5 Tips for Optimizing Internet Speeds on Windows 10

Learn now how to optimize Internet speeds on Windows 10.

Do web pages take forever to load? Are you tired of waiting for downloads to finish? Do you dread the next large automatic update? You’re not the only one.

Windows 10 comes by default with several background processes that carry out quiet updates, and which can have a significant impact on your internet speed. So significant that surfing the web or downloading files may become frustrating.

But a few changes and tweaks to your Windows settings can make a big difference.

1. Change the Internet Bandwidth Settings

Did you know that Windows 10 reserves around 20% of your bandwidth for its own needs? This was designed to help Windows carry out updates and sync data quietly in the background, which may not be a problem on a really fast internet connection. But if you’re not happy with your internet speed, you can adjust this setting so you can use 100% of your internet bandwidth as you please.

Here’s how to do this:

1. Press the Windows + R keys and type in gpedit.msc

2. Click on Computer Configuration in the Group Policy window

3. Go to Administrative Templates > Network > QoS Packet Scheduler

4. Enable the Limit reservable bandwidth option

5. Change the limit to 0 and apply the changes.

For some users, this setting alone can make a big difference. But this doesn’t mean you should stop here. Check out the next tips to further optimize your Windows 10 internet speeds.

2. Turn Off Windows Update Delivery

Another built-in Windows feature that can hurt your internet speed is the Windows Update delivery. To speed up Windows Updates without overloading its own servers, Microsoft sends update files on your computer to a P2P file sharing server which other users can access.

While this feature in itself isn’t a bad idea – after all, you can download update files faster via other users’ computers too – you could disable it to further improve speeds.

1. Open Settings and go to Update & Security > Windows Update

2. Open Advanced Options

3. Find the setting Choose how updates are delivered

4. Turn off P2P file transfer

Note: You can also completely disable Windows Update using Microsoft’s Show or hide updates tool but this is not recommended. Windows Updates include regular security updates and performance tweaks so they are worth the bandwidth they occasionally consume. Before you turn off Windows Updates, try first the tips below.

3. Install Original Wi-Fi Drivers

If you’ve done this already, skip this section. But if you’re not sure, read on.

As you probably know, the latest Windows installments automatically grab drivers for different components and devices, including Wi-Fi adapters. Windows 10 does this too, using a repository of drivers.

Most of the time, Windows 10 detects the Wi-Fi adapter correctly and grabs the right driver. But sometimes, these drivers are not ideal for your wireless network adapter. They may affect its performance or limits its functionality, which could take its toll on your internet speed.

Downloading the latest version of the manufacturer’s original Wi-Fi drivers could solve this problem. First, though, you need to find out what Wi-Fi adapter you have:

1. Right-click on computer

2. Select Properties

3. Select Device Manager

4. Look up the device’s name under Network Adapters

5. If the name of the device is unknown, right-click on it and select Properties

6. Go to the Details tab and then to Property and Select Hardware Ids

Once you know what Wi-Fi adapter you have, type the name or the Id of the Wi-Fi adapter in Google to find the manufacturer’s original drivers. Always download drivers from the manufacturer’s official website and make sure to choose the latest version available. You’d be surprised how many different driver releases exist for some network devices.

4. Close Background Apps That Drain Your Bandwidth

Sometimes, it’s not Windows 10 itself that slows down your internet speeds, but rather apps that run in the background, such as torrent apps, cloud-sharing apps, or gaming platforms like Steam. To optimize internet speeds, you need to quit the apps that have the biggest impact on your bandwidth.

Follow these steps to discover the main culprits:

1. Open Task Manager (right-clicking on the Taskbar)

2. Open the Performance tab

3. Open Resource Monitor (through the speedometer icon at the bottom of the window)

4. Open the Network tab

5. Sort apps by total bandwidth

Once you know which apps are bandwidth drainers, you can stop them from running in the background. In this way, you can keep them on your computer without having to uninstall them. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Settings (via the Start Menu)

2. Go to Privacy settings > Background apps

3. Scroll down to the bottom of the list to see all apps

4. Toggle Off all the apps you don’t want to run in the background

Note: It’s best not to disable your antivirus. If you notice that it drains your bandwidth when it performs automated updates, or else comes with some other web-protection features that slow down your browser, consider changing it.

5. Other Things You Can Do

In the end, you have to remember that your web browser too can slow down your internet speeds. Before changing your browser, remove any toolbars and unnecessary extensions or add-ons from it. Clear the cache, which you can do either through the browser’s settings or using one of the many clear cache plugins available for all browsers. If this doesn’t do the trick, try a different browser.

Also, keep an eye on how apps running in the background use bandwidth by opening the Resource Monitor following the steps above. Sometimes the culprits are not always obvious. You need to watch and wait.

Have you tried the tips above yet? Can you notice a significant improvement in your Windows 10 internet speed? What better way to test your internet speed than by browsing the other articles on Windows 10 on our site? Enjoy!