[Windows 10 Tip] Restrict Windows Update from Using Internet Connection Bandwidth

In Windows 10 operating system, Windows Update automatically downloads and installs available updates. Microsoft has not provided any option to set Windows Update to ask users before downloading or installing the updates. That’s why long time back, we posted an exclusive tutorial to fix this automatic update problem in Windows 10:

Fixing Windows 10 Automatic Updates Installation Problem

When Windows Update automatically downloads updates in your Windows 10 device, it consumes your Internet connection bandwidth and since you can’t disable or restrict it, it can consume a lot of amount of your valuable Internet connection bandwidth. If you are using a limited Internet connection, it might become problematic to you.

To help users, Microsoft has implemented a new feature in Windows 10 newer versions such as Fall Creators Update which allows users to set limit on Windows Update bandwidth usage.

With the help of this new feature, you can set how much bandwidth should Windows Update use for downloading and uploading updates. If you can’t use other methods to restrict Windows Update from automatically downloading updates, this new feature might become very useful for you.

To use this feature and to limit Internet connection bandwidth consumed by Windows Update, you just need to follow these simple steps:

1. Open Start Menu and click on Settings option. It’ll open Settings app. Alternatively, you can direct open Settings app using WIN+I hotkey.

2. Now click on “Update & Security” icon and in right-side pane, click on “Advanced options” link given at the bottom.

PS: Alternatively, You can directly launch the “Advanced options” page using “ms-settings:windowsupdate-options” command in RUN dialog box as mentioned here.

3. Now scroll down to bottom and click on “Delivery Optimization” link.

4. One more time click on “Advanced options” link given at the bottom.

Now you can apply a limit on bandwidth usage by Windows Update. The page is divided in to 2 sections:

• Download Settings
• Upload Settings

With the help of “Download Settings” section, you can limit how much bandwidth is used by Windows Update for downloading updates. The “Upload Settings” section helps you in limiting how much bandwidth is used by Windows Update for uploading updates to other PCs on Internet.

You just need to enable the checkboxes and adjust the slider according to your requirements. You can also set the monthly upload limit.

5. If you go back to previous page, click on “Activity monitor” link and there you can check download and upload statistics. You can check how much bandwidth has been used by Windows Update in downloading and uploading updates.

It’s a nice little addition to Windows 10 which will help users in restricting Windows Update from consuming their valuable Internet connection bandwidth.