Limiting bandwidth on your computer will stop you from wasting information. Information technology's very helpful to manage this setting if you have a specific data limit as it tin stop yous from being overcharged.

We're going to show you lot how to control your bandwidth usage with built-in Windows ten facilities, then offer some additional tertiary-party tools that offer more features to help you limit your bandwidth.

How to Limit Data Usage in Windows 10

Starting time, let'due south wait at how to control your network usage and employ a bandwidth limit using the tools that come with Windows x.

Enable a Metered Connectedness in Windows 10

I way to limit bandwidth in Windows 10 is to enable a metered connectedness. This is perfect if you have a data cap.

Enabling this feature will mean that some updates for Windows won't exist installed automatically (except critical updates) and some Microsoft Shop apps might lose some functionality or not work properly. It will also disable peer-to-peer updates that are designed to help with Microsoft'southward server load.

To enable a metered connexion:

  1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
  2. Click Network & Net.
  3. Choose either Wi-Fi or Ethernet, depending on what method you apply to connect to the internet.
metered connection windows 10

If you selected Wi-Fi:

  1. Click Manage known networks.
  2. Select your network from the listing.
  3. Click Properties.
  4. Slide Set equally metered connection to On.

If you selected Ethernet:

  1. Click your connection from the list.
  2. Slide Ready as metered connexion 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. It won't disconnect your internet when you hitting the limit, merely yous will receive warning notifications every bit you near it.

windows 10 data usage
  1. Printing Windows key + I to open Settings.
  2. Click Network & Cyberspace.
  3. Beneath Network condition, y'all'll run across your different internet connections and how much information each has used in the concluding 30 days. For the 1 yous want to gear up a data usage limit for, click Data usage.
  4. Beneath Data limit, click Enter limit.
  5. Select a fourth dimension period (Limit type), the Monthly reset date/Days until information expires, and the Information limit (set the Unit every bit either MB or GB.)
  6. Click Save.

Y'all'll see a graph that shows how much data has been used and how much is remaining. Click Edit limit to alter the settings or Remove limit to bit information technology.

Windows ten has some helpful features to assistance you prepare a bandwidth limit and utilise less information, only you might need something more advanced. If so, these third-political party tools are great choices.

ane. NetBalancer

NetBalancer shows you a list of all the active processes on your arrangement and any associated network usage. Below this is a alive graph so you can see at a glance where whatever bandwidth spikes occur. Hover your mouse over the graph and you'll be able to encounter which processes were sapping your bandwidth at that moment.

To limit a programme'south bandwidth, observe it on the listing and double-click it. You lot tin use the Download Priority and Upload Priority dropdowns to adjust its usage based on preset filters. This is handy if, for example, you lot however want a program to be unrestricted, but want other programs to utilise the bandwidth start if they demand it. Alternatively, cull Custom from the dropdown to define your own limits.

netbalancer

If you desire to get into the nitty-gritty, y'all can set rules and filters; navigate to these sections from the icons on the left-hand menu. However, bear in mind that these are only bachelor in the paid version of NetBalancer, which costs a one-time fee of $49.95. Alternatively, yous can keep using it for free as a network monitor only.

2. NetLimiter

When you launch NetLimiter you lot'll run into a list of all your open applications, along with their current bandwidth usage. Of class, some applications will naturally use more bandwidth than others, but it's handy to place those which are consuming more than they need to.

The default limit is prepare to 5 KB/s for download and upload, which you tin quickly enable by checking the box for a particular row. To edit those defaults, correct-click a row and click Add together dominion. Here y'all can change the bandwidth boundaries.

netlimiter

NetLimiter comes with a 28-day trial period. A unmarried user home license for the Lite version costs $15.95, while the Pro version costs $24.95.

3. Net-Peeker

Net-Peeker has a simple user interface. At the top, you tin can come across the active upload and download usage, along with access to a brief settings screen and some other features the program offers, like a system guard. We'll only be focusing on its bandwidth limiting ability.

The master tabular array lists all active processes on your system, along with its bandwidth consumption. You can double-click a process to become extremely detailed information on the Network Sessions and Loaded Modules tabs.

netpeeker

On either an entire process from the main window or on a specific network session, you can correct-click to manage the connection. You tin Limit speed to specify set bandwidth boundaries and Abort connection to disconnect it all together (until you open it again.)

Internet-Peeker gives you a 30-day trial to experience all of its features. After that time, you lot can go along to utilize the program for $25. If y'all want the ability to control multiple systems, you'll demand to purchase a group license, which starts at $125 for v computers.

iv. SoftPerfect Bandwidth Manager

SoftPerfect Bandwidth Manager is a proficient programme, only it is catchy to get to grips with. When you first launch, you'll need to enter your network accost and password before you can offset monitoring the traffic.

If y'all're comfortable with that, it's a program worth checking out cheers to its decent rule customization. Printing Ctrl + N to begin creating your rule. Move between each tab to see all the options, but be sure to name your rule and set your desired Rate limits. When done, click OK to activate your dominion.

softperfect bandwidth manager

Apply the Tools dropdown to fix quotas and schedules for your bandwidth. It's also worth checking out the Usage Report, which volition requite yous an overview of all your traffic and help you identify any item bug that need addressing.

SoftPerfect Bandwidth Manager has a 30-day trial menses. After this, you can keep using the Lite version for gratuitous, with the limit of only being able to ready five rules. Alternatively, yous can pay $49 to upgrade to the Standard version. Run into the license comparison list for full details.

Monitor Your Network Usage With Ease

These are all keen methods to control your bandwidth when using Windows 10; perfect if you're not sure what'due south eating upwardly your bandwidth and you want to monitor your dwelling house network usage. Start with the default Windows 10 tools, then move to a third-party programme if they don't prove sufficient.

What's Using My Bandwidth? 5 Tips to Monitor Domicile Network Usage

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Joe Keeley (884 Articles Published)

Joe was born with a keyboard in his hands and immediately started writing almost engineering science. He has a BA (Hons) in Business organization and is now a full-fourth dimension freelance writer who enjoys making tech simple for anybody.

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