Windows 11 gets updates on a frequent basis, with cumulative updates being released every month or so. Every now and then, usually once a year, there's also a much bigger feature update, such as Windows 11 version 24H2, which is currently rolling out to users. While these updates are great because they add new features and enhance security, they can download at the most inconvenient times, and sometimes they may slow down your internet as a result.

But Windows actually has a feature that allows you to control how much of your bandwidth Windows Update should use. This limits the download speed of your updates, but if you need a fast internet connection to work reliably, it's a good idea to enable these limits to ensure you have enough bandwidth for your other needs.

How to set a bandwidth limit for Windows Update downloads

Delivery optimization for Windows Update can limit the bandwidth used for downloading new Windows updates, and it has different settings for background and foreground downloads.

1. Open the Settings app and choose the Windows Update section from the menu on the left.
2. Click Advanced options.
3. Choose Delivery Optimization.
4. Next to Download options, you can use the dropdown menu to choose Percentage of bandwidth limit (the default) or an Absolute bandwidth limit. We recommend the latter for more fine-tuned control.
5. Enable the Background limit in Mbps (or as %) checkbox. Then, enter the maximum bandwidth you want Windows updates to use while downloading in the background.

   The right value to choose will depend on your internet speed and needs. If you have a slow connection, a low value like 1Mbps may be a good fit, while those with faster internet may be able to afford a higher limit. You can check your average download speed under the Activity monitor section on this page.

6. You can also enable a Foreground limit, which limits the download speeds when you're actively trying to download the latest updates. We actually recommend leaving this off because, if you're actively looking for updates, you probably want them to download as fast as possible.

Any changes you make here are automatically saved, so you're all set.

How to set a bandwidth limit for Windows Update uploads

Windows Update also uses your internet to upload the latest updates to other PCs on your network (or on the internet, if you enable this option). You can also limit this.

1. Open the Settings app and navigate to the Delivery Optimization page as described above.
2. Expand the Upload options area.
3. Set the Limit as a % of measured bandwidth toggle to On.
4. Use the slider to set the percentage of your bandwidth that should be available for uploading updates.
5. You can also use the Monthly upload limit field to stop uploading updates entirely after a certain amount.The default limit is 500GB, but you can change it to prevent using too much data for uploads.

Again, these settings are saved automatically.

Don't let Windows updates slow you down

No one likes having their work affected or interrupted by Windows updates, and these delivery optimization options can address one of the big pain points of having mandatory updates. When you rely on a constant internet connection for work, having your bandwidth taken up by Windows Update can be problematic, so having this option is certainly welcome.