tools, email clients that download many attachments, etc.), reviewing their options for restrict synchronization automatic when you are on a metered connection.

Limit application bandwidth using third-party software

Although Windows offers many built-in options, there are situations where you need to go a step further and limit internet speed per applicationThis is something the system doesn't allow to be done with such precision in all its versions. For this, there are third-party tools that function as "traffic shapers."

One of the best known is TMeterTMeter, designed to measure and control traffic on Windows networks, includes a NAT engine, a firewall, and a "Traffic Shaper" module that allows restricting internet access speed for specific users or programs based on their network usage. very detailed rules (by IP, protocol, port, local process, etc.).

After installing TMeter, you must open the TMeter Administrative Console, select the network interface you want to control from the "Network Interfaces" section, and indicate whether it is a private or public network. Then, in "Process Definitions," you can add the processes you want to restrict by specifying their name and the path to their corresponding executable.

Next, go to the "Filterset" section and create a new filter using "Add / Filter". Within that filter, by clicking "Add Rule", you can choose "Local process" as the source, select the process definition you created, and check the box. “Enable Speed ​​Limit / Traffic Shaper”, indicating the maximum speed in KB/s that it is allowed. After applying the changes, that program will be limited to the speed you have set.

Another popular alternative is NetBalancerThis tool allows you to set priorities and bandwidth limits per process, as well as block traffic and generate advanced statistics. Once installed, you can filter to see only online processes, sort by download speed, and then right-click on the one you want to control to change its "Download priority" or apply a specific limit.

If you choose the "Limit" option, you can enter the maximum speed in KB/s. From that moment on, the program will be restricted and will not be able to exceed that speed. If you later want to remove the limit, simply change the priority back to "Normal" and traffic will resume without limit.

These solutions are very useful when you want certain applications (for example, a P2P client, a constantly updating game, or a backup program) to never exceed a certain threshold. download or upload speedensuring that there is always free bandwidth for the rest of the system.

Typical cases where limiting bandwidth makes a difference

There are several scenarios where applying all of the above makes a huge difference in daily experience. For example, if you use shared mobile data To connect your PC from your smartphone, it's almost mandatory to activate metered data, set a data limit, and monitor usage by app to avoid blowing your data allowance in a day.

Another typical scenario is when someone shares their network with multiple users or devices: televisions, game consoles, mobile phones, tablets, children's computers, etc. In these cases, it's very helpful to disable Delivery Optimization, limit Windows Updates, and use tools like TMeter or NetBalancer to reduce the speed of apps that are most resource-intensive.

If you're a gamer or you do streaming or online classesYou'll also want to monitor your bandwidth: any spike in background usage can cause ping spikes or video interruptions. Setting download schedules for updates, pausing OneDrive when you're going to play games, or prioritizing your critical apps will save you a lot of trouble.

In professional environments or with Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise, adjusting the reservable bandwidth via QoS and defining stricter update policies helps the office network run smoothly, preventing a flood of patches from collapsing the connection in the middle of the workday.

With all these measures—from built-in Windows options to the use of specialized programs—it's possible to have fairly fine control over What's taking up your bandwidth?, how it is distributed among applications and when they can be updated or synchronized, resulting in a more stable connection, less lag, fewer interruptions and fewer surprises on the internet bill.