How to Limit Data Usage and Internet Bandwidth in Windows

Limiting bandwidth on your computer will stop you from wasting data. It’s very helpful to manage this setting if you have a specific data limit as it can stop you from being overcharged.
We’re going to show you how to control your bandwidth usage with built-in Windows 10 facilities, then offer some additional third-party tools that offer more features to help you limit your bandwidth.
How to Limit Data Usage in Windows 10
First, let’s look at how to control your network usage and apply a bandwidth limit using the tools that come with Windows 10.
Enable a Metered Connection in Windows 10
One way to limit bandwidth in Windows 10 is to enable a metered connection.
Enabling this feature will mean that some updates for Windows won’t be installed automatically (except critical updates) and some Microsoft Store apps might lose some functionality or not work properly. It will also disable peer-to-peer updates that are designed to help with Microsoft’s server load.
To enable a metered connection, press Windows key + I to open Settings and click Network & Internet . Choose either Wi-Fi or Ethernet , depending on what method you use to connect to the internet.
If you selected Wi-Fi , click Manage known networks , select your network from the list, click Properties , and slide Set as metered connection to On .

If you selected Ethernet , click your connection from the list and slide Set as metered connection to On .
Set a Data Usage Limit in Windows 10
Alternatively, you can set a custom data usage limit. This will automatically enable the metered connection feature. This won’t disconnect your internet when you hit the limit, but you will receive warning notifications as you near it.
To begin, press Windows key + I to open Settings and go to Network & Internet > Data usage .

In the Overview section, you will see your different internet connections and how much data each has used in the last 30 days. Click one if you want to see that breakdown per app.
Choose which connection you want to limit using the Show settings for dropdown. Once selected, click Set limit .

Here you can choose a time period for the data limit and what the MB or GB limit should be. Click Save when done.
You will now see a bar graph that shows how much data has been used and how much is remaining. Click Edit limit to change the settings or Remove limit to scrap it.

Below this is the Background data section. Here you can limit what Store apps and Windows features can do in the background. This can be enabled all the time or when you’re close to reaching your data limit (if you have one set).
Fancy some other tips? See our guide on how to control Windows 10’s bandwidth usage .
How to Limit Data Usage Using Third-Party Tools
Windows 10 has some helpful features to help...