How to Increase Your Internet Speed on Windows 10/11: 6 Top Tips

How to Increase Your Internet Speed on Windows 10/11: 6 Top Tips

A high-speed internet connection is what everyone wishes for to carry out their day-to-day activities. However, most Windows 10 and 11 users do not enjoy maximum network speed. Slow internet speed compromises productivity because it wastes time. It disrupts important online meetings, classes, and workflow. 

One of the things you feel when experiencing a slow internet speed is frustration. The good news is there are ways to increase your internet speed. 

To prevent you from experiencing disruption in your networking, we gathered some tips that can help you. In this article, we'll be reviewing how to increase internet speed on your Windows 10 and 11. But before that, let's look at some of the various reasons for experiencing slow internet.

1. Background Apps

This is one of the reasons you're experiencing slow internet speed on your Windows 10 and 11. Background apps running on your PC take a large amount of data and this hinders the smooth running of your networking.

2. Outdated Network Drivers

Another reason you are experiencing a slow internet speed is probably because your network drivers are outdated. Outdated network drivers can lead to various internet connection issues.

3. VPN Usage

Using VPN can cause your internet speed to slow down. VPN sends data through different servers and when one of those servers is faulty, it tends to slow down the internet speed.

4. Network Settings

Your Windows network setting is another reason you might be experiencing a slow internet speed. It might be that your Windows is connecting to the wrong WI-FI network or that some networking components are not in their original settings.

How to increase your internet speed on Windows 10 and 11

1. Disable Background Apps

There are a lot of apps running in the background in your windows 10 and 11 which slows down your internet connection. Disabling background apps would improve your internet speed.

How to Disable Background Apps:

• Use Windows + I to open "Settings"
• Open the Apps tab
• Then click on *Apps and features"
• Search for the apps you want to disable their background permission
• Click on the three dots menu beside the app and click on "Advanced options"
• Then navigate to Background apps permissions and select "Never" in the options beneath it.

2. Disable Windows Updates

If your Windows internet speed issue is minimal, it's not advisable to do this since this feature keeps updating your windows automatically. You should do this only if you are having serious issues with your internet speed. Disabling it will increase your internet speed. You might not disable it completely, you could pause it for some time after which your windows would automatically update themselves again.

How to Disable Windows Update by Pausing Auto Updates:

• Open "Settings" and click on "Update and security"
• Click on "pause for seven days"
• To change the pause period, click on "Advanced options" on that same page
• Then under "Pause updates", click on "Select date" and select the date in the menu.

Note that you can only pause the updates for 35 days after which your windows update itself automatically.

How to Disable Windows Updates Permanently:

• Search "Services" in the taskbar and click on it
• Locate Windows update from the list and click "Stop".

3. Uninstall OneNote App

OneNote app is a pre-installed app in windows 10 and 11 for taking notes, drawings, and audio commentaries. If it is not useful for you, uninstall it because it uses your PC's internet bandwidth when syncing files and folders.

How to Uninstall OneNote App:

• Open "Settings"
• Go to "System" and click on "Apps and features"
• Locate "OneNote" from the list of apps and click it
• Then, click the "Uninstall" button.

4. Disable Metered Connection

For some people that use a hotspot, you can experience a slow internet speed if you have set a data limit. It will limit how much data you can use. You should disable this feature if you want to enjoy a smooth internet connection.

How to Disable Metered Connection:

• Open "Settings" with "Windows + I"
• Click on "Network and Internet"
• Select "Properties"
• Turn off the toggle switch next to "Metered connection".

5. Limit Bandwidth for Updates

Setting lower bandwidth for some updates downloads will free up bandwidth for other activities you are running on your Windows. This is another way to increase your internet speed.

How to Limit Bandwidth for Updates:

• Open "Settings" with " Windows + I"
• Locate Windows Update from the left sidebar
• Click on "Advanced options",
• Under advanced options, click on "Delivery optimization"
• Then turn off the toggle for "Allow downloads from other PCs"
• Under the delivery optimization, click on "Advanced options" and select "Absolute Bandwidth"
• Under this, there are two boxes. One for "limiting the bandwidth for downloading updates in the background" and the other for "limiting the bandwidth for updates in the foreground".
• Select the " percentage of measured bandwidth" and reduce it Or limit the bandwidth under "Upload settings".

6. Disable Firewall

A firewall might also be one of the reasons you are experiencing a slow internet speed and disabling it would be a logical solution. If you have a third-party antivirus on your PC, it will come with a firewall. You have to disable the firewall because the third-party antivirus will manage all the firewall settings and indirectly affecting internet speed. If you don't use a third-party antivirus, then you should disable your Windows Defender Firewall.

How to Disable Windows Defender Firewall:

• Open Settings with " Windows + I"
• Click on "Privacy and security" and select "Windows security" from the list
• Click on "Firewall and network protection"
• Select a network profile (Domain network, Private network, or Public network)
• Under Microsoft Defender Firewall, switch the setting to "off".

The abovementioned are some of the basic tricks to increase internet speed in Windows 10 and 11. Incorporate this if you are experiencing a slow internet speed and let us know in the comments section which works for you. Stay tuned to our site for more helpful posts.